Art Explora Academy vs ShadowDraw

Art Explora Academy is a free online platform for learning about art history and checking knowledge through quizzes. Its catalogue contains 11 thematic courses, each taking less than an hour, and the service is available on web, Android and iOS. A free account is required to access all content. Each course ends with a 12-question quiz, and at least 10 correct answers are needed to validate it. Completing all 11 courses leads to a certificate validated by Sorbonne University, though downloading or sharing the certificate requires a donation of at least €5. Learners can also explore videos, articles and podcasts in the media library. The platform includes progress tracking and offline access, and the maker’s site announces a mobile app. The Impressionist Adventure course was made in partnership with the Musée d’Orsay. Art Explora says it will not sell, rent, exchange or give away personal information; its privacy policy says site data is hosted and processed exclusively in France and that SSL secures exchanges with the site.

ShadowDraw is a drawing app that teaches through guided, step-by-step tutorials. Its library contains hundreds of guides described as hand-drawn by art professionals, and the app checks that a learner completes each step before showing the next. Lessons encourage daily practice. In Sketch My Way, users choose colors and brushes; Art Teacher Mode uses choices selected by the art teacher. Apple Pencil and third-party styluses are supported. The free plan provides a daily free lesson, searchable free content, and a blank canvas, alongside a limited number of lessons and features. ShadowDraw+ offers unlimited drawings and new content for $7.99 a month or $49.99 a year, with Family Sharing on both plans. The app is available for iOS and macOS; listed compatibility requires iPadOS 16 or later, or a Mac running macOS 13 or later with Apple M1 or later. Subscriptions use Apple In-App Purchase and automatically renew unless canceled at least 24 hours before the billing period ends. The content is licensed for personal, non-commercial use.