iPastels
Paint.Create art.Draw a sketch
FreeOffers In-App Purchases
5.6.3for iPhone, iPad and more
9.1
287 Ratings
Norbyte
Developer
15.2 MB
Size
Dec 21, 2023
Update Date
Graphics & Design
Category
4+
Age Rating
Age Rating
iPastels Screenshots
About iPastels
A painting app for all artists, whether you’re experienced or just starting out.
Perfect for creating beautiful works of art or a quick sketch whenever and wherever you have a burst of inspiration.
You can also try out ideas and compositions before starting on a new painting in real life, or practise and refine your skills, all without the added cost of art supplies.
• LIFELIKE PASTEL SIMULATION •
The app features live-calculated brushes and strokes, making a realistic pastel simulation possible.
Painting tools include soft pastels, oil pastels, pastel pencils, smudge tool, and more.
• REALISTIC PAPER/CANVAS TEXTURES •
When creating a new picture, a unique, non-repeating paper texture is generated that will interact in real-time with the live-calculated strokes you paint.
You can change the default-generated texture to, for example, canvas, which goes great with oil pastels!
• PRECISE COLOR BLENDING •
When painting, especially with soft pastels, use Smudge or the Cotton Swab to blend and smoothen the colors right on the paper, as you would in real life.
With oil pastels, in addition to smudging, the blending is often done by the pastel sticks themselves (for best results, reduce the force or use a similar or lighter color).
If you use an Apple Pencil, it will feel incredibly realistic if you use the stylus to draw and use your finger to Smudge (assigned as a 2nd tool)!
• FINGERTIP = STROKE SIZE •
When you paint, the app measures how much of your finger is touching the screen and changes the stroke size accordingly.
Apply just the corner of your fingertip for a thin line, or the whole fingerprint area for a broad stroke.
A 2nd tool assigned to your finger will still use this feature, so don’t ignore it just because you have an Apple Pencil!
• LEFT-HANDED? •
Just swipe the toolbar over to the other side!
• PARAMETERS CAN BE CHANGED LIVE •
Use any buttons or controls to change/adjust color, size, force, simultaneously while painting.
• UNIVERSAL PURCHASE •
If you choose to buy the Pro upgrade, this one-time in-app purchase will unlock all Pro features in the app on all available platforms (iPad-iPhone-Mac)!
• METAL •
The engine is based on Metal, with 128-bit color and floating-point arithmetic.
• SWIFT •
The app was developed entirely using Swift (earlier versions used C++).
• APPLE PENCIL SUPPORT • FULL SCREEN PAINTING • SEAMLESS PATTERN EDITING MODE •
• DARK MODE • LANDSCAPE • PORTRAIT • WIDE COLOR •
• MULTIPLE LAYERS • PHOTO TRACING MODE (Pro feature) •
Perfect for creating beautiful works of art or a quick sketch whenever and wherever you have a burst of inspiration.
You can also try out ideas and compositions before starting on a new painting in real life, or practise and refine your skills, all without the added cost of art supplies.
• LIFELIKE PASTEL SIMULATION •
The app features live-calculated brushes and strokes, making a realistic pastel simulation possible.
Painting tools include soft pastels, oil pastels, pastel pencils, smudge tool, and more.
• REALISTIC PAPER/CANVAS TEXTURES •
When creating a new picture, a unique, non-repeating paper texture is generated that will interact in real-time with the live-calculated strokes you paint.
You can change the default-generated texture to, for example, canvas, which goes great with oil pastels!
• PRECISE COLOR BLENDING •
When painting, especially with soft pastels, use Smudge or the Cotton Swab to blend and smoothen the colors right on the paper, as you would in real life.
With oil pastels, in addition to smudging, the blending is often done by the pastel sticks themselves (for best results, reduce the force or use a similar or lighter color).
If you use an Apple Pencil, it will feel incredibly realistic if you use the stylus to draw and use your finger to Smudge (assigned as a 2nd tool)!
• FINGERTIP = STROKE SIZE •
When you paint, the app measures how much of your finger is touching the screen and changes the stroke size accordingly.
Apply just the corner of your fingertip for a thin line, or the whole fingerprint area for a broad stroke.
A 2nd tool assigned to your finger will still use this feature, so don’t ignore it just because you have an Apple Pencil!
• LEFT-HANDED? •
Just swipe the toolbar over to the other side!
• PARAMETERS CAN BE CHANGED LIVE •
Use any buttons or controls to change/adjust color, size, force, simultaneously while painting.
• UNIVERSAL PURCHASE •
If you choose to buy the Pro upgrade, this one-time in-app purchase will unlock all Pro features in the app on all available platforms (iPad-iPhone-Mac)!
• METAL •
The engine is based on Metal, with 128-bit color and floating-point arithmetic.
• SWIFT •
The app was developed entirely using Swift (earlier versions used C++).
