Adobe Frees Its Fresco App to Compete with Procreate: What You Need to Know

Adobe Fresco Goes Free: A Game-Changer for Digital Illustrators

Adobe has taken a bold step to attract illustrators and digital artists by making its dedicated drawing and painting app, Adobe Fresco, entirely free. This move aims to compete with popular tools like Procreate and Clip Studio Paint, which have become staples in the digital art community.

What is Adobe Fresco?

Adobe Fresco, launched in 2019, is designed specifically for touch and stylus-supported devices, including iPads, iPhones, and Windows PCs. It offers a unique combination of drawing and painting tools that replicate real-world materials, such as sketching pencils and watercolor paints. Unlike more established Adobe software like Photoshop or Illustrator, Fresco is tailored for illustrators and hobbyists.

New Pricing Structure

Previously, Adobe Fresco operated with a free-to-use tier, but premium features—such as access to the full Adobe Fonts library, a more extensive brush selection, and the capability to import custom brushes—were gated behind a $9.99 annual subscription. Though this was a budget-friendly option relative to other Adobe services, it could not compete with Procreate's $12.99 one-time purchase model.

Beginning today, all premium features of Fresco are available to users at no cost, effectively eliminating the subscription hurdle.

Features of Adobe Fresco

Fresco boasts some standout features that may attract users, such as:

• Symmetry Tools: Users can create art with reflective and rotation symmetry, allowing for stunning mirror effects as they draw.
• Animation Capabilities: The app allows quick animation of drawings, with motion presets for effects such as “bounce” and “breathe.”

Competitive Landscape

The digital art application space is highly competitive. Popular alternatives like Procreate, Clip Studio Paint, and Krita have enjoyed substantial success due to their affordability and ease of use, particularly on iPads. It's worth noting that many amateur and indie artists often use these accessible tools for their fan art, web comics, and other illustrations.

Procreate, in particular, has drawn a loyal user base with its pricing strategy and commitment to avoiding generative AI technologies, resonating with artists wary of how such advancements might threaten their employment opportunities.

Fresco's Unique Benefits

While Adobe has not yet integrated its generative AI features into Fresco, the app offers distinct advantages over competitors like Procreate:

• Desktop and Cloud Support: Fresco includes a desktop version and cloud storage, a significant convenience for users who work across devices.
• Comprehensive Toolkit: As part of the Adobe ecosystem, Fresco benefits from integration with other Adobe apps, allowing for a more seamless workflow.

Conclusion

By making Adobe Fresco free, Adobe hopes to capture the attention of users in the competitive digital art market. While the platform still faces challenges in overcoming its reputation among parts of the creative community, this initiative may draw new users eager to experiment with an expanding collection of tools without financial commitment. As digital art continues to grow in popularity, Adobe's strategic shift may well mark a significant turning point in its creative software offerings.