Autodesk SketchBook Pro 7

The media could not be loaded. I own several digital painting programs (Photoshop CS6, Painter X3, and ArtRage 4)--but Sketchbook Pro is my favorite sketching software. It is both easy and fun to use--yet it contains a wealth of advance features that will enable you to create complex drawings and paintings. I've included a video to show some of the features of this program.I've also created review videos of Adobe Photoshop Elements 13 and Corel Painter 2015 so you could view those to see how those programs compare to Sketchbook. Hopefully this will enable you to select the best software depending on what you want to do!One of the main reasons why I like Sketchook Pro for drawing is that the pencil tool provides the closest sensation to sketching with traditional pencil and paper of any software program that I've used. Combine Sketchbook Pro 7 with a pressure sensitive laptop, tablet, or Wacom Cintiq monitor and the experience is very similar to using a pencil on paper.Another major reason I like Sketchbook is the simplicity of the interface. The workspace is not filled up with menu bars and palettes. If you are using a small monitor, laptop, or tablet you will really appreciate this feature.Here is a list of other features that I really like.1. The variety of brushes, pencils, markers, etc. and the ability to change the brushes and create your own.2. This is an easy program to learn--at least the basics. It does have advanced features--but you can create a lot of good drawings or paintings by just knowing the basics.3. The Symmetry feature--I like drawing faces and this makes it really easy. A NEW feature of Sketchbook Pro 7 is you can reposition the Symmetry axis to different parts of your image. Basically you can use it to create an object in one part of your image and then drag it to a new part and use it there.4. The NEW Perspective Guide feature. This is going to make drawing in perspective a LOT easier!5. The NEW layer features including Background Color Layer and the ability to use Layer Groups.6. The NEW flip book animation feature looks great--I just need more time to try it out!There are also several other new features of Sketchbook Pro 7 that I believe will be very useful. They include the Glow and Soft Glow blend modes, the ability to distort and transform selections and layers, and the new Gradient Fill feature.There is a great online manual that can be accessed by clicking on the "Help" link on the menu bar. I created a short video segment on this but I had to remove it to keep the video under 10 minutes. The manual includes very good directions on how to use the various features. It can be downloaded and saved on your computer.My usual workflow is to start out a sketch in Sketchbook Pro and then I bring it into Photoshop or Painter to finish it. Sketchbook Pro does include all the features necessary to start and complete a drawing or image--and I've seen some wonderful images done completely with Sketchbook Pro--but Photoshop and Painter still have advanced features that I've grown accustomed to using.Bottom line: When it comes to pure sketching--Sketchbook Pro 7 is my first choice. Combined with a pressure sensitive tablet or monitor it doesn't get any more natural feeling than this.

This art program has amazing features and the animation flipbook is easy to use.I would have given it 5 stars but I had some issues with the pen pressure sensitivity.Apparently this is a common problem. I went to the autodesk forums for answers but after not getting a straight answer. I found a email address and message them with my problem and they said they couldn't help me. I posted on the forums and no one replied back.It began to become very frustrating and finally I tried something I hadn't tried before and it finally started working.So beware. The program is great but it can have its issues and the autodesk company does little to help.

The media could not be loaded. Update: I have not heard from the company regarding a solution. This is crap! Do not waste your money.I can't draw with this. I was using the free software which I really liked and so I purchased this to improve on what I had. Not only it is the total opposite of the free version (highly recommend it for amateurs). Don't bother buying this.The "print" is about 2 inches off from where I'm holding the stylus. I have a Wacom Cintiq 13" tablet and it is excellent, I've used the tablet with the free version per and post this purchase and I have absolutely no issues. I've recalibrated the stylus umpteen times and nothing.Contacted the company and was told to download the free version (go figure) or purchase/pay for the upgrade which is a yearly subscription. Really?Don't bother buying this. Now I'm trying to figure out Adobe Photoshop, which is what the pros use since I can go no where with this.

DON'T BUY IT! Autodesk is now a subscription-based company. They don't offer backup for individual software packages. I've owned Sketchbook Pro 6 for only five years. When I loaded it into a new computer I couldn't acvtivate it. I spent a couple of months getting a runaround from Autodesk until I finally found out I had to pay for a yearly subscription to Sketchbook Pro 8. I CAN'T USE WHAT I OWN. Amazon shouldn't be selling the software.I love Sketchbook Pro, and the upgrade is great, but I resent having to pay more money to use something that I bought and paid for. Autodesk makes it money from professional design companies. They don't care about individuals using their old products. Sketchbook is unique for using creatively, but look into a subscription (about $30 a yr.) instead of saddling yourself with something you may eventually be unable to use.

I prefer Essentials 13 which is about the same price and does more. Pretty good brush tools.

I love this program. It's one of the most artistically laid out digital palettes I've ever used. SB Pro 7 also has the flip book feature, which is excellent for pencil testing your animation sequences prior to transferring them to your 3D/Animation software, like Blender, et. al...Don't allow the sadly uninspired appearance of SketchBook Pro 7 packaging scare you away. What the Autodesk marketing dept was thinking with this horribly boring, and shockingly un-artistic cover art, I can't imagine. Yawn... It's really a fine, user-friendly and powerful drawing and painting program.Hey, Autodesk, send me an email - love to design some exciting, eye-catching cover art for you.Note: One downside is that it does not support my Wacom Airbrush. Autodesk, please work with Wacom to add their airbrush driver. SB Pro 7 does have their own airbrush function that is used with the standard Wacom digital pen. We also have a UGEE pen monitor in our studio and Pro 7 works great with it, too.

Great Program. Closest you can get to pencil and paper. But as I am quite new to the program, I find that some of the features are not so obvious and takes time to figure out. I bought Sketchbook Pro 2011 previously and was disappointed that there was no upgrade path from 2011 to Version 7.