• APPLE PENCIL SUPPORT • FULL SCREEN PAINTING • SEAMLESS PATTERN EDITING MODE •
• DARK MODE • LANDSCAPE • PORTRAIT • WIDE COLOR •
• MULTIPLE LAYERS • PHOTO TRACING MODE (Pro feature) •
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What's New in the Latest Version 5.6.3
Last updated on Dec 21, 2023
Old Versions
[NEW] Added “Reset to Default” button to the Scrollable Palette Area menu (to open that menu, scroll the palette to its beginning and tap the largest of the three buttons that appear).
[FIXED] A couple of rare user interface layout glitches.
[FIXED] Some issues when tapping to add to the selection while dragging the thumbnails in Work in Progress (Gallery).
[FIXED] Pasting multiple files in Work in Progress (Gallery) did not always select all the imported pics.
[IMPROVED] The Apple Pencil menu now has a simplified setting for blocking finger/touch input.
[IMPROVED] Some optimizations.
[IMPROVED] A few minor things.
[FIXED] A couple of rare user interface layout glitches.
[FIXED] Some issues when tapping to add to the selection while dragging the thumbnails in Work in Progress (Gallery).
[FIXED] Pasting multiple files in Work in Progress (Gallery) did not always select all the imported pics.
[IMPROVED] The Apple Pencil menu now has a simplified setting for blocking finger/touch input.
[IMPROVED] Some optimizations.
[IMPROVED] A few minor things.
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Version History
5.6.3
Dec 21, 2023
[NEW] Added “Reset to Default” button to the Scrollable Palette Area menu (to open that menu, scroll the palette to its beginning and tap the largest of the three buttons that appear).
[FIXED] A couple of rare user interface layout glitches.
[FIXED] Some issues when tapping to add to the selection while dragging the thumbnails in Work in Progress (Gallery).
[FIXED] Pasting multiple files in Work in Progress (Gallery) did not always select all the imported pics.
[IMPROVED] The Apple Pencil menu now has a simplified setting for blocking finger/touch input.
[IMPROVED] Some optimizations.
[IMPROVED] A few minor things.
[FIXED] A couple of rare user interface layout glitches.
[FIXED] Some issues when tapping to add to the selection while dragging the thumbnails in Work in Progress (Gallery).
[FIXED] Pasting multiple files in Work in Progress (Gallery) did not always select all the imported pics.
[IMPROVED] The Apple Pencil menu now has a simplified setting for blocking finger/touch input.
[IMPROVED] Some optimizations.
[IMPROVED] A few minor things.
5.6.2
Dec 2, 2023
[NEW] Added some selection options (like “Select All”) in Work in Progress (Gallery). Long-press the Multi-Select button or tap “Selected…” next to the buttons.
[IMPROVED] (for devices with attached hardware keyboard) Minor changes/additions to the keyboard shortcuts in Work in Progress (Gallery), and the shortcuts for Copy, Paste, Duplicate now work with layers if the Layers stack is open.
[FIXED] Copy Layer was not always working properly.
[FIXED] Some minor multi-select issues in Work in Progress (Gallery).
[FIXED] A couple of drag & drop issues.
[FIXED] Rotating the device could, in some very rare circumstances, cause the app to crash.
[IMPROVED] Tapping or long-pressing a dial could result in an unintentional adjustment (especially if using Apple Pencil).
[FIXED] A very improbable crash bug.
[IMPROVED] A few minor things.
[IMPROVED] (for devices with attached hardware keyboard) Minor changes/additions to the keyboard shortcuts in Work in Progress (Gallery), and the shortcuts for Copy, Paste, Duplicate now work with layers if the Layers stack is open.
[FIXED] Copy Layer was not always working properly.
[FIXED] Some minor multi-select issues in Work in Progress (Gallery).
[FIXED] A couple of drag & drop issues.
[FIXED] Rotating the device could, in some very rare circumstances, cause the app to crash.
[IMPROVED] Tapping or long-pressing a dial could result in an unintentional adjustment (especially if using Apple Pencil).
[FIXED] A very improbable crash bug.
[IMPROVED] A few minor things.
5.6.1
Nov 18, 2023
[IMPROVED] Adjusted the spacing between the thumbnails in Work in Progress (Gallery).
[FIXED] Dismissing some types of alerts by tapping outside would sometimes block the painting tools (for both touch and Apple Pencil).
[FIXED] A minor, rare user interface graphics glitch.
[FIXED] Dismissing some types of alerts by tapping outside would sometimes block the painting tools (for both touch and Apple Pencil).
[FIXED] A minor, rare user interface graphics glitch.
5.6
Nov 6, 2023
[NEW] Color Modulators that can add a subtle (or not so subtle!), dynamic color variation to the painting tool you’re using.
[NEW] Multi-Select mode in “Work in Progress” (Gallery), for batch operations (e.g. delete) or drag and drop.
[IMPROVED] Long-press outside to close multiple open menus at once.
[IMPROVED] Better user interface for drag & drop in “Work in Progress” (Gallery).
[IMPROVED] Added stabilizer for Apple Pencil and finger touch release coordinates, when using Geometry/Shapes, Eyedropper, or Layer Mover, for better precision.
