Charcoal

This is a simple and elegant app. No nonsense, no ads, free. Note also the small size of the download - this is well programmed too. Very nicely (aesthetically) designed interface with well-chosen basic tools. Allows you to quickly and simply create content - for example, quick sketches and one-page handwritten notes, to-do lists, etc., using well-designed, basic tools, which you can then save/email/etc. as .png files. It is so refreshing to see a simple, well-designed, practical, useful, function-based app like this, that lets you quickly create content, control where the content is stored, and for free without the distraction and nonsense of ads or other gimmicks. … Also, note (no pun intended) that this app is different than Notes. The emphasis here seems to be on finger/stylus/Apple Pencil (I.e. free-form) input, rather than on using the keyboard or typing. That’s the main difference, it seems. Only feature I’d like to see added would be an option to save to .pdf. Anyway, this is an excellent, really nicely designed little app. Thank you to the developer.

I like this app, because when I get tired of more complex programs like Procreate or Medibang, you can just go straight to this app and start drawing. The simplicity works very well, and I think that it’s just refreshing when you have only a few tools to work from. I think you should add a small guide for where the tools are just to the side, so you don’t need to search around for them (unless there is one) and more brush sizes. Either way, I think this is great considering you don’t have to pay anything, and you don’t see that a lot.

I haven’t learned all of the features and I’ve only have had this for a week but it’s awesome,I like how the colors are arranged but I think that the makers of the app should make a color wheel so you don’t have too go though and find the color but other than that I think it’s a great app. If your not that good at drawing this is a good app too start with and one more thing is that if there isn’t an Eye dropper then I think you should add one, but other than that it’s a great app and I recommend this to people who are looking to start drawing

This app is great! I love! Only nice things to say about it! Except an issue that occurred after I updated my iPadOS to version 14.3... after I got the update, it started crashing before it could even load. I’m sure it’s an easy debugging fix, but it’s made it difficult to do what I love to do (which is draw, doodle, and sketch). I have only nice things to say from there on, like how it’s an easy way to do some concept sketches and basic designs. I recommend this app to anyone who wants to draw on an offline space for a device. (Please fix my issue, it’s become bothersome) With many thanks, me.

It’s incredibly refreshing to be able to draw and color well by just selecting the tool and putting them to digital paper. The pens that come with procreate are widely considered not that great and it makes it a lot more difficult to draw. But on this app I was drawing comfortably immediately. You don’t have to navigate through any menus customize any sensitivity scales when all you want is a decent artist’s pencil. My only problem is that sometimes when I’m trying to open a previous sketch it will immediately close that sketch. And it will do that repeatedly until I close the app entirely.

If you open the color palette screen and then try to close it, the entire app freezes until you force close. Apart from that, it’s a simple and solid sketch app. Gets the job done with no clutter, no ads, just the sketching. Not a ton of tools, but if you just need a simple canvas to jot notes or sketch a diagram, it’s excellent. I’m using it to plan video game map layouts before attempting to create them in software.

Great if you want a simple app to draw or even write notes in. Very smooth and no ads. But my only complaint is it’s very limited. It limits you to one layer, a couple of pre-chosen pallets, and one set of tools (which include several drawing tools, an eraser that you can’t adjust the size of, and a ruler & select tool). Some things I wish were in the app: color chooser/wheel, smudge brush, more size options, layers, ability to rotate the canvas, and ability to add pictures. That would be awesome! But for now, I’m deleting this app because it’s not for me. It’s pretty simplistic and easy to work with, if that’s for you. But overall it’s not that bad. :)

Saw Apple’s WWDC20 story and was immediately attracted by this app’s logo design and i am just searching for a Apple’s memo drawing replacement. i’m so glad that I download this app and I highly recommend this to anyone looking for a great iPad productivity booster but in light weight! So far, the only problem i have is that it seems to be a little delay when using Pencil1 drawing. Because I write and draw very quickly, so the delay is quite obvious but others may not care. Thanks my beloved young developer ! Can’t wait to see more of your works!

