Artmate: Drawing Together

Drawing with friends sounds simple until everyone has a different skill level, one person runs out of ideas, or the group chat turns into a stream of unfinished sketches. Artmate: Drawing Together is built around making that shared activity feel approachable: it combines multiplayer drawing with easy lessons, so taking part does not depend on already knowing how to draw. I see its strongest appeal in the mix of company and guidance, rather than in treating it as a full-featured digital art studio.

Drawing is more inviting when it is shared

As an art and design app from Braly JSC, Artmate puts a social activity at the center of its creative experience. That changes the feel of drawing. A solo art app often asks you to bring your own subject, motivation, and practice plan; a shared drawing session gives friends a reason to begin together. The lessons can make that first step less intimidating, especially for someone who would otherwise say, “I can’t draw.”

That distinction matters more than it might seem. Drawing with other people can make a rough attempt feel like part of the fun, not a failed piece of art. A beginner can focus on following a lesson, while a more confident friend can enjoy the group activity without turning it into a serious class. The result is less about producing a polished illustration and more about having a common creative task to talk through.

I would not approach it expecting the depth of a professional painting tool. Its stated focus is accessible lessons and drawing together, not a large toolkit for detailed illustration or production work. If I wanted precise control over a finished piece, I would choose a dedicated art app. If I wanted an easy reason to draw with friends, this concept makes more sense.

Lessons help lower the blank-page barrier

The lesson element is useful because it gives a session a starting point. Instead of asking a group to invent a theme and decide what to do, people can begin with guided drawing. That is particularly helpful for younger users or adults who have not drawn since school: they can spend their attention on making marks rather than wondering what counts as a good idea.

A practical tip is to treat the lesson as a prompt, not a test. If one person follows it closely and another adds their own touches, the difference can become part of the conversation. That approach keeps the activity relaxed and avoids the awkwardness of comparing everyone’s results as if they were competing. The guidance is most valuable when it gets people moving, not when it becomes a standard they feel obliged to meet.

There is also a useful social trade-off: a shared activity gives a group something to do beyond exchanging messages, but it asks people to be available at the same time. It suits friends who can arrange a casual session better than someone looking for an entirely solitary, pick-up-and-put-down sketchbook.

What a session can look like in everyday use

Imagine a rainy evening when a few friends are at home and nobody wants to commit to a long game or video call. One person suggests a quick drawing session; the group chooses a lesson and starts sketching. The less experienced participant has a path to follow, while the others can add personality to their drawings. Even if the results are uneven, the shared process gives everyone something to react to.

That kind of moment is where I can see the app working best. It offers a low-pressure activity for friends, siblings, or a family group that wants to be creative without gathering art supplies. It may also help a parent encourage a child to practise drawing alongside someone rather than treating practice as a solo assignment. The value is not only the lesson itself; it is the gentle structure that makes participation easier to begin.

For a smoother session, I would agree on a simple goal beforehand: follow the lesson, make a playful variation, or just finish a sketch together. This prevents the group from spending its shared time debating what to draw. It also makes the experience more welcoming to people with different confidence levels, because the goal is participation rather than matching one person’s ability.

Where the format has limits

The same social focus that makes the app appealing also narrows its fit. If I am drawing to concentrate, experimenting privately, or refining an illustration over several sittings, a multiplayer format is not automatically an advantage. A standard drawing app is a better choice when I want to work at my own pace, build a personal collection of art, or focus on detailed controls rather than a shared lesson.

Group drawing can also feel uneven. Some friends may finish quickly; others may want more time or need to pause. Guided lessons help with the “what should I draw?” problem, but they do not remove differences in pace or interest. I would invite people who are happy to make imperfect sketches and keep the mood casual. Someone who is self-conscious about drawing may enjoy it more with supportive friends than with a group that treats every result as a joke or a contest.

It is worth separating “easy to start” from “deep enough for every artist.” A beginner-friendly lesson can be valuable without satisfying an experienced illustrator who wants fine control and an extensive solo workflow. If that is your main reason for installing an art app, this is probably not the one I would choose first. Its appeal is the shared activity, not a promise to replace specialist creative software.

There is a cost consideration as well. The app is free to download, with in-app purchases listed from $0.49 to $14.99 per item. I would start with the free experience and decide whether the app’s particular style of drawing together fits my group before spending anything. That is a sensible approach for a casual activity: first see whether friends actually return to it, rather than assuming that more content or options will make a session enjoyable.

Who is most likely to enjoy it

I think the best match is someone who likes creative activities but benefits from a prompt, especially when friends are involved. It can suit beginners who want a gentle entry into drawing, groups looking for something more participatory than chatting, and families who want a shared art activity. Its lessons give less-confident participants a way to join in, while the multiplayer premise gives experienced sketchers a reason to make the session social.

It is less suitable for a person who primarily wants advanced drawing controls, uninterrupted solo practice, or a tool for completing polished professional work. It may also be a poor fit if your friends rarely want to draw at the same time. In those cases, a conventional sketching app, a structured art course, or a different group activity would better match the need.

The app has an average rating of 4.6 from around 23,000 ratings, and it has passed 10 million installs. Those figures suggest broad interest, but they do not tell me whether a particular friend group will enjoy drawing together. The more useful question is whether you want the social prompt and guided start that define its appeal.

A practical choice for low-pressure creativity

Artmate: Drawing Together is an easy recommendation when the goal is to make drawing a shared, approachable pastime rather than to build a serious art workflow. It is rated for Everyone, and version 1.1.42 supports devices running Android 7.0 or later. The release date is September 15, 2026, so I would check the app store on the device I plan to use before arranging a session with friends.

My overall take is that the combination of lessons and multiplayer drawing is the point, not a side feature. It gives a group a ready-made way to begin, and that can be enough to turn “we should draw sometime” into an actual activity. I would recommend trying it with one or two patient friends, keeping expectations playful, and judging it by whether the shared process feels enjoyable. If what you want is solitary precision, choose a dedicated drawing tool; if you want a friendly nudge to create together, this app has a clear and worthwhile purpose.

Pros and Cons