[NEW] A spinning wheel is now shown for some tasks, to indicate that the app is busy.
[FIXED] When renaming a layer, a tap outside the Layers menu/panel will now end the renaming instead of closing.
[IMPROVED] You are now allowed to delete the last picture in “Work in Progress” (Gallery).
[FIXED] In some rare cases, presenting a menu or message could cause the app to crash.
[FIXED] The cancel button was not working correctly for some picture/layer operations.
[FIXED] Ending a painting stroke outside the picture could cause a crash if the selected layer was in Move Mode.
[FIXED] Some minor issues with sliders in menus.
[FIXED] Copy/paste hex colors wasn’t always working.
[FIXED] A minor cosmetic problem with some menus.
[IMPROVED] Some changes to the manual/help, to reflect recent improvements.
[IMPROVED] Misc. other minor things.
[FIXED] Some other issues.
[NEW] Multi-Select mode in “Work in Progress” (Gallery), for batch operations (e.g. delete) or drag and drop.
[IMPROVED] Long-press outside to close multiple open menus at once.
[IMPROVED] Better user interface for drag & drop in “Work in Progress” (Gallery).
[IMPROVED] Added stabilizer for Apple Pencil and finger touch release coordinates, when using Geometry/Shapes, Eyedropper, or Layer Mover, for better precision.
[NEW] A spinning wheel is now shown for some tasks, to indicate that the app is busy.
[FIXED] When renaming a layer, a tap outside the Layers menu/panel will now end the renaming instead of closing.
[IMPROVED] You are now allowed to delete the last picture in “Work in Progress” (Gallery).
[FIXED] In some rare cases, presenting a menu or message could cause the app to crash.
[FIXED] The cancel button was not working correctly for some picture/layer operations.
[FIXED] Ending a painting stroke outside the picture could cause a crash if the selected layer was in Move Mode.
[FIXED] Some minor issues with sliders in menus.
[FIXED] Copy/paste hex colors wasn’t always working.
[FIXED] A minor cosmetic problem with some menus.
[IMPROVED] Some changes to the manual/help, to reflect recent improvements.
[IMPROVED] Misc. other minor things.
[FIXED] Some other issues.
5.5.1
May 14, 2023
[FIXED] Tracing was sometimes not working.
[NEW] Added new Apple Pencil 2 Double-Tap Action: Open/Close Tool Menu.
[FIXED] A minor, barely noticeable graphics glitch.
[FIXED] A few additional issues.
[NEW] Added new Apple Pencil 2 Double-Tap Action: Open/Close Tool Menu.
[FIXED] A minor, barely noticeable graphics glitch.
[FIXED] A few additional issues.
5.5
Apr 17, 2023
[NEW] Two-finger tap Undo. Added an alternative set of gestures (tap the Settings button and check/uncheck the “Use 2-Finger Tap Undo” setting) for those who prefer 2-finger tap Undo over 3-finger-swipe Undo.
[IMPROVED] Slightly less glare on the buttons.
[IMPROVED] Changed some of the bottom row buttons in “Work in Progress”.
[IMPROVED] Painting with active channel lock (e.g. alpha lock) now looks nicer when going to/from empty areas.
[IMPROVED] Zoom Reset animation.
[IMPROVED] (iPhone) Animations when toggling dial size.
[FIXED] After editing the palette, a few of the colors would sometimes appear dimmed or translucent.
[FIXED] A minor issue with Reset Zoom.
[FIXED] The picture would sometimes flicker when starting or switching to the app.
[FIXED] A few (potential) memory leak issues.
[FIXED] Some minor graphics glitches.
[FIXED] Rare crash bug (when adding a picture).
[FIXED] A rare issue with the thumbnails in Layers could cause a crash.
[FIXED] Improved stability.
[FIXED] Some minor Undo description issues.
[IMPROVED] Minor changes to some menus (Manual, Settings menu, Apple Pencil menu, Selected Picture menu, Layer menu, etc.)
[IMPROVED] Misc. additional things.
[FIXED] Misc. additional issues.
[IMPROVED] Slightly less glare on the buttons.
[IMPROVED] Changed some of the bottom row buttons in “Work in Progress”.
[IMPROVED] Painting with active channel lock (e.g. alpha lock) now looks nicer when going to/from empty areas.
[IMPROVED] Zoom Reset animation.
[IMPROVED] (iPhone) Animations when toggling dial size.
[FIXED] After editing the palette, a few of the colors would sometimes appear dimmed or translucent.
[FIXED] A minor issue with Reset Zoom.
[FIXED] The picture would sometimes flicker when starting or switching to the app.
[FIXED] A few (potential) memory leak issues.
[FIXED] Some minor graphics glitches.
[FIXED] Rare crash bug (when adding a picture).
[FIXED] A rare issue with the thumbnails in Layers could cause a crash.
[FIXED] Improved stability.
[FIXED] Some minor Undo description issues.
[IMPROVED] Minor changes to some menus (Manual, Settings menu, Apple Pencil menu, Selected Picture menu, Layer menu, etc.)
