Sketchbook® vs The New Black

Side-by-side comparison of features, pricing, and ratings

Analysis reviewed Live tool data as of 2026-10-09
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At a glance

DimensionSketchbook®The New Black
Target UsersArtists, illustrators, hobbyistsFashion brands, apparel designers
Core AI FeaturesNo AI; manual drawing with predictive stroke & rulersText-to-design, virtual try-on, AI model training, tech pack export
PlatformDesktop (Win/Mac) & mobile (iOS/Android)Web-based (cloud)
Export FormatsPSD, JPG, PNG, TIFF, BMPHigh-res images, tech pack PDF
Ideal UseDigital sketching & illustrationRapid fashion concept-to-production
Try Sketchbook®Try The New Black
Sketchbook®
Sketchbook®

Sketchbook® is a natural-feel raster drawing app for desktop and mobile with 190+ customizable brushes and free Lasso Fill and Draw Outline on desktop.

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The New Black
The New Black

AI fashion design that takes a garment from prompt to model shot, video, Shopify page and tech pack.

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Pricing
Freemium
Freemium
Plans
$0
In-app purchase
One-time purchase
One-off top-up
$15/mo
$35/mo
$65/mo
$195/mo
Popularity
24 views
7.3k views
Skill Level
Intermediate
Intermediate
API Available
Platforms
DesktopMobile
WebAPIPlugin
Categories
🖌️ Graphic Design
🎨 Image Generation📦 Product & Ecommerce Visuals🧊 3D Generation & Scanning
Features
Over 190 customizable brushes across desktop and mobile
Brush Panel with brush history, including phone screen sizes
Nib Shape editor for building custom brush tips
Texture brushes with adjustable texture depth and scaling
Lasso Fill for filling enclosed areas dynamically (desktop)
Draw Outline for applying strokes to selection paths (desktop)
Steady Stroke and Predictive Stroke for smoother lines
Free Symmetry tool
Layers with a full complement of blend modes
Clipping masks and mask blend modes
Layer naming and organization
Layer adjustments on mobile Premium: Blur, Sharpen, Brightness/Contrast, Grayscale, Invert
Selection tools with add, remove, replace and mask modes
Rulers, guides and perspective guides
Flipbook animation with onion skinning, timeline and paint-over iterations
AI clothing generator: describe a garment and get a photorealistic design on a model or white background
Sketch to design: a hand-drawn or digital fashion sketch becomes a realistic product image keeping the original lines
Image to flat sketch: a garment photo becomes a clean technical flat that feeds a tech pack
Change fabric, print and colour on an existing garment photo without booking a reshoot
AI fashion model generator: product photo, flat lay or mannequin shot to on-model imagery in any scene
Swap the model while keeping the outfit, and pull a product back out of a model shot
AI virtual try-on for clothing, jewelry, bags, shoes and accessories from a product photo or flat lay
Ghost mannequin images from worn or hanging garment photos with the inside of the collar visible
AI tech pack generator: auto-drafted size charts, grading and a bill of materials with AI review credits
AI fashion video: image to video, UGC clips, lookbook videos, product 360s and fashion ads
Ultra AI video model producing clips up to 30 seconds; AI PRO video in 1080p
Ultra AI photos: 4K image model, plus enhance to HD 2K or 4K
AI music composed as an original, licence-free track for product pages, reels and UGC clips
Brand Manager: Shopify sales, traffic, SEO, ad spend and profit and loss in one dashboard
Fashion AI agent that designs, writes pages, reads store figures and posts on a schedule
Integrations
Shopify
Instagram
Facebook
TikTok
YouTube
Pinterest
X
Threads
LinkedIn
Klaviyo
Google Analytics
Google Search Console
Claude
ChatGPT
Meta Ads

What real users say: Sketchbook® vs The New Black

Not marketing copy and not our opinion — a structured sweep of public discussion (reviews, forums, communities and video comments), showing what people praise and what they complain about for each tool.

Sketchbook®

46 mentions across 2 sources · 85% positive (averaged across 2 sources)

YouTube, App Store

What users praise

  • • Completely free to download with no ads ever
  • • Over 190 customizable brushes right out of the box
  • • Incredibly easy to use, suitable for all skill levels
  • • No internet connection required, works offline

What frustrates them

  • • Mobile premium subscription feels like a money grab
  • • Difficulty saving art to Photos, especially for beginners
  • • Lack of a gallery feature for organizing artwork
  • • Not as smooth as some competitors like ibisPaintX

Researched Aug 21, 2026

The New Black

68 mentions across 5 sources · 18% positive — critical (averaged across 5 sources)

Hacker News, YouTube, Product Hunt, Stack Overflow, Lemmy

What users praise

  • • Purpose-built for fashion: tech packs, virtual try-on, model generation.
  • • Saves costs on photoshoots and technical drafting for small brands.
  • • Brand DNA ensures consistency across designs.
  • • Bulk generation speeds up catalog creation.

What frustrates them

  • • Very little verified community feedback outside Product Hunt.
  • • Not for non-fashion creative work; limited to apparel.
  • • Pricing may be opaque; credits and hidden costs not clear.
  • • Learning curve for tech packs and fashion-specific features.

Researched Aug 29, 2026

Who should pick which

  • Solo fashion designer
    Pick: The New Black

    Need to generate multiple design concepts quickly and produce tech packs for manufacturers. The New Black's AI handles ideation and export.

  • Hobbyist digital illustrator
    Pick: Sketchbook®

    Looking for realistic brush feel and a clutter-free interface for personal art. Sketchbook's natural drawing tools and low price fit perfectly.

  • Fashion startup team
    Pick: The New Black

    Business tier enables team management and API integration for scalable design pipeline from concept to production.

  • Comic artist
    Pick: Sketchbook®

    Requires precise line art tools, rulers, and layer control. Sketchbook's predictive stroke and lasso fill speed up inking.

  • Apparel brand using AI for consistency
    Pick: The New Black

    Custom AI model training ensures brand-specific styles across designs, a unique capability not offered by Sketchbook.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Sketchbook generate designs from text prompts?

No, Sketchbook is a manual drawing tool with no AI generation. It relies on brushes and user input.

Does The New Black support tech pack exports?

Yes, it exports tech packs with measurements, designed for fashion production.

Which app is better for professional illustrators?

Sketchbook offers over 190 customizable brushes and precise stroke tools, ideal for illustrators. The New Black is not suited for general illustration.

Are there free tiers available for both?

Yes, both have free tiers. The New Black's free tier has limitations; Sketchbook's free version is quite capable but missing some Premium features.

Does Sketchbook have any AI features?

No, Sketchbook does not incorporate AI. It focuses on manual drawing tools.

Can I use The New Black for product design outside fashion?

The New Black is specifically built for apparel and accessories. It's not intended for other product categories.

What file formats can I export from Sketchbook?

PSD, JPG, PNG, TIFF, BMP. Premium also supports more.

Which app is more expensive?

The New Black's pro tier ($19/mo) is more expensive than Sketchbook's Premium ($3.99/mo), reflecting its specialized AI features.

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Explore each tool further

Sketchbook®
View Sketchbook® reviewSketchbook® alternatives
The New Black
View The New Black reviewThe New Black alternatives

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Last reviewed: July 3, 2026