This is a great app for when you just want to doodle... and then maybe refine the doodle a little bit, or not. I appreciate this because so far it is the closest to just scribbling on a piece of paper I have found for iPad, and it is exactly what I was looking for to quickly visualize ideas. For more complex drawings or illustrations I use Procreate, but for just getting things down this does it for me.

This app just feels like a riff off the Notes app. I mean, the colors are different. And there are slightly more options tools/colors wise. But in all it’s not worth it. You can’t type, so it isn’t really good for keeping track of your ideas, or however the description worded it. And the tool/color options aren’t actually good enough for art. Again, it’s a knock off Notes. It’s got some things better, but barely. I suppose it’s impressive because a teenager made it... but when you consider the copied Notes’ homework it’s not that great.

This is a simple cool sketching app, it’s free no ads. Great job! To the developer. If you are not going to charge for this nice app at least have a donate button. I would be the first to send you some money. Too many people think they should get apps for free because it’s downloaded. Well developers need to make money for their hard work.

I love sketching, it’s one of my favorite things to do in my free time. So finding this app was perfect. This app is very simple to use and anybody can figure it out. This app skips all of the fancy stuff and gets straight to the point. If you are looking for a good app for sketching, look no further. This is the perfect app for you! I love using this app and look forward to seeing what comes next for it!

I love it. You can easily open it and draw anything that comes to your mind so you don’t forget it. It is not details with layers and everything, but that is the point! (I’m explaining to complainers.) It isn’t supposed to be a giant app, it is simple and efficient to sketch down whatever someone needs. For example, I could easily give my friend a try at this and they could easily draw a small sketch in which I would sketch out something in my art style for them! It is an adorable and safe storage app which is again, efficient and safe. Thank you! 💙

This app is as described, simple. That is probably really helpful to those starting out in the digital art world. However, this app is not for those who are looking for more advanced options. For example, you cannot change the size of the brushes/pens and you are limited to one pallet of colors. I know that this app is made to be simple, but I think that maybe the option of incorporating a size adjuster on the brushes would enhance the program.

Works great for quick notes and sketches, and I’m a huge fan of the interface. If there’s one thing I wish this app had it would be the ability to manually enter the hex number of a color when creating a new color palette instead of just moving the picker around.

u used this app and at first I loved it. But then one day I went into it and started to draw and the app completely froze me on mid draw which was very disappointing and i-was not able to recover any har of my hard work or time spent. I should have saved in my photos but depended on the app mistakingly. I am so upset as some of my best work was just gone, just like that. I wrote to the app and never heard back with a solution. I don’t recommend this app because of that.

Listen it’s ok but it’s very limited in colors and with the Apple notes app you can draw and when you do it can make it so when you draw horrible line it make it supper straight and when you make a horrible circle ⭕️ it makes it a perfect circle or oval… depends but find a way to add that to charcoal and please add a thing where you can select any shade of any color in the world this would make the app a Millon times better

I love the idea. I actually find myself in a lot of scenarios where I’m having a hard time explaining a concept to somebody. Being able to open up a no-nonsense canvas and begin drawing is much faster than finding my notebook and a pen. Keep up the great work!

It’s a great and simple app to do when you get tired of the more complicated apps but I have one request can you please make it to where you can take off and on the little dots cause they get on my nerves when the appear out of no where thank you 😊❤️❤️❤️💕

It’s perfect for what it is supposed to be, a simple, easy to use drawing app. I really like it. I do think that it would be better if you could change the brush size, but other than that I have no issues.

This app is nice but the palettes are on the side of the app and there’s no way to hide them. I’ve accidentally selected a different color. Also the preview images when you open the app will all turn into the image of what I just edited recently making it hard to select the photo I want. Other than that it’d pretty nice.

Recently all of my drawings got erased with the new update. I emailed the developer and got no response. :( Original description: The only drawing app I know that just lets you draw-no payment(s) or ads needed. For someone that just wants to doodle every once and a while without using paper, this is the perfect thing for me.

