# Arty — The Photo Editor for Artists

> Photo editor for artists with drawing, color matching, and project tracking tools. (iPhone/iPad app by Andy Drizen.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arty/id1239154135 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Andy Drizen](https://appshunter.io/developer/661170512)
- Category: Photo & Video, Utilities
- Price: Free
- Rating: 3.76/5 from 55 App Store ratings · 96 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 10.0 · 25 MB
- Languages: English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Malay, Portuguese, Russian, Chinese and 1 more
- Released: 2017-06-28
- Data updated: 2026-06-10
- Monetization: free
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arty/id1239154135/reviews.md

## What is Arty?

Arty is the photo editor for artists.

Unlike other photo editors, this app stays with you beyond just applying a filter. Use it to create accurate line drawings, zoom in to details, pick out colours and even track how long you've been working on your project.

ALL FEATURES:
▸ Compare your photo reference to your artwork using your iPhone or iPad camera
▸ Colour matching
	▸ Faber-Castell Poloychromos
	▸ Prismacolor Premier
	▸ Caran d'Ache Luminance
▸ Create a colour swatch to keep track of colours
▸ Filters specific to an artists' needs
	▸ Graphite
	▸ Outline
	▸ Posterise
	▸ Shadows
	▸ Vibrant
	▸ Sepia
	▸ Pointillism
	▸ Stipple
	▸ Pixels
▸ Overlay a grid
	▸ Choose the size, opacity and thickness
	▸ Choose the grid colour
▸ Full screen mode
	▸ Turn your iPhone or iPad into a lightbox and trace the image
▸ Print image variations directly from the app using Apple's AirPrint
	▸ Includes any filters and grids you've chosen
▸ Track how long you've been working on the project
▸ Zoom and pan around your image
▸ All settings are saved automatically

## Key features

- Create accurate line drawings
- Color matching for art supplies
- Project time tracking
- Overlay grid with customizable options
- Use as a lightbox for tracing
- Print image variations

## What do users think of Arty?

Overall sentiment: mixed

**Pros**

- 💡 Innovative color-matching feature for colored pencils
- 📐 Useful grid overlay for accurate drawing
- 👍 Free app without ads or in-app purchases
- 🎨 Helpful for artists learning color theory
- ⚡ Easy to use and intuitive interface
- 🔍 Filter options for analyzing image tones
- ⏱️ Time tracking feature for art projects
- 📸 Multiple colored pencil brand options (Polychromos, Prismacolor, Luminance)

**Cons**

- 🐛 Compare/camera feature frequently broken
- 🐛 Camera permission dialog unresponsive
- 🐛 Unable to import photos reliably
- 🐛 Opacity slider non-functional
- 🐛 App crashes on iPad devices
- ⚠️ Lack of developer support and updates
- ⚠️ Color accuracy issues with some pencil brands
- ⚠️ Limited pencil brand selection
- ⚠️ No way to delete saved colors or photos
- ⚠️ Timer runs even when app is minimized
- ⚠️ Broken support link on website

**Commonly reported bugs**

- Compare feature camera access broken since iOS updates
- Camera permission dialog unresponsive and greyed out
- Unable to grant camera permissions
- Photos fail to import or open
- Opacity/transparency slider non-functional
- App crashes on iPad Pro models
- UI freezes when compare tool is activated
- Camera icon overlapped by other UI elements on iPhone
- Timer continues running when app is backgrounded
- Support link leads to non-loading page
- Color matching inaccurate for some pencil brands
- App incompatible with newer iOS versions

**Most requested features**

- Add Caran d'Ache Pablo colored pencils
- Add Derwent Lightfast colored pencils
- Add Faber-Castell Pitt pencils
- Add watercolor pencil options
- Add soft pastel color matching
- Add Crayola and other budget-friendly brands
- Ability to delete saved colors
- Ability to delete imported photos
- Crop and dimension adjustment tools
- Better zoom functionality that persists
- Photo import from Dropbox and other sources
- Improved sketch and outline filters
- Color editing/drawing capability
- Remove grid numbers option
- Fullscreen zoom capability

## Recent user reviews (10 of 96)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arty/id1239154135/reviews.md

### 3/5 — Overlay Feature doesn’t work

*2022-11-28*

The camera function doesn’t come on when you try to look at the image with the drawing. 
That’s the only function I wanted so I’ll be deleting the app.

### 3/5 — Interface glitch

*2022-06-29*

Great collection of tools, but I can’t use the compare feature due to some camera permission errors

### 1/5 — Useless

*2022-04-16, version 1.0.6*

Useless.  App says “tap here to grant access to camera” you can tap all over and you can’t grant access.

### 2/5 — Decent

*2022-04-14, version 1.0.6*

This app could be really good, but the shades it chooses and the actual color of the image and the color pencil aren’t the same.

