I just LOVE my iPad , and no longer even bother using the laptop, except for a very few things that I still am not able to do with my iPad.
I saw this video of a finger-painting app for iPad, and I am so impressed with how lifelike this picture of Morgan Freeman turned out !
I have been looking at some of the different painting apps for the iPad, and thinking about getting one and trying my hand at painting this way.
When I was younger, I used to draw and paint all the time (got in trouble a lot back in high school for "doodling" when I was supposed to be doing my assignment); but I have not really done anything besides quick sketches for years now.
I think I need to start with a basic app, and then learn how to use all the little gadgets that they put in there, like for adding layers, and stuff that is SO different from actual drawing and painting.

Does anyone have experience with any of the drawing/painting apps, and if so; how do you like it, and which ones do you recommend ??

Looks more like they're uncovering the photo lol. I wouldn't try it, been too disappointed with inaccurate finger painting programs in the past.

Bunny, it does go so fast that it sure doesn't look realistic, but I think it said something like 200 actual hours to do the painting, so it was not a fast process.
It is not actually finger-painting per se; as in the article you posted with the awesome beach and waves that the lady did with actual painting with her fingers.
 On the iPad, everything is done on the touch-screen, using either your fingers or a stylus, so literally any painting that you made with an ipad would be termed fingerpainting. 

Since you can zoom in so close, you can make tiny brush strokes just using your finger or the stylus. My daughter gave us a stylus that comes to a fine point, like a pencil, but then is covered over with clear vinyl or plastic (or something clear). That way, you can do even finer work, and see exactly where it is touching on the screen.

I found several interesting paint programs for the ipad, some were free, and most of them cost, but not over a few dollars.  And Youtube has loads of tutorials for iPad painting. I just have to do my "due diligence", and watch enough of them to see which paint program I want to get the app for.
I like to edit photos, and I am thinking that maybe a paint program that also allowed me to enhance pictures would be a lot of fun.

Right now, I just have not been spending a lot of time looking, since it is just fun, and not critical; but eventually, I will be learning to paint on the ipad.

Oh wow ok, maybe I would give it a go then! 200 hours is a long freaking time, seriously!!

Wow I have to try this! What app is that? I bet I will be crap but it will be fun messing around with it.

Kimberley, if you look at my first post, way at the bottom is the link to the Morgan Freeman iPad painting. It is shown at a high speed, so the painting just evolves before your eyes as you watch the video; but it says on there how long it actually took for the person to do the painting, and I am pretty sure that it also names which painting app they used to paint the picture.

If you look up iPad painting on youtube, there is a whole lot of information on there, too, and it tells about the different programs you can use. 

I have experimented with a few apps for this like Paper, but I'm not sure I've found the right one yet to make it feel natural. I got a bamboo pen for my PC a couple years ago too, and can't quite get the feeling for it.

Does anyone know of a good entry level program for Mac or iPad to try? And/or some instructions to help get started with digital drawing?

Looks pretty cool ! However I am old fashioned when it comes to drawing, coloring and paiting. The smell of the paper, the pencil, the paint etc, you are using; combined with your senses. Really guys lets be honest No electronic device will replace that ever--I dont think so ! 

I've only ever used a really basic drawing app one or two times and I didn't enjoy it. I like to add a lot of variety of thin and thick lines when I paint or draw and my big fat finger just didn't allow for that. I may try out an actual art app, because that video was so cool and now I'm a little curious, but my main medium will always be physical. I want to get the paint all over my hands and under my fingernails when I create. It's more fun when it's messy!!!

I think that when we have always done something by hand, like drawing or painting; it is hard to envision  doing it any other way.  I have always just used a pencil and paper to draw with also, and the same when I tried painting.
I also tried the Paint program on my computer, and just gave up on it because I couldn't even get CLOSE to actually drawing something on that program. It actually was so terrible, that it just set me off from ever trying to draw on the computer again.
But when I watched the video of painting Morgan Freeman, and how easily it (seems) just develops on the iPad screen, and the delicate features that they were able to put in the picture; then it started me to thinking that maybe it IS possible after all.
I guess I am still holding back from trying to really do it though, because when I start to look at the different programs available on the App Store, I just kind of get boggled down, and can't decide which would be a good beginner program (and cheap) to try.

happyflowerlady (09:18pm Mon, Sep 15, 2014)

I think that when we have always done something by hand, like drawing or painting; it is hard to envision  doing it any other way.  I have always just used a pencil and paper to draw with also, and the same when I tried painting.
I also tried the Paint program on my computer, and just gave up on it because I couldn't even get CLOSE to actually drawing something on that program. It actually was so terrible, that it just set me off from ever trying to draw on the computer again.
But when I watched the video of painting Morgan Freeman, and how easily it (seems) just develops on the iPad screen, and the delicate features that they were able to put in the picture; then it started me to thinking that maybe it IS possible after all.
I guess I am still holding back from trying to really do it though, because when I start to look at the different programs available on the App Store, I just kind of get boggled down, and can't decide which would be a good beginner program (and cheap) to try.

I've only ever done one or two things that I liked in MS Paint; only out of necessity and what I made came out really rough. As soon as I learned about Photoshop, MS Paint didn't exist anymore.

May I suggest paying close attention to the recent reviews by people who are using the apps you're looking at? They can be a pretty good picture of how the app is functioning at this point in time. All of the specs might be everything you want but that won't matter if the app won't even load, or if it crashes every time you open it up. If you haven't already I would give those reviews a gander, it'll help you narrow your choices to the perfect starting app for you.

Hearing Ink, that is a very wise suggestion ! I do usually check reviews on any app before I get it; but you know , I had not even thought about needing to do that with the drawing program. I have been focusing on the thought of just finding an easy program for me to understand. It just takes me longer to do those things than it used to; so a simple one (at least to start) is a priority.
My daughter just brought me a new computer, and I am now working on learning how it works, so that is going to keep me occupied for a while yet !

I have! I am not really a great finger painter, but I do enjoy the Paper App on iPad. There are many options and strokes available, so it is really a lot of fun. I am looking for more sketch apps that are free. I will post them when I found more.