Does anyone recommended a good software or app that allows you to make files for the glowforge on the 2018 iPad Pro. I currently use Inkscape now, on my MacBook but really don’t want to carry it on my next trip.
Any thoughts
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Vectornator and Graphic are both popular and workable vector image editors for iPad.
There was a recent thread discussing how people are (not really) designing for Glowforge on the iPad here:
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Thanks so much, let me do some reasearch on those!
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Affinity Designer is another option.
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We use Sketchbook and Affinity designer. I still prefer to use Affinity on the pc just because I am more used to the controls. But for workflow Sketchbook saves in png and ports smoothly into Designer for when you need to trace your lines or to outline for a cut that you are going to engrave.
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Using Affinity Designer on the iPad Pro it is possible to create vector art that you can transfer directly to the Glowforge without passing through a pc. Here is a short tutorial I did on the subject. The only problem is that AD doesn’t have an autotrace feature. For that you can try Imaengine.
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Thank you so much guys. This is really helpful! Especially the part with the tutorial on how to get it from the iPad directly to glow Forge 
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That looks really capable. I grabbed that and I’m giving Affinity Designer a try because I’m sick of waiting for AI on the iPad Pro. A steep learning curve is predicted.
Thanks
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I’m camped out at Misha’s in Alexandria, VA and a guy sitting next to me asked me what software I was using - newly acquired Affinity Designer & Photo. He said that he’s an architectural photographer and was also looking for better tools for the iPad Pro so that he could work away from his Adobe Suite. Hard to believe that Adobe hasn’t closed this gap well.
Affinity Photo was an accidental purchase 
, but I actually really like it.
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Just took a 4 hour plane ride and was able to download affinity designer! Definitely not Inkscape lol but I can see how useful this will be. I can’t wait to watch the totorial and get back home to the glowforge and try it out. And also I am glad I never used this program on a Mac becuase I don’t know what I am missing.
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My main software is Adobe Illustrator, but there isn’t an iPad Pro version. I thought that maybe I should try Inkscape again and then I saw that they don’t support iPad either. I find that the UX is a bit confusing (you need to learn hidden commands and there are state-based controls that aren’t intuitive) and there isn’t a help function that I can find. So I had to watch videos to get over a few hurdles. But I do like having the power available on the iPad and several Glowforgers use it, so there is support here.
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Yes. Totally agree. I’m going to need to spend a lot of time with it to be able to use it as comfortably as I can use other tools (including AD on my PC), but it’s nice to have it.
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My purchase wasn’t accidental, but I’m really beginning to like it, too. The thing I like the best about it is that you can switch from AD to AP within the app. Just very handy to be able to edit in both programs seamlessly.
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They are imminently shipping Photoshop for the iPad. I think market wise there aren’t a lot of people doing AI work that work mobile (I mean not laptop brought somewhere but truly mobile), but editing photos definitely. I do run OnShape on my iPad, as often you want to correct CAD designs in the field (say when fitting a prototype and noting issues) and there is a native version of OnShape for iOS; and it live updates with all the other users sharing that document either via browser or other iOS clients.
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When i’m using ai on the desktop I have my wacom stylus in one hand and I cover the keyboard with my other hand for shortcuts. This lets me work pretty quickly, especially with certain repetitive functions. The ipad/pencil combo is very nice for tablet drawing, but the pencil only has one button function (left-click) and then relies on pressure clicks or submenus for everything else. I’m very curious to see where they go with mobile versions, but I am skeptical about how it will actually work in the field. And that’s not even getting into the whole “moving from large dual screens to a single small screen” issue.
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My need is for in the evenings with my wife when I still want to do vector work but not stay up in my office all night. I exclusively use AI for vector work at my workstation and wish I could open the same file on my iPad Pro for node nudging.
@henryhbk I have all of Adobe’s iPad apps on my iPad but find them all to have new interfaces and fractured value, so not much economy using them. Adobe Photoshop Elements vs Photoshop used to be a nice combo, because you could open a .PSD file with APE, make changes, and then open the same file on PS without losing compatibility. That’s what I want them to do with AI between desktop and iPad. I wonder if it has more to do with the legacy of animosity between Steve Jobs and Adobe, but perhaps not.
a node-view/control would be great in Adobe Draw. You can add vector elements to your “shapes” cc library from the desktop, place them into the Draw workspace and edit with the drawing tools, but it’s not direct node control. Definitely geared more towards straight-up illustration than towards general digital design.
What I really wish I had was Fusion360’s Sketch capability on the iPad Pro. The ability to do 2d design, with constraints, parameters, etc., with the Pencil would be a delight. Is there any 2d CAD along those lines for the iPad?
Sure, full Fusion360 would be nifty, with the 3d modeling, etc… but that’s a lot to ask of a “tablet”.
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Onshape does (full version)
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