5 Fun, Free, Easy-To-Use Online Art Programs

Tried and tested by my students – proven to be accessible and fun!

Most of my students love computers and enjoy doing all sorts of activities on them, including producing art work. Several of my students have difficulties with their fine motor skills though so it’s important for me to find online art programs which are easily accessible. The programs I list below have all been used and enjoyed by my group of young adults with learning disabilities.

Thisissand

I have recently discovered this program and introduced it to my students – and they loved it! They didn’t want to stop doing it at the end of the lesson and went back to their computers to do more during break time!

It’s easy to make beautiful sand pictures with this program. You can either hold down the left mouse button and move the mouse at the same time to distribute the sand, or move the mouse to the desired position then hold down the left mouse button to deposit the sand. Sand colour can be changed by clicking on the coloured circle in the top right hand corner. Images can be downloaded and saved or printed, or shared on the Thisissand site. The program has a pouring sand sound effect which can be turned off easily if not wanted. More tips about automatic and random colour changes are available on the program’s home page behind the App Support button.

There is also a free Thisissand app available in the Apple App Store, which works really well too, and an app for Android devices available via the Google Play Store.

Beautiful Curves

Beautiful Curves by Tim Holman is another recent discovery that we have all enjoyed experimenting with. One of my students said it was ‘very satisfying’ making pictures with this program.

Holding down the left mouse button and moving the mouse creates these beautiful curly, curvy patterns. The colour can be changed by clicking on the palette on the left. The sliders on the right change the thickness of the lines and the length of the curly tendrils. The screen can easily be cleared to begin again by using the ‘clear’ button on the left.

The students used the program on their computers but I have tried it on my iPad too. You can print the page from the program and then cut out the design for mounting, making cards, using as a background for an invitation and so on. In my class we got excited about making bunting for the Jubilee with red and shades of blue on a white background!

AutoDraw

AutoDraw is an old favourite of ours. I love it because the program helps you to draw by guessing what it is you want to create and offering you images to use.

Using your mouse, or your finger if on a tablet, you begin by drawing your initial shape. Once you stop drawing the program offers suggestions of images that you might want to use. You can select one from a wide range and click on it to choose it. You can then colour in your picture using the familiar ‘fill’ symbol on the left side of the screen. The tools for the program are all located down the left side and if you hover the mouse over them a label appears to identify their function. You can change colour, colour in, add text, zoom in, undo and change the thickness of your drawing tool. Via the three horizontal lines at the top left of the screen you can find more information including a How-To tutorial, the download button (so you can save and print) and the start-over pages.

Silk – Interactive Generative Art

This is another old favourite which I know my students enjoyed using during lockdown when we were working from home. Making a beautiful picture is as easy as holding down the left mouse button and moving the mouse, or dragging your finger across the screen on a tablet.

The program controls are all easily available on the top left of the screen. From there you can change colour, save or share your picture, undo, change the symmetry, and adjust the mirror and spiral settings. You can print the picture once it’s saved.

There is a paid-for app for iPhone and iPad available via the Apple App Store.

Tate Kids – Tate Paint

There are so many options with Tate Paint that I don’t know where to start! Once you click on the arrow to start creating you can select either ‘Let’s Create’ or ‘Inspire Me.’ Each offers a selection of canvas backgrounds, brushes, pencils, pens or stamps relating to the theme you have chosen. Producing your art work is simple: choose your tools, hold down the mouse button and drag the mouse, or move your finger if using a tablet. Or you can select a stamp and click to position it. Themes to choose from in ‘Inspire Me’ include food, the natural world and weather. Sound effects accompany your work. Making my weather picture was accompanied by sounds of lightning, rain and thunder! Once you have completed your picture a green tick to the right of the screen leads to options to download and save (and from there you could print) or to save to the Tate Kids gallery.

If you click on the light bulb on the right side of the screen in either ‘Let’s Create’ or ‘Inspire Me’ you can click through a short gallery of famous pieces of art on your chosen theme.

I hope you’ve found something here to inspire you. If you know of any easy-to-use, fun online drawing programs suitable for young adults I’d love to hear about them. I’m always on the lookout for new things for my students to try!