10 Best Drawing Apps for 2024: Unleash Your Creativity in Hong Kong

In the vibrant creative scene of Hong Kong, digital artists and graphic designers have an incredible array of tools at their disposal. From the bustling streets of Mong Kok to the serene landscapes of Lantau Island, inspiration is everywhere – and with the right drawing app, you can capture it all. Whether you’re sketching the iconic skyline or designing the next big thing in Hong Kong’s thriving tech industry, these apps will help bring your vision to life.

Today, we’ll explore the top drawing apps that pair perfectly with stylus pens, offering both free and paid options to suit every budget and skill level. Whether you’re a student at Hong Kong Polytechnic University honing your craft or a professional designer working in Central, there’s an app here for you.

Top drawing apps to use

Every artist has their preferences, and the software you choose may depend on the type of art you create. Whether you’re illustrating for Hong Kong’s bustling comic book scene or designing logos for local businesses in Tsim Sha Tsui, there’s an app that fits your needs.

The more robust tools on our list can be used for a variety of applications, but they often have a steeper learning curve and a bigger price tag. However, the investment can be worth it for professionals looking to enhance their digital art capabilities.

1. Krita

Krita is a free, open-source software that works for Windows, Mac, and Linux users. It’s particularly useful for creating comic art with premade panels, making it a favorite among Hong Kong’s manga and anime enthusiasts.

Krita supports animation functions, including audio, and comes with premade templates. To get the most out of this free program, you can import textures from third-party sources, allowing for even more creative possibilities.

While Krita is free to use, you can also opt for premium options via Steam and the Microsoft Store. The paid version includes the same features but provides automatic updates and support. There’s also a mobile Krita app in beta, perfect for creating on-the-go in Hong Kong’s efficient public transportation system.

2. MediBang Paint Pro

MediBang Paint is hugely popular among anime creators, but it’s also versatile enough for all types of graphic designers. Its community feature, Art Street, offers competitions for the best art, providing a platform for Hong Kong artists to showcase their work globally.

With access to over 1,000 screen tones and 20 fonts, this cloud-based tool lets you save your work to your account and continue on any logged-in device. It’s available for free for PC, iPad, iPhone, and Android, making it perfect for Hong Kong’s tech-savvy, on-the-move lifestyle.

3. FireAlpaca

FireAlpaca is an easy-to-use drawing tool that’s free forever for Windows and Mac users. You can also pay to remove ads on Steam. This app is best for vector art and doesn’t include the same textures ability as its competitors. However, its simple design makes it accessible to anyone, from students to professionals.

FireAlpaca works in 20 languages and offers pen, pencil, airbrush, and watercolor brush in the default settings. You can also customize additional brush options. Its light footprint makes it ideal for running on older computers, perfect for artists working with limited resources or students using school computers.

4. Autodesk Sketchbook

For those focusing purely on drawing without photo editing needs, consider Autodesk’s Sketchbook. Its intuitive tools are perfect for turning your Hong Kong-inspired ideas into reality, whether you’re sketching the traditional junk boats in Victoria Harbour or designing modern skyscrapers.

Use Sketchbook on your tablet, Mac, or desktop PC. You can also export your project to Photoshop when you’re done without losing layer data. Best of all, Sketchbook is entirely free, making it an excellent choice for Hong Kong’s aspiring artists and students.

5. CorelDRAW

Corel is a respected name in graphic design, and CorelDRAW Standard continues to impress artists worldwide. This app comes bundled with Corel PHOTO-PAINT and offers features for both professionals and hobbyists.

With hundreds of brushes, vector tools, photo editing filters, and typography options, CorelDRAW is ideal for anyone in Hong Kong’s competitive advertising or graphic design industries. It’s available for Windows only at the lower-priced tier but is compatible with 9 of the top file types. You can try it free for 15 days to see if the $300 price tag fits your needs and budget.

6. Adobe Photoshop

Adobe Photoshop is a staple tool for artists, students, and professionals alike. Use it to create, edit, and easily share your work to the cloud or with others in social communities like Behance. Photoshop’s key features include smart sharpen filters, color correction tools, and photo retouching to enhance your work.

