# ShadowDraw: Learn How to Draw — Easy Drawing App for Beginners

> Guided drawing lessons for beginners using Apple Pencil on iPad. (iPhone/iPad app by Shadow Draw.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shadowdraw-learn-how-to-draw/id1223507083 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Shadow Draw](https://appshunter.io/developer/1223507082)
- Category: Graphics & Design, Education
- Price: Free with in-app purchases
- Rating: 4.15/5 from 1,670 App Store ratings · 478 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 12+
- Requires: iOS 16.0 · 820 MB
- Languages: English, Spanish, Swedish
- Released: 2017-12-14
- Data updated: 2026-08-31
- Monetization: free with in-app purchases
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shadowdraw-learn-how-to-draw/id1223507083/reviews.md

## What is ShadowDraw?

Learn to draw with confidence using your Apple Pencil. Featured by Apple as App of the Day in 2023 and 2025.

ShadowDraw® is the easiest way for beginners to learn how to draw on iPad using their Apple Pencil. Our guided lessons teach you step-by-step by showing the real strokes of professional artists, helping you build confidence, accuracy, and real drawing fundamentals from your very first session.

LEARN TO DRAW THE SMART, BEGINNER-FRIENDLY WAY

ShadowDraw breaks every drawing into simple, guided steps. You follow the same strokes as a professional artist, learning:

* Line control
* Shapes & construction
* Proportions
* Shading
* Final detailing


Each step unlocks only after you complete the previous one, giving you a structured, supportive learning path—like having a private art teacher with you on your iPad.

THOUSANDS OF STEP-BY-STEP LESSONS

Explore beginner-friendly drawing lessons across the most popular art subjects:

* Manga & Anime Characters
* People & Portraits
* Animals (cats, dogs, horses, birds, dragons, and more)
* Architecture & Buildings
* Botanical & Nature Drawing
* Birds & Butterflies
* Coloring & Simple Shading
* Holiday & Seasonal Art
* Warm-Ups & Foundations
* Sketching Basics


With over 2,000 guided tutorials, there’s always something inspiring to draw.

PRACTICE YOUR WAY

ShadowDraw offers two flexible learning modes:

Art Teacher Mode

We pick brushes and colors so beginners can focus on fundamentals.

Sketch My Way

Choose your own tools and colors for creative freedom.

BUILD A DAILY DRAWING HABIT

Short, approachable lessons help you build confidence and stay consistent. ShadowDraw makes daily practice easy, fun, and motivating—even for busy beginners.

RECOGNIZED BY APPLE & TRUSTED WORLDWIDE

ShadowDraw has been featured in the App Store collections, including:

* Incredible iPad Apps
* Great with Apple Pencil
* Apple Pencil Starter Kit
* Better with Apple Pencil
* The Best Drawing Apps
* The Best Apps for Creatives

ShadowDraw has also ranked as the #1 Drawing App in its category.

Apple writes:

“With over 1,500 hand-drawn lessons developed by real artists, ShadowDraw is a drawing app for beginners who want to improve their skills through daily step-by-step exercises.”

PRAISED BY THE PRESS

The New York Times
“ShadowDraw… teaches drawing forms by having you follow along the animated pen strokes of another artist in an updated take on the ‘copying the masters’ approach.”

MacBreak Weekly — Pick of the Week
“…the next generation of step-by-step.”

Also featured by CNET and Creative Bloq.

LEARN TOGETHER WITH SHADOWDRAW+

A ShadowDraw+ membership unlocks the full library and supports Family Sharing, so everyone in your household can learn to draw at their own pace.

WE’RE HERE TO HELP

Need support or have feedback? Contact us anytime through in-app Chat Support.

Email: support@shadowdrawapp.com

Website: shadowdrawapp.com

Instagram: @shadowdraw

For our EULA agreement, please visit:

https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

ShadowDraw® and Shadow Draw™ are trademarks of Shadow Draw Inc.

## Key features

- Step-by-step guided drawing lessons
- Thousands of tutorials
- Manga, anime, people, animals, and nature subjects
- Art Teacher Mode
- Sketch My Way Mode
- Builds drawing fundamentals

## Pricing and in-app purchases

Base price: Free.

**Subscriptions**

| Subscription | Price | Period |
| --- | --- | --- |
| ShadowDraw: Monthly Plan | $7.99 | per month |
| ShadowDraw: Yearly Plan | $49.99 | per year |


## What do users think of ShadowDraw?

Overall sentiment: positive

**Pros**

- 🚀 Helpful for beginners
- 🎨 Variety of drawing topics
- 👍 Intuitive step-by-step guidance
- 💡 Relaxing and therapeutic experience
- 🤖 Responsive customer support

**Cons**

- 💰 Many features locked behind paywall
- 🐛 Buggy and glitchy at times
- 🤔 Tracing-focused approach may not teach drawing fundamentals
- 🔍 Difficulty finding purchased content
- 🔀 Jumping between steps too quickly

**Commonly reported bugs**

- Drawings disappearing after completion
- App crashing on launch for some users
- Eraser tool not working properly with coloring feature

**Most requested features**

- More free drawing content
- Canvas rotation and reference image positioning
- Ability to save progress on drawings
- Clearer visual indicators for brush/pen changes
- Side-by-side drawing mode to practice without tracing

## Recent user reviews (10 of 478)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shadowdraw-learn-how-to-draw/id1223507083/reviews.md

### 1/5 — Do not get this game

*2026-08-30, version 2026.4*

It made me buy everything I hate it so much

### 2/5 — Ridiculous

*2026-08-29, version 2026.4*

In this app you have to buy almost everything which in this case is just heartbreaking, I asked my dad to allow me to get the app and he let me, I was just trying to work on my artwork, and if you look at the pictures when you look at the app in the App Store it shows a Persian cat, it looks exactly like my cat and when I got the app it tried to make me subscribe and pay & all that dumb stuff. Plus when ur drawing a bird they, make the lines so small and the brush size so big so your bird looks like a blob at the end I hate this app, Two Stars ⭐️⭐️

### 4/5 — Cool but…

*2026-08-23, version 2026.4*

I really like this app, it has improved my drawing but my biggest concern is wanting to draw something else, but I have to pay for every single lesson. I get you guys worked hard on this app, but seriously, I just wanted to improve my artwork on here without paying for every single thing. If you don’t want to pay, I suggest you not download this.

