# Zen Brush 3 — Freely draw beautiful zen art.

> East Asian ink brush drawing app for calligraphy and painting. (iPhone/iPad app by PSOFT.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zen-brush-3/id1531841731 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [PSOFT](https://appshunter.io/developer/373752450)
- Category: Graphics & Design, Entertainment
- Price: $4.99
- Rating: 4.40/5 from 55 App Store ratings · 117 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 13.0 · 226 MB
- Languages: American English, Japanese, Korean, Chinese (Simplified, China), Chinese (Traditional, Taiwan)
- Released: 2020-09-29
- Data updated: 2026-09-06
- Monetization: paid
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zen-brush-3/id1531841731/reviews.md

## What is Zen Brush 3?

Zen Brush 3 is a drawing app focused on the strong yet beautiful feel of the East Asian ink brush which can be used to perform calligraphy, ink painting and more.

The drawing system that brings to life a feeling of silky fluent and delicate painting now allows an even wider range of expression thanks to the addition of "water" and "color". Providing a new simple and intuitive user interface, this app is designed to be optimal for performing Zen art.

Simply start the app and you are immediately ready to draw. Anyone, anywhere, can create superb Zen art with this app’s uniquely rich expressiveness. You can also easily share and edit your calligraphy and images with other apps using the Export functionality. Skillfully use the rich background style templates to create and share atmospheric artwork.


- The drawing system simulates a 3D model of an East Asian ink brush to enable varied and natural styles of brush handling.
- The adjustable amount of water makes it possible to create expressions ranging from powerful edge effects to "nijimi" (bleeding) and "bokashi" (blurring) where colors mix.
- You can also enjoy creating colored-ink paintings as well as watercolor paintings by making use of 30 selected traditional Japanese colors.
- The layer functionality allows more flexible editing.
- Import photos to add text to them or use them as background images for tracing.
- Create fascinating artwork with a rich assortment of background style templates.
- Traditional Japanese paper templates provide an authentic feel.


Features:
- 5 main tools (ink brush, color brush, water brush, eraser, blotting paper).
- 10 levels of thickness.
- 5 levels of water (not applicable to blotting paper).
- 10 levels of ink tone (not applicable to water brush and blotting paper).
- Color palette with 30 colors.
- 89 background style templates.
- Drying functionality (fast dry, instant dry, adjustable natural dry).
- Layers functionality (import image / color adjustment / move / rotate / scale / reverse left and right / white transparency / gradation effect).
- Guide display (character guides / partition guides / grid guides).
- Movable toolbar (top / bottom / left / right).
- Canvas zoom (zoom in and out with pinch gestures).
- Undo / redo (5 levels).
- Export functionality (formats: JPEG, PNG, transparent PNG (no background)).
- Support for Apple Pencil (1st and 2nd generation).
- Support for 3D Touch (where available: iPhone 6S - XS).
- Drawing tool selection (finger and stylus / stylus only).
- Adjustable brush pressure sensitivity (5 levels, with supported stylus only).
- Adjustable tilt sensitivity (5 levels, with supported stylus only).
- Gesture functionality (pinch zoom and drag, zoom toggle with 2-finger tap).
- 3D brush display (enable / disable).
- Pointer display (enable / disable).
- 5 levels of canvas resolution with a maximum of 3072 x 4096 pixels (the higher resolutions do not work on devices with lower specs).

## Key features

- Simulated 3D ink brush drawing
- Adjustable water and color effects
- Layer functionality for flexible editing
- Import photos for tracing or backgrounds
- Rich background and paper templates
- Export to JPEG, PNG, and transparent PNG

## Chart rankings

- #25 in Top Paid · Graphics & Design (US App Store)

## What do users think of Zen Brush 3?

Overall sentiment: mixed

**Pros**

- 🎨 Realistic brush simulation and ink blending
- 💧 Innovative water simulation and wet ink effects
- 🎯 Natural brush stroke behavior and responsiveness
- 🌈 Color palette addition in version 3
- 📄 Multiple paper textures and backgrounds
- 😌 Relaxing and meditative user experience
- 🖼️ Layer functionality (added in updates)
- 📸 Image import capability (added in updates)
- 💾 Transparent background export option
- ⚙️ Multiple resolution export settings
- 👨‍💼 Responsive developer support
- 💰 One-time purchase with no subscriptions

