The apps reviewed are Adobe Photoshop Mix, Lightroom, Capture, and Illustrator Draw. The device used for this review was a Droid Maxx. Because of limited Android access to all Adobe Mobile apps, only these four apps will be reviewed and discussed. Adobe apps that pertain to mobile development, design, and analytics are not being discussed either. This is strictly for the graphic designers, photo editors, and 2D artists.
Adobe Photoshop Mix
Adobe Photoshop Mix is the one stop destination for photo editing and compositing. The user can crop, mask, and edit images. Masking out images works well. The feathering feature works as expected and there's even an invert function. One of the coolest features is layers capability. This may be the first time in a mobile application. That may not sound impressive, but for a program like this to be used by designers practically, layers must be necessary and a priority. There are the usual adjustment features that are present in any photoshop-esque program. Adjusting the exposure is as simple as sliding your finger across the screen right or left. The results are quick and easy to edit. On top of the adjustments panel, there is a "looks" tab, and is best described as "Instagram" filters that the user can paint on the image. Adobe has made exporting these files to Creative Cloud extremely easy. It sounds tongue-and-cheek, but it's as simple as pressing a button.
As a standalone editing tool, Adobe Photoshop Mix gets the job done with simple edits. There was a lot of love and care involved in making this program accessible for designers for on-the-go. The clutter-free interface goes a long way too.
Digital Collage Created in Adobe Photoshop Mix
As a standalone editing tool, Adobe Photoshop Mix gets the job done with simple edits. There was a lot of love and care involved in making this program accessible for designers for on-the-go. The clutter-free interface goes a long way too.
Adobe Lightroom Mobile
Adobe Lightroom is Photoshop's color correction on steroids. The same can be said for the mobile version of Lightroom Mobile and Photoshop Mix. The most immediate difference between the two is the user-interface. Lightroom's interface isn't as clear-cut as Photoshop Mix's. There are tabs for new collections. a lightroom tab, and another tab that organizes the collections on the main page. Personally, it's frustrating just to start editing a picture. Once editing, Lightroom begins to shine. In the adjustments tab, the editor can adjust the white balance, use adjustment curves, add a vignette, and even play with the hue and saturation settings. The hue and saturation adjustment tool is almost perfect. There are different color sliders that move left to right, and numbers appear on the right side of the screen to help with the display values. The style tab has a very in-depth "Instagram" like filter gallery as well. Unlike Photoshop Mix, the user can not select which parts of the image to be filtered, but the variety of filter presents in Lightroom puts Photoshop Mix to shame.
Adobe Lightroom Mobile Enhances Dynamic Images
Adobe Lightroom Mobile is a great color correcting tool for on-the-go, or even not on-the-go. Lightroom has an in-depth color correction palette for designers on any level.
Adobe Capture
Adobe Capture may be the most useful piece of technology on mobile that Adobe has ever created. Adobe Capture is the new monster that was created by fusing Adobe Shape, Color, and Brush. Adobe Capture is able to create usable shapes, color palettes, brush strokes, and looks via camera capture. The interface as with most Adobe programs is top-notch. Creating each different element is as simple as tapping the "+" button and pointing the camera at the scene, where the software will extract a pattern, color palette, or whatever element the user has designated. There is some editing depending on what the user wants to create. The editing required is very simple, and can have an impact on the outcome. As one can imagine, these elements can be used with Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere, After Effects, InDesign, and other Adobe Mobile apps depending on a variety of circumstances.
All four features work well. The brush tool is fun to play with, and there is a lot of variety that can be achieved. The shape feature is the least practical element. Personally, having the shape feature make a pattern or a fill would be more helpful to a designer. The feature is still cool, but lackluster compared to the rest considering it is the same function as "image trace" in Adobe Illustrator.
Collaborating is easy with simply submitting an email address. If a number of designers are working on a project, sharing assets has never been easier. Collaborating goes further than that. Adobe Capture allows users to share their library over social media by supplying a "share library link".
Adobe Capture is a tool that can be used for each project. The ability for the content maker to create their own brushes, color palettes, and looks at such ease allows for creators to curate their work from every part of the process.
All four features work well. The brush tool is fun to play with, and there is a lot of variety that can be achieved. The shape feature is the least practical element. Personally, having the shape feature make a pattern or a fill would be more helpful to a designer. The feature is still cool, but lackluster compared to the rest considering it is the same function as "image trace" in Adobe Illustrator.
The Color Palette Menu
Collaborating is easy with simply submitting an email address. If a number of designers are working on a project, sharing assets has never been easier. Collaborating goes further than that. Adobe Capture allows users to share their library over social media by supplying a "share library link".
Adobe Capture is a tool that can be used for each project. The ability for the content maker to create their own brushes, color palettes, and looks at such ease allows for creators to curate their work from every part of the process.
Adobe Illustrator Draw
As the name implies, Adobe Illustrator Draw is a drawing application. Illustrator Draw has the same beautiful and simple interface as the rest of the Adobe CC apps. The brushes work well, and there is depth with the hardness/softness of the brushes, the opacity, and the ability to change color.. The downside is the brush function created in Adobe Capture can't be imported into Illustrator Draw, but shapes created in Capture can be imported.
Layers are present in Illustrator Draw, and they work great. Adding a new layer is as simple as tapping a button, and the opacity can be altered just as easy. There's also an image layer that adds more diversity and stability to the Illustrator Draw experience.
Abstract Art is Easy With Adobe Illustrator Draw
There is a cool community functionality of Behance that adds to the Draw application. It is a nice way to view displayed work, but is ultimately disappointing because it requires the user to leave the app to Behance or a browser.
The ability to upload anything created in this app to Creative Cloud is simple. Just a tab of an icon. Illustrator Draw is a great tool to make a quick doodle, and uploading it to be touched up later in Illustrator or Photoshop.
The ability to upload anything created in this app to Creative Cloud is simple. Just a tab of an icon. Illustrator Draw is a great tool to make a quick doodle, and uploading it to be touched up later in Illustrator or Photoshop.
Conclusion
Adobe is making a name for itself in the phone and tablet market. Just a few years ago, apps for drawing/sketching and photo editing were viewed as jokes and not practical for real elemental design. That notion has changed. Adobe has delivered high quality mobile apps that not only provide an excellent way to create on-the-go, but Adobe has created a pipeline for new design.