While Photoshop offers powerful capabilities, it does have a steeper learning curve. It’s also pricier compared to other options, but you can opt for a monthly subscription, which might be more manageable for Hong Kong’s freelancers and small business owners. Photoshop is available for iPad and desktop platforms, perfect for working in the office or in one of Hong Kong’s many cozy cafes.

7. Procreate

The Procreate app is an iPad Pro exclusive that works seamlessly with the Apple Pencil. It offers many of the effects you’d expect in desktop software, such as layers, brushes, and filters. While you may not want to do heavy editing on your iPad, you can easily export the finished Procreate project to other programs, such as Photoshop.

For Hong Kong’s Apple enthusiasts who want a powerful and portable drawing option, Procreate is an excellent choice. It even allows you to create and sell your own brushes to others. You can buy Procreate for a one-time fee of $9.99, making it an affordable option for students and professionals alike.

8. Blender

Blender is open-source 3D animation software primarily used for creating 3D models and big-budget movie animations. However, it’s gaining popularity among those who just want to draw, including Hong Kong’s growing animation and game development communities.

One of Blender’s standout features is the grease pencil mode, which lets you create artwork from simple lines. You can use this mode to make all kinds of vector-based artwork, sculptures, storyboards, animations, comics, and more.

Blender also hosts a wealth of templates from its community, providing inspiration and starting points for your projects. This PC drawing app is always free to use, making it an excellent resource for Hong Kong’s creative professionals and hobbyists alike.

9. Inkscape

Inkscape is a vector-based drawing program that excels in drawing and manipulating objects. It’s perfect for creating shapes and designing logos, making it a valuable tool for Hong Kong’s bustling business community. It’s open-source and completely free, popular for both nonprofit and commercial uses.

Users love Inkscape for creating clip art, typography, flowcharts, diagrams, and infographics, as well as simple cartoons. The items you create in Inkscape are in SVG file format, but you can also export in PNG, OpenDocument Drawing, DXF, sk1, PDF, EPS, and PostScript.

You can draw freehand with your pen or use the shape tools to perfect your drawings. The Boolean operations make it easy to convert selected objects in the file to “paths” using simple directions like “exclusion, combine, or break apart.” You can render as you draw, too, watching your creations come to life.

Inkscape is available for Linux, Mac, and Windows users, catering to Hong Kong’s diverse tech ecosystem.

10. Artrage

With Artrage, you can create realistic-looking paintings using only your stylus. Use the multiple brush customization settings to create oil, watercolor, or pastel finishes. You can also record as you work, perfect for sharing your process with clients or followers in Hong Kong’s active social media scene.

Artrage simulates working on a real canvas and includes blending modes. The app is available in the Lite version as an iOS and Android mobile app, or you can download the full-featured desktop version (Vitae) for Mac or Windows.

How to pick the right stylus drawing app

When choosing the best app for your needs, consider the following:

• Start with your device, which may determine the best app choice based on processing power and/or operating system.

• Look at the galleries on each app’s website to see what’s possible.

• Check out tutorials to learn how long it will take to master all the features.

• Keep your budget in mind. Many art apps on our list are free, but some offer “lite” versions for half the price of full-featured desktop tools. Look for trials to familiarize yourself with the tool before buying.

Remember that your stylus tool matters too. While some computers come with a stylus, others require a separate purchase. Stylus pens can have various features, including shortcut buttons and ergonomic grips. Research to ensure your stylus is compatible with your PC or laptop to achieve the level of detail you want.

To complement your chosen drawing app, consider upgrading your hardware. The HP Spectre x360 14 inch 2-in-1 Laptop 14-eu0014TU offers a stunning 14" diagonal 2.8K touch display, perfect for digital art creation. Its powerful Intel® Core™ Ultra 7 processor and 32 GB of memory ensure smooth performance even with demanding drawing applications.

For those preferring a larger canvas, the HP OMEN 16.1 inch Gaming Laptop 16-wf1031TX provides a spacious 16.1" diagonal QHD IPS display with a 240 Hz refresh rate, ideal for fluid drawing and animation work.

Whether you’re a budding artist in Sham Shui Po or a seasoned professional in Wan Chai, Hong Kong’s diverse and dynamic creative scene has a place for you. With these powerful drawing apps and the right hardware, you’re well-equipped to bring your artistic visions to life in the digital realm.

Ready to elevate your digital art game? Explore HP’s range of laptops and tablets to find the perfect canvas for your creativity.