OptiSketch is designed to mimic the feel of a physical drawing board. If you can do it with real paper, pencils, and paint, you can do it here.
The pencil engine simulates physical graphite and charcoal. Your stylus pressure controls how much graphite is pushed into the paper. Tilt Support: If you are using a stylus like the Apple Pencil, leaning the pen on its side (specifically with the 6B or Charcoal brushes) will naturally spread the graphite dust wider and softer for shading.
The paint engine simulates wet media, markers, and sponges. It utilizes complex physics including Bristle Count, Jitter (chaos), and Scatter. Use this tool for thick gouache, translucent watercolor washes, or streaky art markers.
Acts like a physical paper blending stump. Scrub back and forth over existing graphite or paint to gently feather and push the pigment around the page.
Allows you to move, scale, and rotate the currently selected layer. Click the tool, grab the canvas to move the drawing, use the UI sliders to adjust scale/rotation, and click ✅ Apply to permanently bake the changes into the paper.
To protect the carefully calibrated default drafting sets, OptiSketch uses an Auto-Clone system. The moment you move a slider (like Size or Opacity) while a default brush is selected, the app will instantly create a duplicate of that brush (marked with an *) so your experiments are saved safely. You can rename and permanently save your experiments by clicking ➕ New.
When you click 📸 Import Ref Image, the image is placed onto a brand new layer and the Transform tool is automatically activated. This allows you to scale, rotate, and place your "magazine cutout" exactly where you want it on the page before you glue it down (by clicking Apply).
You aren't restricted to a glowing white screen. In the Workspace panel, you can change your Paper Stock to Toned Tan (excellent for charcoal), Dot Grids, or Isometric Grids for 3D architectural sketching. Note: If you want to export your artwork with a transparent background, set your Paper Stock to "Clear Acetate".
Click 📏 Show Ruler to drop a physical acrylic ruler onto your desk. You can drag it by the body, rotate it using the circular handle, or resize it by dragging the right edge. When your pen gets close to the top edge of the ruler, it will magnetically snap, allowing you to draw perfectly straight lines with your physical brushes.