7 Apps That Spark Your Creativity

With summer dragging its way here, many individuals, from school children to college students are now ready to take a time off to relax their brains before it’s time to go back to school in fall. Instead of flashcards and notebooks, they will be making father’s day cards and funny flipbooks.

However, even if you aren’t of school age, you may still want to find the creative side of yourself. From painting to book creation, the Mac has thousands of creative applications for every age group. Here are 7 applications that spark your creativity bone.

1. Sketcher for Mac

Whenever you are at a local carnival or amusement park, next to the henna tattoos and hair yarn stands, there is always an individual there who wants to draw you. From actual drawings to exaggerated caricatures, they always seem like a must-buy whenever you are there. However, some individuals may find them a bit expensive to splurge on. You may think that drawing one at home would be the best alternative, but not everyone is a mini-Picasso. Well, at least not until they check out Sketcher for Mac.

This application allows you to upload and turn any digital photo into a high quality drawing. Aside from pencil drawings, there are also oil paintings and more. Sketcher is available for $14.99 on the Mac App Store.

2. Final Cut Pro

During the summer months, videography seems to be the best mode of capturing summer moments. From hanging out at the pool to enjoying a day at the zoo, you may find any of these moments as ones that will require video. While iMovie does a great job at this, and will be perfectly fine for the younger ones, a more advanced option may be appealing to the other age groups. However, coming from iMovie, Final Cut Pro may scare some individuals. This isn’t the case with Final Cut Pro X. The latest Final Cut version has intermediate users in mind, with an interface and controls borrowing heavily from iMovie. This has made many video professionals, like myself, a bit annoyed; the average everyday user will enjoy the similarities. From color adjustments to advanced audio effects, Final Cut Pro X is the perfect video software for $299.99. Final Cut Pro X is available on the Mac App Store today.

3. SketchBook Pro for Mac

Many teenagers enjoy reading comic books. However, have you ever thought about creating one of your own? This may seem nearly impossible to do; however the right software makes this a feasible activity. SketchBook Pro for Mac is a great software, not only creating comics, but also other books and images that make use of graphics. The software lets you even do more with the images you use and import within your graphic, including the ability to adjust transparency and image tweaks. With added support and integration with Photoshop, SketchBook Pro is the perfect application for professionals and amateurs alike. SketchBook Pro is available for $59.99.

4. MindNode Pro for Mac

A great creative project is evident from a great planning process. With most creative individuals, ideas are scattered throughout the mind. MindNode Pro allows you to have a stable plan for the ideas that appear in your mind. Even if nothing can come to mind for a photo or video you are interested in creating, MindNode Pro uses the process of mind mapping to have a broad idea broken down into a complete and unique idea. MindNode Pro understands that thoughts aren’t just in words, but also in images. MindNode Pro allows you to add multimedia on the idea canvas. With the ability to create multiple maps in one project, collaboration is seamless. MindNode Pro is available on the Mac App Store for $19.99, with a free MindNode version also available.

5. djay for Mac

We’ve covered photography, painting, and videography. Now we will look into some applications that bring out the music genius within. dJay for Mac allows you to mix some of your favorite iTunes songs into amazing creations. Mixes and new projects are made easy with djay’s drag and drop feature. djay for Mac allows you to adjust the music you add into the project, as well as the whole mix in general. Special events are made easy with the ability to have your DJ project automatically create a song list. djay for Mac is extremely affordable at $19.99, available on the Mac App Store today.

6. Pixelmator for Mac

If you are looking for a more affordable photo editing application, Pixelmator is a great alternative. The application allows you to not only edit the photos you import; it also allows you to draw up new high quality drawings. Pixelmator doesn’t stop at editing and drawing. Looking to itself as a great iPhoto alternative, Pixelmator also allows for importation to Aperture and iPhoto. If Pixelmator is the final destination for your art, the application allows for sharing on Facebook, Flickr, Picasas, and more. With the ability to save in multiple formats, Pixelmator is the perfect application for individuals wanting to photo edit for Facebook or for their next iPhone application. Pixelmator is available for $29.99 on the Mac App Store today.

7. Adobe Premiere Elements for Mac

The native applications that come with every Mac, like iPhoto and iMovie, have the ability to make great high quality videos and movies. However, others may want to look for something out of the norm. Adobe Premiere Elements for Mac allows you to enjoy the simplicity found on iMovie, while still being able to make use of key features. Premiere Elements, like iMovie, builds on more complicating software like Premiere Pro and Final Cut Pro. This makes it a great benchmark for individuals who aren’t looking to going into Final Cut Pro. As you can see, there are many applications that make video making, music making, and photo creation easier to do than ever. These applications and more can make your summer a memorable time and experience.