[IMPROVED] Misc. additional things.
[FIXED] Misc. additional issues.
5.4.1
Jan 12, 2023
[FIXED] (iPad) Tapping a dial to change its size would sometimes not work if using Apple Pencil.
[FIXED] Adjusted the toolbar’s auto-hide trigger zones to account for certain system/hardware features (e.g. “notch”).
[FIXED] A minor issue with the paper color when dragging/dropping.
[FIXED] It’s no longer possible to enter zero in the “layer” field when creating a new custom-sized picture.
[FIXED] An issue that could cause a crash, especially when starting the app.
[FIXED] (iPhone) Rotating the device would sometimes place the tool strip on the wrong side of the toolbar.
[FIXED] Hiding the toolbar at the exact same time as rotating the device could cause a crash.
[IMPROVED] A dragged/dropped layer now keeps its opacity.
[IMPROVED] Duplicating a layer now resets the channel locks in the duplicate.
[IMPROVED] A few minor things.
[FIXED] A couple of small issues.
[FIXED] Adjusted the toolbar’s auto-hide trigger zones to account for certain system/hardware features (e.g. “notch”).
[FIXED] A minor issue with the paper color when dragging/dropping.
[FIXED] It’s no longer possible to enter zero in the “layer” field when creating a new custom-sized picture.
[FIXED] An issue that could cause a crash, especially when starting the app.
[FIXED] (iPhone) Rotating the device would sometimes place the tool strip on the wrong side of the toolbar.
[FIXED] Hiding the toolbar at the exact same time as rotating the device could cause a crash.
[IMPROVED] A dragged/dropped layer now keeps its opacity.
[IMPROVED] Duplicating a layer now resets the channel locks in the duplicate.
[IMPROVED] A few minor things.
[FIXED] A couple of small issues.
5.4
Jan 2, 2023
[NEW] Detailed undo/redo info.
[IMPROVED] Some optimizations.
[FIXED] The tool preview could crash if the menu was opened immediately after painting.
[FIXED] (iPhone) A potential crash bug.
[FIXED] Panning would sometimes lag.
[FIXED] A minor issue when switching between Apple Pencil and finger use.
[IMPROVED] Misc. additional things.
[FIXED] Misc. additional issues.
[IMPROVED] Some optimizations.
[FIXED] The tool preview could crash if the menu was opened immediately after painting.
[FIXED] (iPhone) A potential crash bug.
[FIXED] Panning would sometimes lag.
[FIXED] A minor issue when switching between Apple Pencil and finger use.
[IMPROVED] Misc. additional things.
[FIXED] Misc. additional issues.
5.3
Nov 21, 2022
[NEW] Drag & drop from/to other apps. Supported in both “Work in Progress” (Gallery) and Layers.
[NEW] Support for cross-device drag & drop via Universal Control.
[NEW] Picture-specific color palettes. You can now add new palettes, including ones that are specific to, and saved with, the current picture.
[NEW] A new native file format named after the app. Supports thumbnails when exporting.
[IMPROVED] Layers can now be opened from the Work in Progress screen (Gallery), to facilitate toggling of layer visibility before exporting.
[IMPROVED] The three different parts of the scrollable palette area are now called “Quick Colors”, “Palette”, and “Named Colors”.
[IMPROVED] Misc. changes and some new options in the palette’s options/settings menu.
[IMPROVED] The drag handles have been removed in Layers. Now, to rearrange the layers, just grab anywhere and drag (avoid the name field if using Apple Pencil).
[IMPROVED] Some changes to the Tool menu, including new options for resetting the tool button.
[FIXED] Selecting a color from the palette would sometimes not work.
[IMPROVED] In Layers, after deleting a layer, an adjacent layer will now be selected (instead of the topmost layer).
[FIXED] A couple of minor issues with menu sliders.
[FIXED] An issue that could cause the app to freeze, glitch, or block the user from entering “Work in Progress” (Gallery) in some cases.
[FIXED] Editing the palette could cause a crash under certain circumstances.
[FIXED] (iPad) A couple of issues related to keyboard shortcuts.
[IMPROVED] Misc. additional things.
[FIXED] Some stability issues.
[FIXED] Misc. additional issues.
[NEW] Support for cross-device drag & drop via Universal Control.
[NEW] Picture-specific color palettes. You can now add new palettes, including ones that are specific to, and saved with, the current picture.
[NEW] A new native file format named after the app. Supports thumbnails when exporting.
[IMPROVED] Layers can now be opened from the Work in Progress screen (Gallery), to facilitate toggling of layer visibility before exporting.
[IMPROVED] The three different parts of the scrollable palette area are now called “Quick Colors”, “Palette”, and “Named Colors”.
[IMPROVED] Misc. changes and some new options in the palette’s options/settings menu.
[IMPROVED] The drag handles have been removed in Layers. Now, to rearrange the layers, just grab anywhere and drag (avoid the name field if using Apple Pencil).
[IMPROVED] Some changes to the Tool menu, including new options for resetting the tool button.
