Art Reference: Easel Assistant

Art Reference: Easel Assistant

Grid, Value Study, & Palettes

3 ratings
1 review
$4.99 Free
In-App Purchases

Price history


Details

  • Released
  • Updated
  • October 12, 2025
  • August 13, 2026

Features

Art Reference: Easel Assistant video #1 for iPhone
Art Reference: Easel Assistant screenshot #2 for iPhone
Art Reference: Easel Assistant screenshot #3 for iPhone
Art Reference: Easel Assistant screenshot #4 for iPhone
Art Reference: Easel Assistant screenshot #5 for iPhone
Art Reference: Easel Assistant screenshot #6 for iPhone
iphone
ipad
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About

This app provides digital reference tools for traditional artists working with physical media. It offers features like value studies, gridlines, side-by-side comparison, and composition adjustments to aid in creating accurate and balanced artwork.

Value study mode
Gridlines for accurate sketching
Side-by-side reference and canvas view
Crop and frame reference images
Curated starter project collections
Color harmony experimentation
Offline functionality
Show original description
+1

What's New in Art Reference

1.62

August 13, 2026

• Your project list sort order is now saved between sessions. • Confirmation prompt before deleting a project. • Projects are now automatically marked complete after adding your final artwork. • Deleting a project while it's open now closes it cleanly. • Thumbnails now keep their correct aspect ratio in the project list. • New setting to hide the star from the project list. • Tidied up spacing and layout throughout the project list and settings. • Link to walkthrough video on YouTube. Bug Fixes • Fixed an issue where a project would close when rotating the device to landscape. • Fixed issue where Collections and Gallery link on ipad has squared off corners, now rounded. • Various visual polish and stability improvements.

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In-App Purchases

$14.99

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Unlock unlimited projects and premium features forever

User reviews

Amazing! Incredibly generous, still needs work

First off this app is really unique! So much potential!
It seems to still be in active development so it’s not perfect .
However…

This app is incredibly generous I would describe it as a
“Creative project manager”
There is so much utility here!
This is a tool I’ve been looking for!
You get so many great tools for free! I definitely want to support this apps development.

Suggestions:

- When you upload a reference it gives you the ability to download it again. This is amazing. For your finished work I’d add the feature to download the framed version and the original file unedited as well! (Just like when you download your reference photos from the gallery)

- adding the ability to place our own colors in the color mixer

- ability to create a custom color palette in app similar to the color harmonies tool.

- a gallery option so you don’t have to swipe to look through your completed gallery. (like a display of the pictures you can click, maybe even organize in folders) then you can display it in gallery mode with the picture frame or close up with the ability to view the description and other details in a digital menu.

(Adding a switch from picture frame mode to a more digital interface would be cool and make it easier to admire your own work especially being able to zoom in)

- adding a confirmation before you delete a project
(The button is so close to the duplicate button. If someone’s finger slips their project would be ruined)

Bugs I’ve encountered:

- When you complete a work it doesn’t automatically go to the “completed” section! The completed section says 0 even when I added a “finished work”.

- the app is a little laggy at times.

- I feel the option for a more in depth tutorial showing how to use the interface would be good for many people!
(for people who may not be as experienced with devices/ tech it may frustrate them!)

- when you make a new project I have to open and close to app to access the new project which can be a bit frustrating.

- after removing a project the screen doesn’t clear sometimes it just keep the project you just deleted open? I did this with one of the sample projects.

I’ll update this review if I find anything else! Very amazing app I love what you’ve done this is perfect ⭐️
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Response from developer

Edit: Hello again! Following up on my response below to say I have launched a bunch of these fixes / suggestions! I have added: - a gallery option that is more of a grid to see all the art at once. You can also tap to full screen and swipe through. - now when you add a finished work it updates the status to complete. - made a full video walk through that shows if you have no projects yet and linked to in settings. - a confirmation pop up before deleting - fixed the bug where when you delete a project it stayed open and well as a few other bugs. I am still working on some of this. But wanted to give you an update. Thanks again! —— What a thoughtful review thank you! I am glad you are finding it useful and I will add all of these suggestions to my backlog! It is in active development as you said. I build this on the side for my own use so it’s really great to hear what features you are drawn to. I will work on these as soon as I can. Thank you!

Developer apps

FAQ

What is Art Reference?

Art Reference is a digital tool designed for traditional artists to assist with their physical art creation. It offers features like value studies, gridlines, and side-by-side viewing to help artists translate what they see into their work.

Is Art Reference free to use?

Yes, Art Reference is available for free. The app is designed with a clean, focused interface and does not contain advertisements.

Does Art Reference have ads?

No, Art Reference is ad-free. The description explicitly states 'No ads. No clutter. Just the reference tools you need.'

What devices does Art Reference support?

Art Reference is supported on iPhones and iPads, making it versatile for artists using Apple mobile devices.

How often is Art Reference updated?

The latest version of Art Reference is 1.60, and it was last updated on May 28, 2026. This indicates a recent update cycle for the application.

Can I use Art Reference offline?

Yes, Art Reference is offline friendly. It works anywhere, allowing artists to use it in their studio or outdoors without an internet connection.

What is the age rating for Art Reference?

Art Reference has an age rating of 4+. This means it is suitable for users of all ages, with no mature content concerns.

Is my artwork private in Art Reference?

Yes, all artwork saved in Art Reference is private and stored only in your personal iCloud. No artwork is visible to the internet or AI models.