Best tattoo design applications

Check out the software you need to know

9/28/2021

Whether you accept it or not, tattoo design applications have become an excellent advantage for tattoo artists. The software that we have available today makes the creation process more accessible and more agile.

If you want to improve your work and increase your impact on networks, we have selected some applications that we consider the most outstanding for your work as an artist.

There are more and more programs, but these are our favorites, and here we tell you why.


1. Procreate

Procreate is one of the favourite apps of many artists with Apple-brand devices, and it is available for iOS and iPadOS systems on the App Store.

It is a simple platform to use, with many brushes and tools. Furthermore, it is possible to work with layers, colours, letters, fonts and accessories that offer you total freedom of action. The interface is very comfortable and intuitive, and at a performance level, it is one of the best we have tested.

Procreate is among the most used by users with phones and tablets at a very affordable price. All types of tattoos can be designed in this application, regardless of the final size, colour, texture or type of layout.

With Procreate, you can experience endless possibilities for creating art. In this case, the tattoo design will be effortless and practical with the use of this application.

Rating: 4.5 of 5
Price: 9.99 USD
Website: https://procreate.art


2. Adobe Photoshop

Photoshop is worldwide recognized for the possibilities of creating any type of design. But it can also be used as an excellent option for retouching photographs and as an application to design tattoos.

It is available for Windows and macOS devices; some specifications should be considered before purchasing it. It is one of the complete applications, so it requires advanced design knowledge. Well, it is recommended.

However, due to its popularity, it is possible to find a wide variety of online courses and workshops on how to use this program. The rest is simply designing without limitations, with high quality and with endless plugins.

Using this application requires specific knowledge, but apart from this, it is pretty intuitive. However, its high price is not the best option for everyone, but it is ideal for professional artists and design students. It has a free trial version.

Rating: 4.8 of 5
Price: 20.99 USD per month
Website: https://www.adobe.com


3. Magic Poser

Magic Poser is an excellent application whose main focus is 3D design. It stands out for its great recognition among Android and Apple devices users, and the possibility of being used in both systems is one of the main points in favour of this app.

It is a completely free app and relatively simple to use, dedicated to artists with or without experience. Its practicality and ease of use allow new users to practise their design skills with this application.

It can be a perfect option for artists looking to visualize the design of their tattoos in a much more realistic plane. Making the tattoo can be seen in 3D. This can allow visualization of the design from different perspectives and angles, which undoubtedly helps to check the final result of the piece.

In short, it is an excellent app to make designs and test them on bodies thanks to 3D.

Rating: 4.5 of 5
Precio: Free
Website: https://magicposer.com


4. SketchBook

This is software for editing raster images (pixel images), focused on illustration design. Previously, it belonged to the Autodesk company until it was consolidated as an independent company, Sketchbook Inc.

Previously, you could try it free for 30 days, and after that, you had to pay a monthly subscription. But since 2018, the app has become highly popular by launching free versions for public use.

In addition, you can use it on tablets, iPads, mobile phones and computers without any problem, which makes it stand out from others.

But unlike other editors, in this one, you can only trace and draw, but you cannot edit images. Therefore, if you need to touch up the contrast or brightness of a photograph before designing the template, you won't be able to do it with this program.

However, you can use it to practice drawing and train your creativity by making your designs. If you want to know how to find your own style in tattoos, enter here, and we will tell you everything you need to know How to create your tattoo style?

Rating: 4.6 out of 5

Price: Free

Website: https://www.sketchbook.com/


5. Clip Studio Paint

You may know this program as Manga Studio, but it has now changed brands. It is a program for the design of comics, which offers many advantages in the world of drawing.

Among so many tools, it has a stabilization system that automatically perfects the lines and strokes, achieving a better finish.

In addition, you have the possibility of carrying out a basic 3D modelling that allows you to design a tattoo that adapts to the natural curvatures of the body.

Rating: 4.6 out of 5

Price: one-time payment of USD26.30, or payment for a year of license for USD12.

Website: https://www.clipstudio.net/es/


6. MediBang

For lovers of illustration and anime, this is one of the most used programs. Initially, it is configured for the design of comics and comics, but due to its great possibilities, it managed to become the choice of many tattoo artists.

Its interface is quite simple and allows you to import photos and add them in layers so that you can work on top of them independently and without problems.

The advantage is that this program is also free to use, but the disadvantages are that you need to create an account and also have to deal with advertisements.

Rating: 4.6 out of 5

Price: Free

Website: https://medibangpaint.com/es/


Design apps are beneficial for tattooing

Some of the apps mentioned in this list require design knowledge, while others focus on the convenience and simplicity of the software. But overall, they all seek to be highly effective in the development of paintings, drawings and sketches; that's why they are becoming increasingly useful and beneficial for those who tattoo.

So, don't hesitate to explore each of the possibilities that these apps have to offer and choose the one that best suits your work style.


A great way to learn how to use them is through the experience of tattoo artists who have been using them for a while, like Coreh López, who in his MasterCourse: Realistic Tattooing devotes entire episodes to explaining how to get the most out of these tools.

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