Everything you need to know to get the most out of EchoDraw — from your very first trace to advanced tips for locking proportions and lighting.
Tap the photo icon and choose any image from your library — a reference photo, a sketch, a piece of concept art. Nothing uploads anywhere; it stays on your device.
Prop your phone above your sketchbook or desk — a small stand or a stack of books works great. The live camera feed shows your hand, pencil, and paper right through the app.
Use the transparency slider to bring your reference image up or down until it's bright enough to trace but not so strong it hides your pencil marks. Most people land somewhere between 40–65%.
If you're working on proportions or perspective, switch on a grid. It overlays evenly spaced guide lines on top of your reference so you can map the drawing section by section.
Once your reference is framed the way you want it, lock it in place. This keeps the overlay from drifting if your hand bumps the phone or you shift position mid-trace.
Enable "keep screen on" in settings so the app doesn't lock mid-session. Then just draw — your hand, your pencil, your paper, guided by the glow of your reference.
Bright, even lighting on your paper makes it much easier to see both your pencil marks and the overlay clearly.
New to tracing? Turn on the grid overlay for your first few sessions — it trains your eye for proportion even after you stop using it.
Do a fast, loose pass to capture major shapes before going back in for detail. It's more forgiving if the phone shifts slightly.
A cheap phone stand or a stack of books keeps your hands free and your framing consistent for longer sessions.
Lock position as soon as your composition looks right — it's the single biggest fix for lines that drift off-model.
Once you've traced a subject a few times, try it freehand from memory. Tracing builds the muscle memory — the goal is to eventually need it less.
No. EchoDraw runs entirely on your device. Your photos and drawings never leave your phone, and you don't need Wi-Fi or cellular data to use it.
This was a known issue tied to screen-lock rotation and was fixed in version 1.5. Update to the latest version from the App Store. If it still happens, email support@nagohcreative.com and we'll help directly.
No. EchoDraw includes a 3-day free trial, then it's a single one-time purchase. No recurring charges, ever.
Added in version 1.3, AI support helps assist your drawing workflow directly inside the app. We're continuing to build on this — check the in-app changelog and our blog for updates.
EchoDraw works on iPhone and iPad running iOS or iPadOS 17.6 or later.
Try our free AI Idea Generator — it mixes subjects, lighting, and technique twists into a fresh drawing prompt every time you click.
Grab EchoDraw and turn today's sketch session into your best one yet.
Download on theApp Store