How to turn your phone into a graphics tablet

Former Apple engineers Matt Ronge and Giovanni Donelli are on a mission to create polished and powerful creative tools. Together they made Astropad, an app that transforms your iPhone and iPad into a professional graphics tablet.

Discover how to build an app with these brilliant tutorials

Astropad is easy enough for hobbyists to pick up and start using, but it's also built to meet the needs of creative professionals. With touch sensitive, iOS stylus compatible controls, Astropad lets users edit wherever they are.

Popular Mac tools like Photoshop, Corel Painter, Manga Studio and many more are available to use on Astropad, all without the need of any drivers. Images can be examined and enhanced reliably, the makers say, as Astopad is colour corrected to match your Mac.

Even when used over Wi-Fi, this app promises speeds of 60 FPS to deliver a natural drawing experience. By using ARM Assembly code, Astropad also aims to maximise your device's battery life.

Digital designers and artists can download and install the app from 9am PST (5pm London time) at the Astropad site.

Astropad iPhone

Astropad iPhone

Astropad shortcut

Astropad iPad

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Dom Carter

Dom Carter is a freelance writer who specialises in art and design. Formerly a staff writer for Creative Bloq, his work has also appeared on Creative Boom and in the pages of ImagineFX, Computer Arts, 3D World, and .net. He has been a D&AD New Blood judge, and has a particular interest in picture books.