# Paintsight: Notan, Value Study — Art Reference, Grid & Palette > Art reference analysis and drawing tool for painters and artists. (iPhone/iPad app by Gruffydd Johnston.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/paintsight-notan-value-study/id6757681826 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [Gruffydd Johnston](https://appshunter.io/developer/1651486785) - Category: Photo & Video, Graphics & Design - Price: Free with in-app purchases - Rating: 1.00/5 from 1 App Store ratings - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 26.0 · 8 MB - Languages: American English - Released: 2026-01-29 - Data updated: 2026-10-24 - Monetization: free ## What is Paintsight? Paint from photos with a painter's eye. Paintsight keeps your reference photos in one place and gives you the studio tools to read them: notan and value studies, grids, color palettes, design tools, and a way to check your painting against the reference. SEE THE VALUES • Notan and value study: simplify any photo into 2 to 7 values, then tap a value to highlight it • Notan options: several ways to design the lights and darks, side by side • Thumbnail: see the design at postage-stamp size, where only the big shapes count • Squint and grayscale views, to judge light and dark without detail or color in the way • Sample: tap any spot to read its value on a 0 to 10 scale, its color and whether it reads warm or cool READ THE COLOR • Palette: the main color masses with their share of the picture, value, hex and RGB. Tap one to see everywhere it appears • Color blocks: flat color masses for the block-in • Warm and cool map, and a chroma map of where the most intense color sits • Gamut wheel: the palette on a color wheel, with its color scheme named SEE THE DESIGN • Planes: the photo as flat facets, finer where the form turns • Silhouette: check that the subject reads as a single shape • Focal point, big lines and flow: where the eye goes first, the main directions, and the direction of form for planning brushstrokes • Hard and soft edges: see how sharply shapes meet • Contours: clean lines for drawing in or transferring DRAW IT IN PROPORTION • Drawing grid with numbered and lettered squares, sized to your canvas (such as 16x20 in) so you can scale up square by square • Rule of thirds, golden section, diagonals and harmonic armature guides • Measure angles and proportions, with a plumb line • Sketch over a reference with Apple Pencil. The sketch is saved with the photo • Mirror, rotate, and crop to your canvas shape or a standard ratio CHECK YOUR PAINTING • Photograph your painting, straighten it, and compare it with the reference: overlaid, flicking between the two, or side by side • Compare in any view, such as values or color blocks, to see where the painting has drifted KEEP YOUR REFERENCES ORGANIZED • Import from the camera or your photo library, one at a time or in bulk • Tag photos, such as hands, skies, fabric or portraits, and filter in a tap • Add notes to each reference: palette ideas, mixes, what to try next time • Syncs with iCloud, so the same library is on your iPhone and iPad BUILT FOR iPAD • Library sidebar, and tool options in a side panel so the photo stays full size • Open a reference in its own window beside your painting app in Split View or Stage Manager • Drag a reference straight into Procreate, Files or another app • Keyboard shortcuts for the main tools MADE FOR PAINTERS For oil, acrylic, watercolor, gouache and plein air painters, and for anyone drawing from reference. Plan a painting at the kitchen table, then prop your iPad or iPhone by the easel while you work. The screen stays awake while a reference is open. SIMPLE PRICING Try Paintsight free with up to 3 reference photos and every tool. One payment unlocks unlimited photos for life. No subscription, no account, no ads. Questions or ideas? Get in touch from Settings. Paintsight is made by an independent developer. ## Key features - Notan and value studies - Color palette analysis - Drawing grids and guides - Painting comparison tools - Reference photo organization - iPad-optimized interface ## Pricing and in-app purchases Base price: Free. **One-time purchases** | Purchase | Price | Type | | --- | --- | --- | | Lifetime | $4.99 | one-time | ## Is Paintsight safe? Not enough ratings yet to assess Paintsight. ## Is Paintsight legit? Paintsight: Notan, Value Study appears legitimate, with a few gaps. The AppsHunter Legitimacy Score for Paintsight is 70 out of 100 points across 7 verification signals from App Store and developer data. ## Frequently asked questions about Paintsight ### What is Paintsight used for? Paintsight is an art reference analysis tool designed to help painters and drawers understand and work from reference photos. It provides features like notan and value studies, color analysis, and drawing grids to aid in the planning and execution of artwork. ### Does Paintsight have ads? No, Paintsight is ad-free, allowing for an uninterrupted creative process. This means you can focus on your art without any distracting advertisements. ### What devices does Paintsight support? Paintsight is built for iPad and iPhone, offering