[FIXED] Selecting a color from the palette would sometimes not work.
[IMPROVED] In Layers, after deleting a layer, an adjacent layer will now be selected (instead of the topmost layer).
[FIXED] A couple of minor issues with menu sliders.
[FIXED] An issue that could cause the app to freeze, glitch, or block the user from entering “Work in Progress” (Gallery) in some cases.
[FIXED] Editing the palette could cause a crash under certain circumstances.
[FIXED] (iPad) A couple of issues related to keyboard shortcuts.
[IMPROVED] Misc. additional things.
[FIXED] Some stability issues.
[FIXED] Misc. additional issues.
5.2.1
Mar 28, 2022
[IMPROVED] The menu where you can decide which traits (e.g. Color, Size, etc.) are individual or shared by all tools has been simplified (Settings Menu -> Painting Tools).
[IMPROVED] (iPad) The Apple Pencil menu now shows the currently selected Apple Pencil 2 Double-Tap Action, instead of having to open the sub menu for changing the Double-Tap Action.
[IMPROVED] Misc. additional things.
[FIXED] Improved stability.
[FIXED] A couple of minor issues.
[IMPROVED] (iPad) The Apple Pencil menu now shows the currently selected Apple Pencil 2 Double-Tap Action, instead of having to open the sub menu for changing the Double-Tap Action.
[IMPROVED] Misc. additional things.
[FIXED] Improved stability.
[FIXED] A couple of minor issues.
5.2
Nov 29, 2021
[IMPROVED] Redesigned menus.
[IMPROVED] Added options to block finger painting for Apple Pencil users (Settings Menu -> Apple Pencil).
[NEW] Options for Reset Zoom (in the Settings Menu).
[IMPROVED] When picking up the device, fingers placed near the screen’s edge are now less likely to leave a mark on your painting.
[IMPROVED] On devices with Home Bar and/or multitasking button (“…”), these are now hidden when you hide the toolbar.
[IMPROVED] Minor memory optimizations.
[IMPROVED] Misc. additional things.
[FIXED] A few minor issues.
[IMPROVED] Added options to block finger painting for Apple Pencil users (Settings Menu -> Apple Pencil).
[NEW] Options for Reset Zoom (in the Settings Menu).
[IMPROVED] When picking up the device, fingers placed near the screen’s edge are now less likely to leave a mark on your painting.
[IMPROVED] On devices with Home Bar and/or multitasking button (“…”), these are now hidden when you hide the toolbar.
[IMPROVED] Minor memory optimizations.
[IMPROVED] Misc. additional things.
[FIXED] A few minor issues.
5.1.2
Oct 14, 2021
[FIXED] (iPadOS 15) The toolbar now keeps its distance from the multitasking button (the three dots) if needed.
[FIXED] A couple of issues that could prevent importing/exporting in some cases.
[FIXED] Misc. additional issues.
[FIXED] A couple of issues that could prevent importing/exporting in some cases.
[FIXED] Misc. additional issues.
5.1.1
Sep 14, 2021
[FIXED] A minor issue with the force/opacity display on some of the tool buttons.
[FIXED] Smudge and similar tools were sometimes not working correctly with smaller sizes.
[IMPROVED] A few minor changes in some menus (Tool menu, Apple Pencil menu, etc.).
[FIXED] A couple of minor issues.
[FIXED] Smudge and similar tools were sometimes not working correctly with smaller sizes.
[IMPROVED] A few minor changes in some menus (Tool menu, Apple Pencil menu, etc.).
[FIXED] A couple of minor issues.
5.1
Aug 31, 2021
[IMPROVED] A small change in how the tool buttons show the force/opacity.
[NEW] Optional Edge Indicators (found in Picture Options), to better see the extent of the image when creating patterns or if paper/canvas is switched off.
[IMPROVED] When creating seamless patterns, it’s now possible to switch off the tiled view mode without switching back to normal (non-wrapped) painting.
[FIXED] Some older devices were displaying the buttons incorrectly, without icons.
[FIXED] An issue with exporting on some devices, in some rare situations.
[FIXED] A minor, rare graphics glitch/flicker.
[IMPROVED] Apple Pencil: Slight improvement.
[IMPROVED] Misc. other minor things.
[FIXED] A few additional issues.
[NEW] Optional Edge Indicators (found in Picture Options), to better see the extent of the image when creating patterns or if paper/canvas is switched off.
[IMPROVED] When creating seamless patterns, it’s now possible to switch off the tiled view mode without switching back to normal (non-wrapped) painting.
[FIXED] Some older devices were displaying the buttons incorrectly, without icons.
[FIXED] An issue with exporting on some devices, in some rare situations.
[FIXED] A minor, rare graphics glitch/flicker.
[IMPROVED] Apple Pencil: Slight improvement.
[IMPROVED] Misc. other minor things.
[FIXED] A few additional issues.
5.0
Jun 22, 2021
[NEW] Filled shapes (Painting Mode). They can now be filled with strokes from the selected painting tool.
