10 Best Drawing Software 2020

If you’re an artist, you probably know that there aren’t many modern artists left who still draw using their hand. Everybody is using drawing software on their Macs and PCs now.

And if you’re a professional, you should certainly be looking for the best drawing software out there.

Drawing software must be chosen depending on your field of art work, and we’re listing below what you should take into account when choosing drawing software.

It’s a common myth that all professional drawing software costs a lot and needs to be paid for monthly or quarterly. You can actually find pretty powerful software tools that won’t suck much from your wallet.

Top 10 Drawing Software Chart

PictureNamePlatformPriceRating (1-5)
Picture
Name
Platform
Price
Rating (1-5)
1. Adobe Photoshop Elements 14 Multi-Platform 14Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Mac OS X$$4.5
2. SketchBook Pro 6 by AutodeskMac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard, Windows XP, Windows 7, Windows Vista$$$$4.5
3. Manga Studio 5 by Smith Micro Software Inc.Windows 10, Windows 8, Mac OS X$$4.5
4. Corel Painter 2016 Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Mac OS X$$$$4.3
5. CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4Windows Vista, Windows XP$$$4.3
6. Microsoft Digital Image Suite 10.0Windows 98, Windows 2000, Windows Me, Windows XP$4.3
7. PaintShop Pro X8 UltimateWindows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows$4.1
8. MotionArtist Mac OS X, Windows 7, Windows 8$$4.1
9. Anime Studio Debut 10 Windows 10$3.9
10. MAGIX Xara Photo Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7$$3.8

Things to Consider Between Drawing Software

The main thing to consider when choosing drawing software is that different tools require different digital art solutions.

So the drawing software you choose depends on what is that you’re planning to do in terms of drawing and creating art.

If your main goal is to work with vector images, which are drawn using lines and curves that remain in good quality no matter how much you increase the size of the image.

In that case, you need drawing software that would allow you to zoom into an image to make a large billboard, banner or poster.

It’s also recommended to choose drawing programs that fully support vector images. As a result, you get files smaller in size and that software supports more file types.

The best drawing software is the program that allows you to work with three-dimensional (3D) models.

Some advanced drawing programs even allow to turn your two-dimensional images into 3D by rendering them, which means you won’t have to do much.

And most importantly, if you prefer the traditional way of creating art and are still drawing with the help of a pen or pencil on paper, you’ll benefit from drawing programs that support a digital drawing tablet and pen.

It’s not uncommon for a drawing software to have sketching capabilities, so the majority of the drawing programs we list below offer that support.

Top 3 Best Drawing Software Reviews

1. Adobe Photoshop Elements 14

No surprises with today’s champion in the best drawing software chart, as Adobe Photoshop takes the top spot.

Photoshop has been the most popular drawing and graphic design program for a decade thanks to the generous line of tools it offers.

Photoshop allows you to get access to thousands of different brushes that can be downloaded from the Internet and even created on your own from scratch.

Another reason why Photoshop Elements 14 took the No. 1 spot in our today’s chart is that it’s constantly being updated via Adobe’s Creative Cloud subscription model.

Photoshop allows you to work with vector images and 3D models, which is why it’s considered to be the most versatile and flexible graphic design program that has proven its excellence over the past decade.

Photoshop has just about any graphic effect you need to create a superb-looking image, and this drawing tool allows you to easily draw anything you like easily and effortlessly.

Compared to previous versions, Photoshop Elements 14 now features improved face recognition and guided edits. And most importantly for those who want to draw, this Photoshop features a great learning curve with three editing modes.

Thus, Photoshop has a wide variety of options not only for those looking to edit pictures but also for those who want to create images from scratch.

This version is especially great as it allows you to work with different types of images and has a range of effects that allow you to draw truly mesmerizing images.

2. SketchBook Pro 6

If you’re familiar with drawing software than you’ve probably also heard about SketchBook Pro tools. The 6th version features ultra-responsive digital pens, pencils, brushes and markers, which make it feel as if you’re drawing with your own hand.

SketchBook Pro was designed to give you a real feeling of a physical sketchpad. When connected to a tablet, this software does wonders.

Although it may not have as many graphic effects and various tools as Photoshop, it’s still considered to be one of the best graphic design programs out there.

The greatest part about this drawing tool is that when drawing with the pencil tool, it allows you create lines that are pretty much identical to those you would get a physical pencil on a physical paper.

3. Manga Studio 5

Manga Studio 5 was created for professional drawing artists who value their time and the end result of their art.

This drawing program features a great variety of tools that allow you to speed up your workflow and add realism to your drawings.

It’s not as advanced as SketchBook Pro and certainly not as versatile as Photoshop, but this is still a great option for people working with drawing designs.

You can also easily import your inked artwork directly into this drawing software and work with it. And this program also allows you to create original sketches with the help of your mouse.

Manga Studio 5 is also praised for its screen tones that add dimensions and depth to your pictures.