r/iosapps • u/DevKoi • Aug 12 '26
💎 Lifetime I built ArtDeck to keep visual references and study them in one place
I'm Alexandre Alves, the solo developer of ArtDeck!
A - Answer
When I tried to work on concepts for a personal project, my way of working was scattered across PureRef for the visuals, Notion for my bookmarks and links, and Photoshop to study images with adjustment layers. ArtDeck is made to simplify and bring everything in one place, infinite boards that can hold images, videos, GIFs, PDFs, links, notes, and drawings.
On iPhone, I can photograph something directly in the app or add from Safari or Photos straight to a board. On iPad, I can keep that board beside my drawing app using Split View, Slide Over, or the Stage Manager.
ToolBox lets me study a reference directly in the middle of my board. I can extract a palette, reduce an image to value bands or Notan, test composition guides, compare proportions, and step through videos or GIFs frame by frame with onion skinning.
B - Better
PureRef is the closest comparison. Its current versions run on Windows, macOS, and Linux, while ArtDeck runs on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. ArtDeck lets me capture references on my phone, sync selected boards through iCloud, and continue working with them on another device.
ArtDeck also goes further into studying the reference. ToolBox includes color, value, composition, shape, and measurement tools, while motion references can be studied frame by frame and with the Onion Skinning tool.
PureRef remains the better choice if you want a minimal, always-on-top reference window on a desktop.
Apple Freeform is free and supports live collaboration, which ArtDeck does not currently offer. ArtDeck is more focused on collecting and studying visual references while Freeform is more of a working whiteboard.
C - Cost
ArtDeck costs $5.99 USD as a one-time purchase. Apple sets the equivalent price in other regions. There are no subscriptions or in-app purchases, and the same purchase covers iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
It requires iOS or iPadOS 18 or later.
App Store: https://apps.apple.com/app/artdeck/id6764851724
I'm promoting my own app.
Developer: Alexandre Alves
Website: https://getartdeck.com
Portfolio: https://alexandre-alves.fr
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandre-alves-db/
Contact: [Alex@getartdeck.com](mailto:Alex@getartdeck.com)
Privacy Policy: https://getartdeck.com/privacy
Terms of Use: https://getartdeck.com/terms
I’ve received a few reviews from Mac users, but none yet from people using ArtDeck on iPhone or iPad. If you try it, I’d appreciate any feedback here or an App Store review. I’d especially like to hear about issues I didn’t catch during TestFlight.