[NEW] (Pro) A new tool, Graphite Pencil (supports Apple Pencil tilt and pressure).
[NEW] Tap any control knob (Size, Force, Hue, Saturation, Brightness) to enlarge it, for easier use and more precision. Tap again to return to original size.
[NEW] Tool button info. All tool buttons now display information and hints regarding that tool’s selected Color, Size, Force, Painting Mode, and Tracing.
[NEW] Rename layers. Tap its current name (or just start writing in the selected layer’s name box, if you use an Apple Pencil).
[NEW] Layer Channel Lock. Can be set for individual channels, including alpha lock.
[IMPROVED] There’s now a preview in the tool menu.
[NEW] Long-press on any control knob to open a menu with fixed values to choose from (e.g. "50%").
[NEW] (Pro) Added triangle to Painting Mode.
[IMPROVED] Painting Mode (shapes/geometry) now has a variety of options, including Fill Mode (Concentric, Stripes), Fixed Proportions (for Circle, Square), and a preview.
[IMPROVED] The algorithms for the painting tools have been improved.
[IMPROVED] Sliders in menus now work better. A tap on the slider will now jump to that position, a double-tap will set it to its default value, and a tap to the left or right of it will set it to minimum or maximum.
[NEW] (Pro) A new menu (mostly) for web developers, where you can adjust, copy & paste as hex color, can be found in the Current Color menu.
[NEW] Added some new tool settings in the tool menu: Texture Interaction (to make individual tools less or more affected by the paper texture), Hardness (on some tools), Spread (on Smudge and similar tools).
[IMPROVED] The selected tool is now more clearly marked.
[IMPROVED] The 2nd tool (when using Apple Pencil to control the 1st) is now marked.
[NEW] Tool Size Mode, to determine how the tool’s size is calculated.
[IMPROVED] When assigning a different tool to a tool button, the settings are now remembered when/if changing back.
[IMPROVED] Better handling of finger-size input, and Apple Pencil tilt and pressure, when Painting Mode is set to a shape.
[IMPROVED] A warning if trying to use Eraser, Smudge, etc. on an empty layer.
[FIXED] Some issues with Undo.
[NEW] An option to Scale Down the layer (found in the layer menu).
[IMPROVED] In the Layer Control, a new “…” button will open the layer menu for the selected layer. You can still tap the thumbnail to achieve the same thing.
[NEW] Layer button info. The layer button will display the selected layer’s opacity if it’s less than 100%, and indicate whether or not a Layer Channel Lock is in use.
[FIXED] Some issues with Move Layer.
[IMPROVED] Tapping outside a menu will now only close that menu, instead of also reusing the tap in the menu underneath (if any).
[IMPROVED] Some user interface changes, like color schemes, improved menus, etc.
[FIXED] A couple of issues with Dark Mode.
[IMPROVED] Improved loading times in some cases.
[FIXED] (Pro) The Eyedropper tool would sometimes stop working.
[IMPROVED] Misc. additional things.
[FIXED] Improved stability.
[FIXED] Misc. additional issues.
[NEW] (Pro) A new tool, Graphite Pencil (supports Apple Pencil tilt and pressure).
[NEW] Tap any control knob (Size, Force, Hue, Saturation, Brightness) to enlarge it, for easier use and more precision. Tap again to return to original size.
[NEW] Tool button info. All tool buttons now display information and hints regarding that tool’s selected Color, Size, Force, Painting Mode, and Tracing.
[NEW] Rename layers. Tap its current name (or just start writing in the selected layer’s name box, if you use an Apple Pencil).
[NEW] Layer Channel Lock. Can be set for individual channels, including alpha lock.
[IMPROVED] There’s now a preview in the tool menu.
[NEW] Long-press on any control knob to open a menu with fixed values to choose from (e.g. "50%").
[NEW] (Pro) Added triangle to Painting Mode.
[IMPROVED] Painting Mode (shapes/geometry) now has a variety of options, including Fill Mode (Concentric, Stripes), Fixed Proportions (for Circle, Square), and a preview.
[IMPROVED] The algorithms for the painting tools have been improved.
[IMPROVED] Sliders in menus now work better. A tap on the slider will now jump to that position, a double-tap will set it to its default value, and a tap to the left or right of it will set it to minimum or maximum.
[NEW] (Pro) A new menu (mostly) for web developers, where you can adjust, copy & paste as hex color, can be found in the Current Color menu.
[NEW] Added some new tool settings in the tool menu: Texture Interaction (to make individual tools less or more affected by the paper texture), Hardness (on some tools), Spread (on Smudge and similar tools).
[IMPROVED] The selected tool is now more clearly marked.
[IMPROVED] The 2nd tool (when using Apple Pencil to control the 1st) is now marked.
[NEW] Tool Size Mode, to determine how the tool’s size is calculated.
[IMPROVED] When assigning a different tool to a tool button, the settings are now remembered when/if changing back.
[IMPROVED] Better handling of finger-size input, and Apple Pencil tilt and pressure, when Painting Mode is set to a shape.
