by Marcela “Mama Clown” Murad
One of the benefits of technology is the ability to have any information we could ever want or need right at our fingertips. One of my favorite sources for acquiring knowledge is through the use of apps. Most are very simple to use, you can download them to any mobile device, and the best part is that a lot of them are free!
Following are my 10 suggestions for useful apps, divided by category. Hope you have fun discovering how many different ways you can benefit from them. These are the ones that I use personally- but there’s many more where these came from! I suggest going on an expedition to the App Store to see what calls your name. If you have any favorite ones please share them here.
Face Painting Apps
- Face Painting by JS900- Available on Apple App Store for $2.99
This app combines the top face painting tutorials from youtube in one easy app to give you quick access to step-by-step designs on the fly. With over 400 videos to browse through, this Face Painting app also allows you to group the videos into subcategories of your liking- such as boy and girl designs.
- Tattoo Designs HD by Escargot Studios LLC- FREE on Apple, Android, and Google
Running out of creativity can happen to us all from time to time. I like to keep a tattoo design app on my phone for when I need a little inspiration. This app is great for helping you complete your tribals, and stay up to date on “trending” designs. There’s also some great eye candy 😉
Bodypainting Apps
- MARA 3D Human Anatomy Lite by MARA3D Inc.- FREE on Apple and Android devices
I remember taking a class with Nick & Brian Wolfe where they suggested studying the human anatomy in order to improve your body painting designs. With this 3D app you can really follow the contour of a body when painting a human canvas. This app is very easy to use and informative.
- Pose Tool by Junaid Khan- $6.99 on Apple App Store and Google Play
This app is great for the advanced painter who wants to explore the different ways they can position their model in. Many of the world’s great body painters will start with a pose in mind, and create the design around the flow of the pose.
Practical Apps
- The Weather Channel App- FREE on Apple, Android, and Windows Devices
It is always good to check the weather before a gig in order to be prepared. A good weather app is a must. I use the Weather Channel app because it gives me hourly, weekly, and even radar updates on the weather so I can check if the rain is supposed to pass before an event. There are plenty weather apps out there- just make sure you stay prepared and dry!
- GasBuddy by GasBuddy Organization Inc- FREE on Apple, Android, and Windows Devices
Since gas is so expensive, the Gas Buddy app is a great companion to any working artist on the road. It compares gas prices in the surrounding area and gives you the cheapest option for fueling up! You can also search by zip code to see if gas is cheaper closer to your gig!
Photo Editing Apps
- Pic Stitch by Big Blue Chip, LLC- FREE from both Apple and Android app store
This is my all time favorite app for making collages of my art work on the job, inspiration I find from the people I follow, and beautiful photos of the things I love. It is always a great idea to create captivating images of your work to showcase your talents to potential clients. Use this app to edit images, add text and frames, and create a collage that will really get peoples attention.
- Photo Eraser by effectmatrix- $1.99 on Apple app store, similar apps available for Androids
Nothing ruins a beautiful picture more than an unsightly photo bomb. Use this app to erase the parts of your picture that make it less than perfect. Helps remove watermarks, date/ text stamps, and even buildings and other people! Takes a little practice, but removing all background distractions from a picture of your artwork will really make it pop!
Learning Art
- How to Draw by Ramil Valiullin- $4.99 for Apple users, and $1.99 at the Android App Store
Constantly learning and practicing your artwork is essential for becoming a better face and body painter. There are so many options in this category for apps that teach you how to draw, but I like this one because it is easy- and fun! There are over 200 professional drawing lessons on everything from animals to popular holiday designs.
- FABAtv.com– Not an App 😉 but totally mobile compatible!
All FABAtv subscribers can enjoy their favorite instructional videos from anywhere around the world- on the go! Over 200 instructional videos from the world’s best artists are at your fingertips, at your convenience. New classes debut every month and sometimes re-watch my favorite old classes because you never know when you are going to pick up something new! If you haven’t tried FABAtv yet, please contact vanessa@fabatv.com for your free one day pass, compliments of your Paint Pal 😉
Like everything else related to technology, apps like social media and games can be addictive. But apps can definitely teach you a lot, and make your life easier.
Have fun and if you have any app suggestions you would like to share with the Paint Pal community please comment below!