Of Lars’ two apps on the store now, one is a node-based 3D processing environment and the other is an entirely custom drawing app with the ability to save your work. Really impressive work, yet again. Some day, he’s gonna put us all to shame.

I really love this for not getting bogged down with extra stuff I never know how to use. One thing I noticed is the colors change when I send my drawings to people is that an intentional choice trying to mimic different mediums or is it a technical issue?

Pencil pressure, color palettes, simplicity are all fine tuned to just what’s needed when I don’t want to pull a whole drawing suite up. Ty

Ok so I’m going through the App Store and land on this app then I download it. So I did and the app made it more clear. You can sketch which I love so much and now it’s my number 1 app on my device.

This is a really nice app. But it needs updated. In fact, it hasn’t been updated in about a year.

I love this app but i had to delete it after i bought Procreate but it is great for Logo design after all i really love the Basic easy to use UI this app is a 5 star ♥️

I really enjoy drawing, and this is the most favorite drawing app ever in my life!!! But....I wish there is some writing function, and some changing font function to! It’s still good app though😊

This app strives on what defines quality software: simplicity No unnecessary features, it’s not bloated with advertisements or in-app purchases, it just does what it’s supposed to do and that’s what makes it great.

I love the design & simplicity of this app! Theres not a lot of weird drawing instruments/instructions in the way (Especially as a phone app) and so far seems great with no delays! Thank you for blessing us with a simple drawing app!

This is the best Apple pen app out there the only thing wrong is the eraser it is hard to use and erased most of my work instead of small portions

Thank you so much for making this app. And it said you where only 16 such amazing talent! I use it all the time it is super easy to use and design. It brings my creativity to life.

I’ve been trying to find a good sketching app for a very long time. This is perfect. It’s exactly what I’ve been looking for, not kidding, for over a year.

Love this app for my drawings and doodlings!! Much less cluttered than Adobe and Youdoodle apps I usually use for art. Amazing what a young mind is capable of creating, keep it up, Lars!!

It works! Sure, I’d like to have a couple enhancements to better display of the pages + a way to go back & copy / paste sketches to mod a previous one. Basics are good = Thanks ! My great granddaughter will have a great time creating.

I hate to say this, but it lacks a lot of things. For example, pen pressure, stabilizer, selection tool, bucket tool, symmetrical ruler, circle tool, blend, clipping, layers, and more! I would give it an A for effort though, it just needs work! It would be great if you added these things and gave us a chance to choose canvas size and insert photos! This app has potential, u just need to work on it!

I don’t think that this app is a replacement to other apps that does the things this app do. It is great for quick sketch, but the canvas is pretty small and I don’t think you can edit the pen

It’s amazing I love the art concept it’s just I’d love to do a horizontal sketch and I’d love to choose my size of the brush but anyways it an amazing app

This app is great, I’m a big Apple enthusiast and I love how they give people this kinda of opportunity, this app it great but in the future you should add different sizes for the tools😁

It’s perfect for what it is. I’m a sketch artist and most of the time I use paper and pencil. This app is exactly that. Keep up the good work.

Super simple, really easy to figure out. It’s great for when you just want to sketch or plan. Super awesome, nothing bad to say about it!

This is a very cool app, it’s so easy to draw and sketch, I love this app and especially because it’s free. What an amazing app.

Great app, but I got one issue. I couldn’t get the 2nd Gen Apple Pencil to switch between pen and eraser when I double-tapped on it. Small issue, but it slows me down some. I look forward to the next update.

I love this app, but there needs to be layers and a function for filling and size, a good app though,

You should really add a paint bucket, magic select & layers. Hope you read it & really take this into consideration.

The app is amazing. I just wish it had flesh tones and shades of brown.

This app makes me happy. Also I love the color pallets!

I saw one review that said this aswell. There are just more tools on this but it's pretty fun. I would recommend.

Why when my sketch save to my cameraRoll is quality go bad ¿