[IMPROVED] A warning if trying to use Eraser, Smudge, etc. on an empty layer.
[FIXED] Some issues with Undo.
[NEW] An option to Scale Down the layer (found in the layer menu).
[IMPROVED] In the Layer Control, a new “…” button will open the layer menu for the selected layer. You can still tap the thumbnail to achieve the same thing.
[NEW] Layer button info. The layer button will display the selected layer’s opacity if it’s less than 100%, and indicate whether or not a Layer Channel Lock is in use.
[FIXED] Some issues with Move Layer.
[IMPROVED] Tapping outside a menu will now only close that menu, instead of also reusing the tap in the menu underneath (if any).
[IMPROVED] Some user interface changes, like color schemes, improved menus, etc.
[FIXED] A couple of issues with Dark Mode.
[IMPROVED] Improved loading times in some cases.
[FIXED] (Pro) The Eyedropper tool would sometimes stop working.
[IMPROVED] Misc. additional things.
[FIXED] Improved stability.
[FIXED] Misc. additional issues.
4.8.1
May 23, 2020
[IMPROVED] The paper/canvas texture preview is now showing an example brush stroke.
[IMPROVED] When adjusting the paper/canvas texture, all sliders will now affect the preview.
[IMPROVED] A very small, almost unnoticeable adjustment of how Apple Pencil pressure is handled.
[IMPROVED] Some minor things.
[IMPROVED] When adjusting the paper/canvas texture, all sliders will now affect the preview.
[IMPROVED] A very small, almost unnoticeable adjustment of how Apple Pencil pressure is handled.
[IMPROVED] Some minor things.
4.8
May 4, 2020
[NEW] (Pro) Support for Universal Purchase. Your Pro Upgrade is now valid for iPad, iPhone, and Mac.
[IMPROVED] A few additions to the Recommended Paper/Canvas Colors.
[IMPROVED] Some things, like Undo/Redo for example, are now a bit faster.
[NEW] (Pro) A new tool called Void Patcher, that covers up transparent gaps (supports Apple Pencil tilt and pressure).
[FIXED] A minor issue with Dark Mode.
[FIXED] A couple of minor user interface glitches.
[IMPROVED] Misc. things.
[FIXED] Some image orientation issues.
[FIXED] Improved stability.
[FIXED] A few minor issues.
[IMPROVED] A few additions to the Recommended Paper/Canvas Colors.
[IMPROVED] Some things, like Undo/Redo for example, are now a bit faster.
[NEW] (Pro) A new tool called Void Patcher, that covers up transparent gaps (supports Apple Pencil tilt and pressure).
[FIXED] A minor issue with Dark Mode.
[FIXED] A couple of minor user interface glitches.
[IMPROVED] Misc. things.
[FIXED] Some image orientation issues.
[FIXED] Improved stability.
[FIXED] A few minor issues.
4.7
Mar 12, 2020
[IMPROVED] The picture’s paper/canvas texture can now be adjusted with sliders for Coarseness (Pro), Depth, Visibility, and a preview. Found under “Paper/Canvas Properties” when adding a new picture, or in the Layer Control under “Paper/Canvas”.
[IMPROVED] The app now remembers the last used size, color, and texture when creating a new picture.
[NEW] (Pro) Two new tools for adjusting contrast (both support Apple Pencil tilt and pressure).
[IMPROVED] If more than one menu is open, a tap outside no longer closes all menus, only the last.
[FIXED] A color issue on some older devices.
[IMPROVED] Misc. things.
[FIXED] A few minor issues.
[IMPROVED] The app now remembers the last used size, color, and texture when creating a new picture.
[NEW] (Pro) Two new tools for adjusting contrast (both support Apple Pencil tilt and pressure).
[IMPROVED] If more than one menu is open, a tap outside no longer closes all menus, only the last.
[FIXED] A color issue on some older devices.
[IMPROVED] Misc. things.
[FIXED] A few minor issues.
4.6
Jan 19, 2020
[NEW] (Pro) Two new tools, Blur and Sharpen (both support Apple Pencil tilt and pressure).
[IMPROVED] You can now import layers from Files (in addition to Photos and Clipboard).
[IMPROVED] (Pro) Some improvements to the Photo Tracing feature, including a new Color Sampling Rate slider.
[FIXED] A few tools needed minor, subtle corrections.
[FIXED] Adding a new “Custom-Sized” picture did not always work correctly.
[FIXED] (Pro) Some issues with Scale, Adjust Size.
[IMPROVED] Some minor things.
[FIXED] A few minor issues.
[IMPROVED] You can now import layers from Files (in addition to Photos and Clipboard).
[IMPROVED] (Pro) Some improvements to the Photo Tracing feature, including a new Color Sampling Rate slider.
[FIXED] A few tools needed minor, subtle corrections.
[FIXED] Adding a new “Custom-Sized” picture did not always work correctly.
[FIXED] (Pro) Some issues with Scale, Adjust Size.
[IMPROVED] Some minor things.
