For sketching: Paper website
Feels like: ANALOG

This is my go-to sketchbook app. Super simple— no layers, zooming, or the like. However, it’s so wonderfully simple, and drawing with the pencil tool is the closest thing I’ve found that is close to drawing on real paper. And don’t get me started on how fantastic the watercolor tool is.

For inking: Adobe Ideas website
Feels like: Drawing freehand in Flash

Beautiful, clean freehand ink lines that save as vector, so you can scale it later. And by “later”, I mean you can save as an AI file and switch over to your desktop later. BAM.

For painting: Procreate website
Feels like: Corel Painter

This is what I use to make full color illustration like the big kids do. The capabilities of this app are wonderful, AND the UI is the simply best of all the painting apps I’ve used so far. (Alias Sketchbook, I’m looking at you.)

For tweaking: Photoshop Touch website
Feels like: Photoshop

I had my doubts. I had used Photoshop Express, and it was a wreck. However, I was tipped off that Photoshop Touch was different. It really is a mobile version of every feature I normally use in Photoshop to tweak/color correct/experiment with my art. Layers! Blending modes! Filters!

Oh, and did I mention it can save layered Photoshop files you can later open up on your desktop?

Later this week, I’ll post a follow-up about pressure sensitive iPad styluses. 😀