an optimized experience for both devices. It leverages iPad features like Split View and Stage Manager for enhanced workflow. ### How does Paintsight help with drawing proportions? Paintsight includes a drawing grid with numbered and lettered squares that can be sized to your canvas dimensions. It also offers guides like the rule of thirds and golden section to assist with accurate proportion and composition. ### Can I compare my painting to the reference in Paintsight? Yes, you can photograph your painting, straighten it, and compare it directly with the reference within Paintsight. This comparison can be done overlaid, by flicking between images, or side-by-side, and can be done in various views like values or color blocks. ### How are reference photos organized in Paintsight? Reference photos can be imported from your camera or photo library, individually or in bulk. You can tag them with categories like 'hands' or 'skies' for easy filtering and add notes for future reference. ### What is a 'notan' study in Paintsight? A notan study in Paintsight simplifies a photo into 2 to 7 values, highlighting lights and darks. This helps artists understand the core design and composition of an image by focusing on the interplay of shapes. ### Is Paintsight suitable for beginners? While Paintsight offers advanced tools for experienced artists, its clear value and design analysis features can also be beneficial for beginners learning to interpret reference images and understand fundamental art principles. ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 2.1 — 2026-10-23 • Perspective: Paintsight finds the vanishing points and draws your eye level with guide lines. Drag the points to adjust, in one-point or two-point perspective • Planes, much expanded: fill them in color, gray, value bands or notan, draw them as lines on paper or over the photo, and choose triangles or rounder facets • Planes can grow with distance, get finer on the main subject, and join similar neighbors into big, simple shapes • Favorites and collections: keep your best references together, and group them into collections such as Ready to Paint • Can't decide what to paint? Tap the dice to open a random reference • The eye button now shows the original photo with a tap, or while you hold it ### 2.0 — 2026-10-19 Paintsight, rebuilt from the ground up. • New look for iOS 26, with a sidebar library and side-panel tools on iPad • Open references in their own windows, drag them into other apps, and use keyboard shortcuts • More accurate notan and value studies, a value checker (0 to 10) and a squint view • Compare your painting with the reference: overlay, flick or side by side • Draw over a reference with Apple Pencil, and measure angles and proportions • Color blocks, warm and cool map, palette, chroma map and color gamut • Design tools: planes, silhouette, edges, focal points, big lines, flow and notan thumbnails • Crop to your canvas size or a standard ratio • Unlimited photos: one payment, no subscription ### 1.3 — 2026-04-23 This version adds more options and customisation to the Notan and Grid features ### 1.2 — 2026-04-12 This version improves the Notan values tool to enable layer highlighting. ### 1.1 — 2026-01-29 This version has bugfixes ## Apps similar to Paintsight | App | Rating | Price | Category | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Value Study Assistant](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/value-study-assistant/id6759689446) | 5.0 (3) | Free | Photo & Video | | [Memories NOW+](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/memories-now-plus/id6443810447) | — | Free | Photo & Video | | [Turn Photo Into Painting](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/turn-photo-into-painting/id6758724090) | 5.0 (2) | Free | Photo & Video | | [Undertone: Color Study](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/undertone-color-study/id6761922242) | — | Free | Photo & Video | | [Photo Art Filters](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/photo-art-filters/id1204783062) | 3.0 (4) | Free | Photo & Video | | [Custom Paint by Number Photos](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/custom-paint-by-number-photos/id6776461043) | — | Free | Photo & Video | ## More apps by Gruffydd Johnston - [Garden Planner: VegLog](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/garden-planner-veglog/id6444013681) - [Seren: Rain Storm Sleep Sounds](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/seren-rain-storm-sleep-sounds/id6447588891) - [MakerLog: Craft Journal](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/makerlog-craft-journal/id6479205653) - [Golf Journal](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/golf-journal/id6495440264) - [DiscScout: Disc Golf Tracker](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/discscout-disc-golf-tracker/id6621185498) - [Golf Scout: GPS Range Finder](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/golf-scout-gps-range-finder/id6720764908) All apps by Gruffydd Johnston: https://appshunter.io/developer/1651486785 --- *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 2026-10-24.*