Review by PhotoGraphics

As a professional photographer I have a reputation for having a creative eye. Likewise as a graphic artist I can communicate compelling thoughts and concepts through visual media relatively effortlessly. But I know my limits - I am not a sketch artist nor a painter. Put a brush in my hand and never in a million years will I come up with the Mona Lisa. My sketching skills tend toward mechanical drawing … linking a series of boxes and circles and lines which I do daily when I am trying to conceptualize a project. So imagine my surprise when I opened this software app called SketchBook and without reading a words of instructions the first thing I did is drew a cat’s face, with a very coy Disney cartoon look on her face. I’m excited about the possibilities that a $60 app can bring to my creative toolbox. On that basis I recommend SketchBook to anyone who already has a creative knack or a wants to develop their skills to express themselves visually. The startup learning curve is nowhere near as daunting as other apps I’ve previously tried but the creative possibilities seem to fairly endless.

I strongly recommend that you read V.Hutson’s review of this product and watch her excellent video. It is in my opinion the definitive Amazon review of this product, coupled with an excellent video. It is helpful to get the opinion about a product like this from someone who has artistic skills, it helps people like me who are still developing their sketching abilities.

There was a little glitch in which the needed serial number was not included with the installation disk. Amazon quickly discovered the error and sent an email out with the proper serial number shortly thereafter. Not including the serial number with the DVD was probably a simple oversight and should not reflect on the merits of the software and certainly should not drag it down to 1-star for a minor inconvenience.

Bottom line: this software is cheap enough to buy and is easily worth the price. Creativity is a very personal thing and it is hard to put a finger on whether this particular app is best for you. As I often say about camera equipment, it’s not the camera that creates a great photograph it is the photographer. So with this app, and some practice on your part, it might be the right tool to give you the results you want.