This was a fun and thoroughly enjoyable process. Still, we had to be strict and objective in our assessment.

Of course, the most important bit of criteria we had to apply was the technical stability of the platform. You wouldn't want to lose your precious drawings, after all. We asked more than a few questions in the process. How responsive is the app? Is there any lag? Does it crash? Is it reliable?

In addition, we also paid attention to the number of features, brushes, filters, and layering - all of which are essential for any digital creative. How well these played together was also high on our list of priorities.

As the title of this article suggests, we also had to take costs into consideration. Is the app free? Free-to-try? Comes with premium features? In the time of the global pandemic and rising unemployment, perhaps it's better to stick to the budget-friendly version.

Few apps manage to strike the balance between having enough options yet not being too busy. Ideally, they should give enough space yet have every tool no more than two taps away. Light yet powerful, the ideal app ought to be suited for beginners and seasoned pros alike. Out of all the programs that we tested, this is the only one that manages to walk this fine line and deliver on every front.

AutoDesk's SketchBook is about as good as it gets. There are no preparations, no complicated intros, and no tutorials needed to jump right in. You can just sit - perhaps stand, or even lie on your couch - and start sketching. Capture your fleeting impressions of nature, people, or note the products of your imagination for further use in your creative process. Luckily, it doesn't stop there. You can utilize this app as a starting point for your next project - or for the whole process - from start to finish.

Both the amateur enamored with the visual language of art and the professional working in the creative industry can take maximum advantage of such a platform. It is small enough, quick enough, and useful enough for everyone.

You can draw, paint, stack layers, and even use photographic references as a tool in creating your masterpiece. For the latter, you only need your camera to serve as the scanner. Import a photo or an existing drawing, draw over it, add effects, and make it absolutely your own.

The user interface is beyond clear and nearly all of the features can be hidden away so that your workspace is maximized. The developers were definitely aware of the fact that phones offer us only a limited amount of square inches to work with and that every single pixel counts.

Of course, any app that attempts to replicate traditional drawing media needs to be judged accordingly. In this respect, SketchBook delivers extremely consistent results and a stroke of a (virtual) pencil will be just as recognizable as a translucent wash of watercolor. Markers, ink pens, and oil colors are also well represented, as are charcoal and pastels. This makes it ideal for those who love the old school look yet don't appreciate the cleanup process - or the smell of turpentine.

Once you're done and fully satisfied with your creation, you will be able to share it in just about any way you can imagine. Send it via email, post it on any social media account you have - from Facebook and Twitter to Pinterest and even LinkedIn - or aim for a more specialized community such as DeviantArt. WhatsApp, Telegram, and Viber are also included, in case you want to show your family how talented you are. All of this can be done without leaving the core app.

Even though we always aim to focus on smartphone apps exclusively, the desktop version is well worth mentioning too - if for no other reason than to emphasize the fact that the two are practically identical. Unlike Adobe that limits the number of features for their smartphone apps, AutoDesk has gone all the way in making sure that every single thing is present - no matter which device you intend to use. In our experience, this is an extreme rarity and yet another reason why we've fallen in love with SketchBook.

Our winner has left us with very little to complain about. Perhaps the only notable flaw - if you can call it that - is the fact that you will have to register in order to use it. This means the usual process of signing up through your Google account. In the case of an app as simple and as straightforward as this, the process seems somewhat redundant. Still, we have to remember that most other apps on the market require this too and that our digital world is becoming increasingly interconnected.

One thing that younger, more social-media-savvy users might notice is the lack of special effects that apps like FaceTune or Bazaart offer. Then again, SketchBook aims to satisfy a different segment of the market, but perhaps a few more filters and stickers could make it more attractive to casual users. Still, the way it is now, it does an absolutely brilliant job.

Not everyone using drawing and photo-editing apps will be a professional. In fact, it is safe to assume that the general majority downloading them are simply amateurs who love art but only occasionally indulge in their passion. This is the sort of crowd that Infinite Painter chooses to focus on - with great success.

Once you start, you will be offered to swipe through a brief intro and get acquainted with the interface. Using the basic tools is beyond easy and you are likely to get the hang of it in a matter of minutes. The no-frills design is ideal for anyone who is just starting their sketching journey. A few taps here, a few swipes there - and you're ready to rock.

An impressive selection of brushes sets this app apart from many other contenders. One thing that particularly stood out was the fact that each comes with a very large preview which clearly shows you how it will behave once it's applied onto the digital canvas. This makes your choice so much easier. You will always know what to expect. Even if we were being extremely picky here (which we usually are anyway), we couldn't possibly aim a single complaint at this feature.

