A sample coloring page from the app called Recolor.
Calling all creatives! Don’t always have room to take your sketchpad and pencils with you? Are you often inspired to write poetry, but can’t quite figure out how to get started? Or, do you find yourself composing songs on your train ride home, only to forget them by the time you get to your computer? Does any of this sound like you? Well, we have some possible solutions to keep your creative juices flowing! We’ve rounded up some free digital apps that will make great additions to your creative toolkit. These digital apps offer art with the touch of a button. Grab your phone or tablet, start downloading, and get creative!
All of these apps are available on iOS and Android and are free to download.
This app is excellent for the artist on-the-go. Autodesk Sketchbook allows the user to illustrate with a variety of different media and create complex, multi-layered creations. Use the pencil tool to create basic sketches or the paintbrush tool to create dynamic graphics. In addition to the sketchbook, the app includes other features such as simple graphic editing tools. For example, users can scan and upload physical sketches to the app and edit them. Users can also participate in the app’s daily “SketchThis” challenge. With “SketchThis,” users get to practice sketching and develop their creativity while creating a community with others to share their creations.
Roses are red, violets are blue, how about an app, that lets you write a haiku? If you like writing poetry, then this app is for you. HaikuJAM is an app that allows users to create and share poems with other members of the HaikuJAM community. After you create an account, the app will open up to a timeline. There, you can click on “JAM” and start writing your own poem or help finish someone else’s poem. Looking for inspiration? Choose from one of the pre-prepared poem titles or click on the “Explore” tab to get a boost. Once your poem is complete, save it to your portfolio to let users like, comment, and share any of your poetry posts. Users can also join circles or writing communities of their choice. Grab a cup of tea (and your phone) to start “jamming”!
Want to become a musician? Make your dream come true with this app which gives you a whole studio at your fingertips. Music Maker Jam allows users to create and share their original songs. Choose from two free styles to start your musical score. After that, use the number of different instruments and audio effects in the app to build your song. Once you’ve created your beat, the app automatically turns your selections into an audio loop. From there, you can record your creation, add vocals, save, and share your song. Get the chance to also explore the work of other people in the Music Maker Jam community as well.
With adult coloring books becoming more and more popular, here’s an app that will turn your device into a virtual coloring book. Recolor is coloring on-the-go. New coloring pages are posted daily, and users have access to an incredible variety of color palettes to create their masterpieces.
In the era where #selfie reigns supreme, everyone needs a great photo-editing application. Snapseed is a mobile photo-editing app that allows for relative user ease while providing tools to create unique photo edits. Snapseed users can edit by hand using the tools and filters provided or choose from pre-configured edits and apply those edits as a filter. Users can also read blog posts from photography experts to help hone their craft. The app also makes it easy for you to post your creations to any social media platforms.
Like apps? Check out our blog post on apps to help you arm-chair travel to museums across the country.
Stay Connected to the National Endowment for the Arts