**Cons**

- 🔄 Significant downgrade from version 2 in brush feel
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and app instability
- 🔋 Excessive battery drain and device heating
- ❌ Limited undo functionality (only 5 levels)
- 🎨 Mushy brush strokes at default resolution
- ⚙️ Unintuitive and complex navigation
- 🖱️ Difficult project/canvas management
- 🗑️ Cumbersome eraser with unnecessary animations
- 📱 Poor optimization for older iPad models
- 🖊️ Apple Pencil pressure sensitivity issues
- 👆 Finger touch area pressure detection removed
- 🎯 Laggy performance on newer iPad Pro models
- 🖼️ Layer functionality not intuitive or editable
- 📐 Missing grid/guide lines from version 2
- 🎨 Limited brush size adjustment (10 steps vs 80 in v2)
- 🖼️ Confusing UI with non-intuitive icons
- 🔌 No cross-device synchronization
- ❌ No import functionality from version 2

**Commonly reported bugs**

- App crashes when setting maximum resolution
- Crashes when adding layers or importing images
- Crashes during high-resolution JPEG export
- iPad Pro M2 overheating and battery drain
- Apple Pencil input not recognized
- Finger pressure detection not working
- Brush lag and motion prediction issues
- Dithering too large at default resolution
- Support link returns blank screen
- Cannot delete saved works
- Import from Zen Brush 2 not functional
- iMessage function removed without explanation
- App closed unexpectedly with PSOFT MOBILE message
- Pressure sensitivity inconsistent across devices

**Most requested features**

- Canvas rotation with two-finger gestures
- Increased undo/redo levels (more than 5)
- Grid or guide line display for practice
- Custom color wheel/palette picker
- Instant erase without animations
- Larger grid options for quadrant practice
- Brush size slider with fine-grained control
- Drawing correction/smoothing adjustment
- Layer blending modes (multiply, etc.)
- High DPI and vector export options
- Sketch import for tracing/reference
- Text tool with adjustable sizing
- Cross-device cloud synchronization
- Trial/demo period before purchase
- Subscription model with regular updates instead of new app versions
- Larger UI elements and palette buttons
- Tutorial or guided introduction
- Gold and silver color options
- Batch character/kanji saving and arrangement
- Community sharing feature or official gallery
- Customizable drawing correction levels
- Disable finger optimizations for stylus users
- Motion prediction control for faster strokes

## Recent user reviews (10 of 117)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zen-brush-3/id1531841731/reviews.md

### 5/5 — Zen Brush 3

*2026-09-04, version 1.19.1*

The most superb brush art app. Fabulous.

### 1/5 — は？

*2026-04-10*

意味がわからない。止め跳ね払いが全く効かない。純正Apple pencilを使ってますが線の太さもずっと同じ。筆圧設定など全く意味無し。え？どういうこと？マッキーで書いてるのかと思うほど。しんにょうの右払いなんて笑っちゃうマジでマッキーですか？笑

### 3/5 — Fun

*2026-01-06, version 1.18*

I love this art app because it’s focused on eastern old world artist tools in water color on different mediums. I find it sometimes difficult to remember how to navigate off a current project & begin a new one as it is not obviously evident how to close one project & open a fresh page. For this I will give it a 3 star rating.

### 2/5 — What

*2025-11-03, version 1.17*

I dont get it. Zen2 was great. Then they did 3 and its terrible. They also seem to have 0 support and has this been abandoned? I think unfortunately they’ve just taking in money on the reputation of 2 and created 3 just to look as if they’re doing something. 3 is garbage. Going back to 2.

### 5/5 — Super Fun

*2025-10-29, version 1.17*

Delightful tool to practice, experiment and imagine with - using it is a vast improvement over doom scrolling.

### 3/5 — 筆の感じは好きだが。とにかく他のアプリで勉強して欲しい

*2025-08-02*

2の方が筆の感じが好き。カラーが選べるようになったのは嬉しい。

しかしもう少し、ユーザーに寄り添った作りにして欲しい。1のアンドゥ無しの頃から比べるとマシだが。
操作法が独特すぎる。
レイヤーの扱い方が分からない。

製作側の自己満足だけでなく、もっと他のアプリを勉強して欲しい。

ユーザーがどういう操作法、機能を望んでいるのかとか。

### 4/5 — super, aber wenige farben

*2024-09-19*

wenige farben zur auswahl. aber ich habe dennoch ne menge freude an der kleinen app!

### 1/5 — Zen Brush 3 closed ?

*2024-06-22, version 1.14*

PSOFT MOBILE  shown and nothing else 
What happened?