Another thing worth mentioning is that you can edit each brush in fine detail and, of course, create your own from scratch to fit your artistic needs. This segment has a somewhat steeper learning curve but, once you get the hang of it, it runs like clockwork.

You can smudge, erase, move things around, create natural-looking effects, and do all this on a surface that is almost as large as that SketchBooks offers. The grey tones of the interface may look a bit washed out but, once you get drawing, you won't even notice them. The app also offers you to import and export images, join an online community and browse other people's work. You can browse by newest, trending, and popular - along with the ability to explore and pick which of your own digital canvases you'd like to submit.

If all of this sounds pretty standard to you, we should now mention why we think this app is ideal for total beginners. The "classroom" feature offers a couple of dozen amazing lessons that will guide you through every bit of the process of creating amazing work. Digital features, as well as purely artistic skills, are thoroughly covered - enough to take you from rookie to expert in a matter of weeks.

Of course, as you can imagine, this sort of service does come with a price tag. Still, after a 7-day trial, you will need to invest only $9.99 to unlock every single feature. This is a one-time payment and no further spending will be necessary. A great deal, if you ask us.

The top two contenders both aim to replicate the natural feel of traditional painting and drawing media. MediBang Paint, on the other hand, assumes an approach that is more digital, more "artificial", to satisfy the needs of those who prefer a more computer-generated look to their work. This is not to say that there aren't more than a couple of tools that very much resemble the ones used by draftsmen of old. The app does, in fact, boast more than 100 different presets plus an option to create your own brushes from scratch.

Once you launch the software, you will be offered a chance to watch a tutorial that will guide you through the basics of the system. Spending a minute or two on this will eliminate any confusion and allow you to get started almost immediately.

You can choose between working on a new, blank canvas, continuing a previous effort you have already focused on, or browse through the gallery on your smartphone. You never know which one of your old photos could prove a useful foundation for your next awesome sketch.

In addition, the app gives you a chance to participate in its social media segment. You can submit your work for others to appreciate, browse through thousands of entries made by users from across the globe - or even enter a competition and win cash prizes. This can serve as excellent motivation if you don't really feel like creating anything today.

Once you start working, you will see that all options will be at your fingertips. The screen may appear cluttered at first, giving the app an old-school feel. You will, however, soon realize that each individual toolbar can be hidden and that you will be left with just as much space as SketchBook offers.

You can choose between various brushes, crop, drag, and drop, copy-paste, and take advantage of other options that bring the app closer to traditional graphic design. The platform even offers tracing lines which will make perspective a piece of cake. It is practically ideal for architectural sketches. MediBang Paint indeed serves as a convenient middle ground between fine art and digital media.

Perhaps the only downside to the whole package is the ads which have a tendency to take up a lot of screen space once you enter any of the menus. If you want to get rid of them, you will need to spend $5.99 for this luxury. Luckily, it's a one-time payment so the expense won't be too big. Other than that, it's a wonderful app for anyone who loves to sketch.

While our aim was definitely to find a quick and easy-to-use solution, this app somehow ended up being too easy. It's not a pro software by a long shot and, in fact, seems to be closer to a game. There are no advanced features, no filters, no layers, but only a straightforward interface that aims to be more fun than functional. Paying $4.99 for the pro version is advisable only if you absolutely fall in love with the app - which we definitely didn't. It could be a nice one for your child's tablet although, even in that department, we can think of a few that would work a lot better.

The company known across the globe for its photo-editing software also has a few other tricks up its sleeve. Photoshop Sketch tries (and mostly succeeds) in riding the coattails of its older sibling. Still, the attempt to cover this part of the spectrum comes with a few downsides - the most obvious one being the price. The entire Creative Suite will snatch $49.99 from your pocket on a monthly basis while picking an individual app from the collection will set you back $9.99. If you're focused on saving, you might want to skip this one - and the next two apps.

While Photoshop Sketch focuses on raster graphics, Illustrator stays true to its original purpose and can be your go-to for the world of vectors. This will be particularly useful for those employed in graphic design that don't like converting traditional 2D images into more pliable files but, instead, like to start using digital measurements from the get-go. Unfortunately, much like the previous contender, Illustrator too comes with a heft price tag. In addition, it gives the impression of an app that holds only 50% of the power of the desktop version. It's simply not good enough.

Branching out into all corners of the creative industry, Adobe has also created a system that aims to replicate traditional media such as oils or watercolors. This is an amazing idea that, due to the software's fairly recent date, lacks some of the polish of more seasoned apps. The feel is natural enough and the results you can get with it can be genuinely impressive - especially if you devote some time to practice. Still, this late addition to the Adobe family still has some steps to take before it starts being fully functional. It promises a lot but has yet to deliver. Also, much like the previous two entries, it also suffers from an exorbitantly high price.