### 4/5 — Awesome

*2026-08-23, version 2026.4*

I really like this app, it really helps you and it’s super cool, although I would like to draw more of the anime poses of female and male or the cats and dogs, it gets pretty boring when you are only able to draw a couple things and that you have to wait for the daily drawings, also for the kids out there who’s mom or dad probably won’t get the subscription but other than that it’s still fun when you start!😃

### 5/5 — Am-MEOW-zing

*2026-08-16, version 2026.4*

Love it

### 4/5 — It’s really really good but

*2026-08-09, version 2026.4*

I really wish it could be all free. I really want to do some of the other lessons but they cost money! But there is a free lesson everyday and it is so fun and good!

### 5/5 — I love it so much free kid a proved

*2026-08-01, version 2026.4*

All the other art apps are pay pay 💰 pay but this app is free and is so good I recommend this app it is better if you have an apple pensil but anything is okay

### 3/5 — Well I’m still waiting

*2026-07-28, version 2026.4*

It’s been ages for it to load. Perhaps 30 minutes since it said 10 minutes. Now it says 10 hours. Help, but the reviews say it’s good so I’m exited.

### 4/5 — Please read

*2026-07-21, version 2026.4*

This app is amazing if you want to draw at a slow and easy pace, if you are a beginner. The only complaint I have about this app is that you have to buy a subscription for mostly all of the drawings. But overall this app is super fun and easy if you are a beginner that wants your drawings to look professional

### 4/5 — Ruined

*2026-07-18, version 2026.4*

In the middle of the drawing It diseper I try finding my drawing I could not find it I don’t like it

## Frequently asked questions about ShadowDraw

### What is ShadowDraw?

ShadowDraw is a drawing application designed for beginners to learn how to draw on an iPad using an Apple Pencil. It provides guided, step-by-step lessons that mimic the strokes of professional artists to teach fundamental drawing skills.

### What kind of drawing lessons are available?

The app offers thousands of step-by-step tutorials covering popular art subjects such as manga and anime characters, people and portraits, animals, architecture, botanical art, and more. It also includes lessons on line control, shapes, proportions, shading, and detailing.

### How does the learning process work?

Lessons are broken down into simple, guided steps. Each step unlocks only after the previous one is completed, providing a structured learning path. Users can choose between 'Art Teacher Mode,' where brushes and colors are pre-selected, or 'Sketch My Way,' offering creative freedom with tool and color choices.

### Is ShadowDraw free to use?

The app is free to download and offers some free content. However, a ShadowDraw+ membership is available for purchase, which unlocks the full library of lessons and supports Family Sharing. This indicates a freemium or free with in-app purchases model.

### What are the benefits of using ShadowDraw?

ShadowDraw helps beginners build confidence and accuracy by learning real drawing fundamentals. Its structured approach and approachable lessons make it easy to build a daily drawing habit, even for those with busy schedules. It has also been recognized by Apple as App of the Day.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 2026.4 — 2026-04-20

This update includes bug fixes and performance improvements.
• Fixed an issue with saved drawings
• Updated Spanish and Swedish localizations
Enjoying ShadowDraw? Your review helps us keep improving and helps other beginners discover the app. Simply tap on Rate and Review in the Menu to share your feedback!

### 2026.3 — 2026-03-26

This update brings ShadowDraw up to date with the latest iOS design system and introduces a new way to track your lesson progress.
• New progress bar that fills as you complete each step of a lesson

• Full-width design for clear, continuous feedback as you draw
• Improved compatibility with the latest iPad system updates
Enjoying ShadowDraw? Your review helps our team keep improving and helps other beginners discover the app.

### 2026.2 — 2026-03-12

This update brings ShadowDraw up to date with the latest iOS design system.
• Updated to support the newest iOS visual interface

• Improved compatibility with the latest iPad system updates

• Behind-the-scenes improvements to keep drawing smooth
Enjoying ShadowDraw? Your review helps other beginners discover the app.

### 2026.1 — 2026-02-01

This update adds new manga lessons and features romantic-themed artwork:
• Two new Manga Basics courses: Male Hairstyles and Drawing the Head in 3D
• New manga male head studies added for extra practice
• A Valentine's Day Collection, including manga couple poses, an Eiffel Tower lesson by a professional architect, and Art Deco–style dancing couples
• Romantic Monthly Challenges featuring the Taj Mahal and Neuschwanstein Castle
Enjoying ShadowDraw? Leave a review and help shape future updates.

### 2025.6 — 2025-12-08

Support for the SonarPen 2 stylus is now available.

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## More apps by Shadow Draw

- [Handwriting Party for Kids](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/handwriting-party-for-kids/id1533836753)

All apps by Shadow Draw: https://appshunter.io/developer/1223507082

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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 2026-08-31.*