Drawstring ✍️🧶

Drawstring is a simple sketchpad with two drawing modes.

Drawing Modes

Choose your preferred drawing experience:

Simple Mode

• tap or click to start drawing with random colors
• double-tap to clear the page
• multi-touch support:
  • draw with up to five fingers simultaneously on iPhone
  • draw with up to eleven fingers (perhaps ten fingers and a nose?) on iPad
• hassle free, no settings or menus

Fancy Mode

• full-featured drawing with professional tools
• color picker for precise color selection
• adjustable brush size (1-50px)
• undo functionality (up to 20 steps)
• clear canvas and download artwork
• smooth brush preview that follows your cursor/finger
• elegant gradient background and modern UI

Use Cases

• ephemeral drawing and creative expression
• impromptu tic-tac-toe, hangman or other pen-based pastimes when you don't have a pen
• writing messages to a loved one in a noisy environment (or perfect vacuum)
• digital art creation with downloadable results (Fancy Mode)
• quick sketches and ideation
• collaborative drawing on tablets and touch devices

Philosophy

Drawstring offers the best of both worlds: intentional simplicity and powerful functionality. Choose Simple Mode for pure, distraction-free creativity with random colors, or Fancy Mode when you need professional drawing tools. Both modes maintain the core philosophy of immediate usability—just tap and start creating.

Saving Your Drawings

Simple Mode: No built-in save feature. You can save your creations by taking a screenshot on your device.

Fancy Mode: Built-in download feature lets you save your artwork as high-quality PNG files with a single tap.

Technical Info

• Built in vanilla JavaScript with HTML5 Canvas
• Two distinct drawing engines optimized for different use cases
• Responsive design that works on desktop and mobile devices
• Touch-optimized with multi-touch support
• High DPI/Retina display support for crisp lines
• Hosted freely on GitHub Pages

Draw here: https://drawstring.playpip.games

@lewdry