ToonPAINT 2.0: Fully Revamped With New Features and UI

by Pu on April 4, 2011

Some interesting news for ToonPAINT fans: version  2.0 of the popular photo-to-cartoon app introduces new features and enhancements.

We reviewedToonPAINT in the past and, although we liked it, there were more than a few issues that prevented us from fully enjoying this app. The new release solves most of the known issues we pointed out at the time of our first evaluation, especially the problem concerning full resolution saving.

What’s new:

  • New UI and workflow;
  • Full resolution output;
  • Improved painting system;
  • Infinite undo on paint;
  • Speed optimizations on Inklines for iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4;
  • Upload your photos to Hall of Fame and vote for others’ creations;
  • New Auto Color, Alpha Brush (available with in-app purchase) and Volbeat Me coloring modes;
  • Fixes to all known crash issues.

A big change in the ToonPAINT 2.0 concerns the new UI, much cleaner and better organized. The tracing features are the same, but the way each step in the processing is now improved makes using ToonPAINT easier. In ToonPAINT 2.0 you can still paint with default brush and colors, but you can also use the new painting modes, available via in-app purchase for $0.99 — £0.59 or €0.79 — each. The new painting features especially give cool results in the bat of an eye even to those that are not experienced with digital painting or to those who simply do not want to spend too much time playing with brushes and colors.

ToonPAINT by Toon-FX for iPhone

Auto Color, as the name suggests, automatically fills your picture with color; Alpha Brush uses alpha opacity to let you paint over your cartoon using your original image as source. Both features heavily rely on your original images, but while Auto Color retains more of a stylized cartoony look, Alpha Brush adds realistic tints to your creations. A third painting mode was added as an extra: Volbeat. Inspired by the visual style of the Danish rock band going by the same name, this feature basically adds a monochrome golden layer over your outline.

ToonPAINT by Toon-FX for iPhone

With Alpha Brush applied.

I have mixed feelings towards this update. The full resolution is a great improvement and the new interface is also a point in favor, but paying for each add-on separately may not be that appealing and taking away the function for smoothing lines — which was very useful but also very likely one of the main reasons that prevented an upgrade to full resolution — is another irritating change in version 2.0. The thing that I don’t really like though is that Volbeat extra. Not for the effect per se, but for its implications. When I use a photo app, I don’t like the notion of being involved in a promotional campaign, even when it’s about something I like. And I assume I’m not the only one.

Jim G. March 29, 2012 at 10:47 pm

I could not believe it when I payed for the app, started clicking on a few buttons, and was immediately prompted to pay for additional features. This was a terrible user experience.

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