[FIXED] A few minor issues.
4.5.4
Dec 23, 2019
[FIXED] Exported/shared pictures would sometimes have the wrong orientation (landscape/portrait).
[FIXED] A rare but critical stability issue.
[IMPROVED] The “Double-Tap Action” menu for Apple Pencil 2 has been slightly modified.
[FIXED] Some minor issues.
[FIXED] A rare but critical stability issue.
[IMPROVED] The “Double-Tap Action” menu for Apple Pencil 2 has been slightly modified.
[FIXED] Some minor issues.
4.5.2
Dec 2, 2019
[IMPROVED] The color palettes are now auto-saved more frequently.
[IMPROVED] Add, Delete, Paste, Duplicate, Import, Merge (Pro) Layer have all been optimized.
[FIXED] (Pro) Shapes now work as expected.
[FIXED] (Pro) Some issues with Move Layer.
[FIXED] Some issues with Undo and Redo in certain, rare situations.
[IMPROVED] A slight, hardly noticeable adjustment of how Apple Pencil pressure is handled.
[FIXED] Improved stability.
[IMPROVED] Add, Delete, Paste, Duplicate, Import, Merge (Pro) Layer have all been optimized.
[FIXED] (Pro) Shapes now work as expected.
[FIXED] (Pro) Some issues with Move Layer.
[FIXED] Some issues with Undo and Redo in certain, rare situations.
[IMPROVED] A slight, hardly noticeable adjustment of how Apple Pencil pressure is handled.
[FIXED] Improved stability.
4.5.1
Oct 27, 2019
[FIXED] Improved stability.
[FIXED] The app would fail to open on some devices running a certain version of iOS/iPadOS.
[FIXED] A rare, minor Apple Pencil related issue.
[FIXED] The app would fail to open on some devices running a certain version of iOS/iPadOS.
[FIXED] A rare, minor Apple Pencil related issue.
4.5
Oct 21, 2019
[NEW] (Pro) Two new tools, Adjust Hue Clockwise and Adjust Hue Counterclockwise (both support Apple Pencil tilt and pressure).
[IMPROVED] Website links in the app are now using secure connections.
[FIXED] Improved stability.
[FIXED] A few minor issues.
[IMPROVED] Website links in the app are now using secure connections.
[FIXED] Improved stability.
[FIXED] A few minor issues.
4.4
Oct 12, 2019
[NEW] (Pro) Two new tools, Saturate and Desaturate (both support Apple Pencil tilt and pressure).
[IMPROVED] The selected painting tool is now more clearly marked in Dark Mode.
[IMPROVED] Some minor things.
[FIXED] Leaving the app while painting (mid-stroke) could cause some issues with the current layer.
[FIXED] A stability issue.
[FIXED] A couple of minor issues.
[IMPROVED] The selected painting tool is now more clearly marked in Dark Mode.
[IMPROVED] Some minor things.
[FIXED] Leaving the app while painting (mid-stroke) could cause some issues with the current layer.
[FIXED] A stability issue.
[FIXED] A couple of minor issues.
4.3
Sep 29, 2019
[NEW] Support for Dark Mode (Light, Dark Appearance). Includes the option to override the system preference.
[NEW] Swipe left with three fingers to Undo (or double-tap with three fingers).
[NEW] Swipe right with three fingers to Redo.
[IMPROVED] Compatibility with iPadOS 13 and iOS 13.
[NEW] (Pro) Added a tool called Colorize (supports Apple Pencil tilt and pressure).
[IMPROVED] The menus have been (slightly) redesigned.
[FIXED] A minor issue with the menus.
[FIXED] The first painting stroke after returning from the Work in Progress screen did not always work as expected.
[IMPROVED] A couple of minor things.
[FIXED] A few minor issues.
[NEW] Swipe left with three fingers to Undo (or double-tap with three fingers).
[NEW] Swipe right with three fingers to Redo.
[IMPROVED] Compatibility with iPadOS 13 and iOS 13.
[NEW] (Pro) Added a tool called Colorize (supports Apple Pencil tilt and pressure).
[IMPROVED] The menus have been (slightly) redesigned.
[FIXED] A minor issue with the menus.
[FIXED] The first painting stroke after returning from the Work in Progress screen did not always work as expected.
[IMPROVED] A couple of minor things.
[FIXED] A few minor issues.
iPastels FAQ
Click here to learn how to download iPastels in restricted country or region.
Check the following list to see the minimum requirements of iPastels.
iPhone
Requires iOS 12.0 or later.
iPad
Requires iPadOS 12.0 or later.
Mac
Requires macOS 10.14 or later.
iPod touch
Requires iOS 12.0 or later.
iPastels supports English
iPastels contains in-app purchases. Please check the pricing plan as below:
Pro Upgrade
$7.00
Tip Jar: Medium Tip
$5.00
Tip Jar: Small Tip
$2.00
Tip Jar: Big Tip
$10.00
Tip Jar: Smallest Tip
$1.00
Tip Jar: Biggest Tip
$25.00
