Adobe Illustrator on the iPad Review
Illustrator on the iPad is Adobe’s only dedicated vector graphics app available for Apple's tablet. When Adobe first launched Photoshop for the iPad last year, some felt it lacked too many features to be truly useful. Since then, Adobe has delivered several updates, each of which added useful features, such as Subject Select, to bring the app closer to parity with its desktop counterpart. With the new Illustrator on the iPad, Adobe didn’t want a repeat of the critiques that greeted Photoshop's iPad release. After addressing more than 1,200 requests from beta testers, Adobe released Illustrator for iPad chock full of features. As a result, the iPad app is useful in any design workflow from the get-go.
Pricing and Getting Started
Illustrator on the iPad is included with any Adobe Creative Cloud plan that includes Illustrator on the desktop (starting at $20.99 per month), but you can buy it as a standalone app for $9.99 per month. You can use Adobe Illustrator for iPad on any Apple tablet that runs iPadOS 13.4 or later and supports Apple Pencil Generations 1 or 2. Apple Pencil is not required to use the app, but using one elevates the experience over using your finger. I tested the app on an iPad Pro running iPadOS 14.01, with a second-generation Apple Pencil.
Installation is quick, and once you sign in to Creative Cloud, your CC Library and Cloud documents and assets automatically sync. On the home screen, two options help you get going. The first is the Learn icon that leads to several hands-on and video tutorials. The second is the Discover icon that lets you watch artists work live in Illustrator and browse through a cornucopia of Illustrator-created artwork.
The workspace's top menu bar sports a Help icon that offers reference sheets for gestures, touch shortcuts, and keyboard shortcuts, as well as an app tour. If you have a keyboard attached to your iPad, Illustrator on the iPad recognizes those key commands, facilitating the transition from the desktop version.
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