David Hockney’s iPad Drawings: Merging Tradition with Technology
In 2010, David Hockney, then in his early seventies, boldly embraced the iPad as a primary tool for creating art. Far from a simple curiosity, his iPad drawings became a central part of his practice—enabling him to work en plein air, experiment rapidly with line and colour, and redefine what digital art can be. This editorial explores how Hockney paints on iPad, what drawing app he uses, and why these digital works are vital to his legacy.
How Does David Hockney Paint on iPad?
Hockney paints directly on the iPad using a stylus or finger. He builds work in layers—similar to traditional media—allowing bold strokes and vibrant hues made possible by the bright, backlit screen. A key feature is seeing each stroke replayed via animation—the app records every brush mark, which can later be viewed from start to finish. He often paints landscapes and floral still lifes quickly and intuitively, capturing light, atmosphere, and movement The iPad’s backlit screen gives his methods extra luminosity, with digital “undo” and blow up tools allowing more experimentation than traditional media.
His workflow involves:
• Layering strokes, similar to acrylic or oil painting
• Playback tools, letting viewers rewind or watch each iPad work evolve
• Export as high-resolution files, later enlarged for immersive prints and exhibitions
Which Drawing App Does David Hockney Use?
The primary app he uses is Brushes, initially discovered on his iPhone in 2008 and later embraced on the iPad. He found it fast, intuitive, and expressive—and remains his app of choice even after official support ceased. A bespoke version known as Hockney Brushes ensures continuity and includes unique features like playing back brushstrokes and exporting high-resolution artworks.
Studio software also facilitates exporting images in high resolution or as animated sequences, enabling gallery installations of large printed works.
Notable iPad Works & Exhibitions
• The Arrival of Spring in Woldgate (2011): A series of over 100 iPad drawings capturing the seasonal transition in East Yorkshire. Fifty-one of these were printed and displayed alongside a monumental oil painting at the Royal Academy in 2012
• My Window (2020): Limited-edition digital diary capturing daily scenes during lockdown, later published in a colour printed book
Exhibitions That Elevated his iPad Creations
• A Bigger Picture (Royal Academy, 2012; Bilbao 2012): showcased both paintings and iPad works as equal parts of his landscape narrative
• A Bigger Exhibition (de Young Museum, San Francisco, 2013): featured 147 iPad drawings across screens and large printed works
• David Hockney 25 (Fondation Louis Vuitton, Paris, 2025): includes a substantial body of digital work alongside paintings, underlining its importance in his oeuvre
Why the iPad Matters to Hockney
• Portability: Always ready, lightweight, and free from the fuss of physical materials .
• Creative immediacy: Captures light, colour and emotion in the moment.
• Digital-analogue synergy: His digital explorations inform his larger canvases and installations, influencing colour and composition in sweeping oil paintings
• Process visibility: Visitors can observe the evolution of a piece, stroke by stroke—revealing Hockney’s artistic thinking as clearly as any sketchbook
David Hockney’s digital practice is not a side project, it is a profound evolution of his art. Through the Brushes app and thoughtful use of iPad technology, he has created a vibrant, intimate, and revolutionary series of works that stand alongside his most famous paintings. Showing at major global exhibitions, these pieces confirm his commitment to innovation and position him as a living legend of digital creation.
iPad painting printed on paper
Edition of 50
88.9 x 63.5 cm (35 x 25 in)
97 x 71.5 cm, 38 x 28.1 in
Signed, numbered and dated on front of print
Excellent. Some very minor undulation, as is common with float-mounted prints. Not inspected out of the frame
Float-mounted in a wooden frame