### 4/5 — 매우 멋진 앱!

*2024-05-31*

이펙트도 매우멋지고 인터페이스도 편합니다. 그러나 아이패드 프로 4세대(m2 프로세서)에서 발열과 배터리 누수가 있습니다. 최적화가 필요합니다

### 4/5 — 運営さんに、お願い

*2024-05-11*

基本的には使いやすいです。
ただ、私ごと申し訳ないですが、iPhoneで書いてる私は、どうしても画面が小さいので、沢山の文字やアルファベットが書きにくいんです。
なので、一文字書いたら、保存できて、保存先で文字の大きさを調整し、キャンパスに並べられたら、このアプリは最強になると思います。

## Frequently asked questions about Zen Brush 3

### What is Zen Brush 3?

Zen Brush 3 is a drawing application designed to emulate the aesthetic and expressive qualities of East Asian ink brushes. It allows users to create calligraphy, ink paintings, and other forms of Zen art with a focus on natural brush strokes and color blending.

### What are the key features of Zen Brush 3?

Key features include a drawing system that simulates a 3D ink brush, adjustable water and color effects for varied expressions, layer functionality for editing, the ability to import photos as backgrounds or for tracing, and a wide selection of background and paper templates. It also offers export options in JPEG, PNG, and transparent PNG formats.

### How much does Zen Brush 3 cost?

Zen Brush 3 is a paid application. The specific price can be found on the app store listing for your device. There are no in-app purchases or advertisements mentioned in the provided description.

### What devices is Zen Brush 3 compatible with?

The app supports Apple Pencil (1st and 2nd generation) and 3D Touch where available. It also offers adjustable brush and tilt sensitivity with supported styluses. Higher canvas resolutions may not work on devices with lower specifications.

### Who is Zen Brush 3 for?

This app is designed for anyone who wants to create beautiful East Asian ink art, including calligraphy and painting. It's suitable for both beginners who want to easily create art and experienced artists looking for a digital tool with rich expressiveness.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 1.19.1 — 2026-05-14

- Fixed a bug in version 1.19 where stylus tilt orientation was reversed.

Version 1.19
- Fixed a bug where the ink layer's "Erase All" button did not work.
- Fixed a bug where already drawn ink sometimes became dark after changing the canvas resolution.
- Minor bug fixes.

### 1.19 — 2026-05-12

- Fixed a bug where the ink layer's "Erase All" button did not work.
- Fixed a bug where already drawn ink sometimes became dark after changing the canvas resolution.
- Minor bug fixes.

### 1.18 — 2025-12-12

- Fixed an issue where touch data could not be processed correctly with iPadOS 26.
- Fixed an issue where the pointer position when hovering Apple Pencil was shifted with iPadOS 26.
- Minor bug fixes.

### 1.17 — 2025-07-29

- Updated the SDK for the SonarPen, a stylus that uses the audio connection.

### 1.16 — 2025-05-09

- Improved operation when reordering layers.
- Updated the SDK for the SonarPen, a stylus that uses the audio connection.

## Apps similar to Zen Brush 3

| App | Rating | Price | Category |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Calligraphy Calm - Ink Brush](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/calligraphy-calm-ink-brush/id1440729200) | 3.4 (48) | Free | Graphics & Design |
| [Sketch Club](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sketch-club/id404414176) | 4.8 (2,603) | $2.99 | Graphics & Design |
| [Paintstorm Studio](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/paintstorm-studio/id1077984099) | 4.4 (368) | $12.99 | Graphics & Design |
| [Realistic Paint Studio](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/realistic-paint-studio/id1529593385) | 4.7 (735) | $11.99 | Graphics & Design |
| [Brushes](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brushes/id1168117279) | 4.6 (177) | $3.99 | Graphics & Design |
| [ArtRage Vitae Mobile Painting](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/artrage-vitae-mobile-painting/id1521959252) | 3.7 (49) | $4.99 | Graphics & Design |

## More apps by PSOFT

- [AR Missile - Auto Tracking](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ar-missile-auto-tracking/id402614251)
- [AR Missile HD](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ar-missile-hd/id426069309)
- [Azuki Wave](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/azuki-wave/id451901829)
- [Crayon Style](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/crayon-style/id629860673)
- [PSOFT Audio Player](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/psoft-audio-player/id893103463)
- [Zen Brush 2](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zen-brush-2/id1012274888)

All apps by PSOFT: https://appshunter.io/developer/373752450

## Related topics

[zen brush](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/zen-brush) · [zen brush 3](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/zen-brush-3) · [zen brush 2](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/zen-brush-2) · [psoft](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/psoft)

---

*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 2026-09-06.*