### 1/5 — very disappointing

*2022-01-12, version 1.0.6*

I was able to get the app to open a couple of pictures, but only after multiple attempts to open them. Otherwise, it would not open any pictures at all. Very disappointing. I would love to use the app to identify the nearest Polychromos pencil colours in photos, as recommended on an artist tutorial I was viewing. Great idea, but it is really too bad that it does not work.

### 1/5 — Rubbish

*2022-01-04, version 1.0.6*

I did read reviews saying the compare option wasn’t working, but as they were posted some time ago, I thought I’d take a chance.
Well they were correct. It doesn’t work. This was my main reason for downloading the app, so I shall now be permanently deleting it - not just because of that, but because clearly nothing has been done about the fault after about 3+ years of people complaining about it.
If the developers can’t be bothered, why should I? 🤷‍♀️

### 1/5 — Waste of time

*2021-11-19*

Do not downlod

### 1/5 — No app support

*2021-11-08*

The link for app support takes you to a page that never loads. I downloaded the app and cannot find a way to remove the one and only photo I have downloaded to the app, nor can I find a way to download a new photo. Colors saved to the palette cannot be deleted. Closing and opening the app does not help. Removing app. Totally useless.

### 3/5 — Bitte Problem beheben🙏🏻🙏🏻

*2021-10-24*

Eigentlich eine unfassbar empfehlenswerte App allerdings misst sie zu viel Zeit☹️ Wenn man die App nicht komplett schließt sondern noch den Tap offen hat läuft die Uhr weiter ohne dass man tatsächlich zeichnet.
Sehr schade! Würde mich freuen wenn das behoben wird.

### 1/5 — Doesn’t open any pictures.

*2021-09-17, version 1.0.6*

Useless

## Frequently asked questions about Arty

### What does Arty do?

Arty is a photo editor specifically designed for artists. It allows you to create accurate line drawings from photos, match colors to specific art supply brands, and track the time spent on your projects. It also includes features like grid overlays and a lightbox mode for tracing.

### What are the key features for artists?

Key features include the ability to create line drawings, precise color matching with support for Faber-Castell Polychromos, Prismacolor Premier, and Caran d'Ache Luminance pencils. It also offers project time tracking, customizable grid overlays, and a full-screen mode that functions like a lightbox for tracing.

### Is Arty free to use?

Yes, Arty is a free application. The provided information indicates that it does not have in-app purchases or advertisements, suggesting a completely free experience for users.

### What devices is Arty compatible with?

Arty is designed for use on iPhones and iPads. This allows artists to utilize their device's camera for comparing references and its screen for tracing and editing.

### How can artists use Arty for their projects?

Artists can use Arty as a digital reference tool by creating line drawings from photos, or by using the color matching feature to identify specific shades. The grid overlay and lightbox mode are useful for accurate sketching and tracing, while project time tracking helps manage workflow.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 1.0.6 — 2017-12-18

This app has been updated by Apple to display the Apple Watch app icon.

Bug fixes

### 1.0.5 — 2017-12-15

iPhone X updates

### 1.0.4 — 2017-07-10

Caran d'Ache Luminance colour matching

### 1.0.3 — 2017-07-03

Prismacolor Premier colour matching - you can now toggle between Faber Castell Polychromos and Prismacolor Premier; simply tap on the brand name to switch between them.

Also I've fixed a couple of bugs:
‣ Sketch and Outline filters no longer appear black when you export them or view them in full screen.
‣ Improved Italian translation.

### 1.0.1 — 2017-07-01

Fixes a bug that caused the app to crash when picking colours from large images.

## Apps similar to Arty

| App | Rating | Price | Category |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Pencil Sketch Photo Editor +](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pencil-sketch-photo-editor-plus/id680134923) | 4.5 (14,163) | Free | Photo & Video |
| [Sketch Shine - pencil drawing](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sketch-shine-pencil-drawing/id717083113) | 4.6 (17) | Free | Photo & Video |
| [Vector Q by Imaengine](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vector-q-by-imaengine/id599309610) | 4.2 (1,669) | Free | Photo & Video |
| [Pencil Sketch Maker](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pencil-sketch-maker/id1041380681) | 3.8 (5) | Free | Photo & Video |
| [Portrait Maker](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/portrait-maker/id1549701394) | 2.9 (7) | Free | Photo & Video |
| [Draw Grid on Image](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/draw-grid-on-image/id1529850456) | 4.4 (197) | Free | Photo & Video |

## More apps by Andy Drizen

- [Days Until Pro](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/days-until-pro/id653171756)
- [Clocks - A World Time Calculator](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/clocks-a-world-time-calculator/id769569771)
- [Read Chinese](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/read-chinese/id1039682694)
- [Mei Li - Your mandarin teacher](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mei-li-your-mandarin-teacher/id1141712498)
- [Influence - the puzzle game](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/influence-the-puzzle-game/id1147836961)
- [Orbit Rush](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/orbit-rush/id1187467299)

All apps by Andy Drizen: https://appshunter.io/developer/661170512

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-06-10.*