Magma (previously Magma Studio) is a free, browser-based collaborative canvas and drawing tool that launched at Lightbox Expo in 2020. It’s an ideal tool for drawing online with friends.
The drawing app was a highlight from Lightbox that saw hundreds of attendees drawing together while listening in on inspiring and informative panel sessions. Some of the sessions themselves were simply just top artists drawing and chatting together.
The possibilities are numerous with this. Fun drawing sessions with friends across the world, running through ideas with a client in real-time, and even managing creative teams. As an instructor teaching drawing, this is also such a valuable tool that lets you demonstrate and give feedback live on the same canvas. In the video below, Bobby Chiu of Schoolism.com and Imaginism Studios, explains the idea and how it works…
Perfect for the times…
Life in the time of COVID has changed considerably. It’s forced many to get creative about how they conduct their businesses. Many events, such as Lightbox Expo, have shifted online. A quick meeting with clients at a coffee shop to chat about a brief or make changes to a design was no longer possible. With a professional tool like Magma, however, you can easily discuss ideas and play with changes in real-time from the comfort of your home offices.
Being able to draw online with friends so easily during stressful times such as these, is definitely a relief as well.
Live Drawing Sessions at Lightbox Expo
There were so many great sessions at Lightbox, many of which you can still view on their website.
One of my favourites from the weekend was this one below, hosted by Wacom. It’s a great session that had the likes of Terryl Whitlach, Karla Ortiz, Peter Han, Kei Acedera and others pushing pixels around together.
Magma Features – Free Version
Magma offers both a free version and a paid one that unlocks a bunch of other tools. On the free version you can expect:
- 1 ink brush with 4 preset hardness/soft-edge levels
- 1 hard-endge pixel pencil tool
- Pen pressure support
- Up to 30 users on a single canvas
- Shape tools
- Canvas size of up to 4k pixels
- Up to 30 days access of inactive canvases
- on-canvas chat box
- up to 100 layers
- export as PNG
- Standard layer blending modes
Magma is browser-based so there is no need to install anything. This means users on PC, Mac, Chromebook, iPads and Android tablets can all access it.
Upgrade to Magma Pro for more…
The Pro version of Magma, and it’s new Artspaces for businesses, is where itsthe software’s collaborative potential really shines through.
- Additional brushes and custom shapes
- Multiboard feature
- built-in voice call hosting
- Up to 200 layers
- Canvas resolution up to 8k pixels
- export and import layered PSD files
- Canvas password protection
- Ongoing access to inactive canvases
- up to 5GB cloud storage
Give it a try…
So if you don’t have plans this weekend, grab some friends and schedule an online drawing jam. Whether you are a beginner or professional, you’ll easily find all the tools you need.
Magma is free to use, but more tools and features become available when you upgrade to the Pro subscription.
Try Magma for free
Are a beginner about to embark on your art journey? Then you may want to head over to this post: Digital Art For Beginners – What you Need To Know. And if you’re hunting for courses and tutorials to sharpen your skills, then definitely check out Schoolism.
