--- { "title": "FAQ: AR Drawing, Tracing and Pro Questions | Pencilbloom", "description": "Answers about Pencilbloom: how AR tracing works, which phones it runs on, what stays free, what Pro adds, and how your photos and privacy are handled.", "url": "https://pencilbloom.com/faq", "lang": "en", "kind": "pages", "dateModified": "2026-10-26", "publisher": "iHux" } --- # Frequently asked questions Everything you *wanted to ask.* Short answers about the Pencilbloom AR drawing app: tracing, lessons, coloring pages, photos and your privacy. Updated October 26, 2026 Using the app ## Tracing *& lessons* Still stuck? Write to us from Profile › Help in the app. **What is Pencilbloom?** Pencilbloom is an AR drawing app for iPhone, iPad and Android. Your phone shows a picture over your paper so you can trace it with a real pencil, and free step-by-step lessons teach you to draw it yourself. You can also turn photos into line drawings. It's free to start. **How does tracing work: with the camera or on the screen?** Put your phone on a stand and the camera shows the picture over your paper: the steadiest lines. Or hold your phone and let AR pin the picture to the page. Or use Trace on screen: lay thin paper on the screen and trace what shows through, like a light box. **Which phones and tablets does Pencilbloom work on?** Pencilbloom is free on iPhone, iPad and Android. Tracing with the camera works on phones and tablets; Trace on screen is easiest on a tablet, because the bigger screen gives your hand more room. **What paper and pencil should I use for tracing?** With the camera, any plain paper works, from printer paper to a sketchbook. For Trace on screen, use thin paper so the picture shines through. An HB pencil is good for guide lines and a softer 2B for darker final lines. Tape the paper down so it doesn't move. **How do the step-by-step drawing lessons work?** Each lesson builds a drawing in small steps, big shapes first and details last, with a picture for every step. You can draw along on paper while looking at the steps, or trace each step in the app. Many lessons are free, and you'll find them all on our Learn page. **Can I print the coloring pages?** Yes. Our coloring pages are free to download as a PDF and print at home. You can also open a page in the Pencilbloom app and color it on your phone: tap an area to fill it, or use the brush for soft edges. **Can I turn my own photo into a line drawing?** Yes. In the app, pick a photo and Pencilbloom turns it into clean lines you can trace onto paper. Pets, people and flowers with good light and a plain background work best. You can try the effect with our sample photos on the Photo to line drawing page. **Is tracing cheating?** No. Artists have traced with grids, projectors and lenses for a long time, and tracing trains your hand and your eye. Pencilbloom's lessons hand the work back to you step by step: more guide at first, less every time, until you can draw it on your own. **Does Pencilbloom work offline?** Partly. The library needs a connection the first time it loads; after that it works offline, and so do pictures you've opened, saved lessons, Coloring and your Studio. Drawings you finish offline upload by themselves when you're back online. Turning a photo into lines and Imagine need a connection. **Which languages is Pencilbloom available in?** This website is available in English, Spanish, Portuguese (Brazil), French, Japanese, Arabic and Turkish. You can switch language from the menu at any time. The app's languages are listed on its App Store and Google Play pages. Privacy & account ## Photos *& privacy* Want the details? Read our [Privacy policy](https://pencilbloom.com/privacy). **What happens to the photos I turn into lines?** The app uploads your photo to your private storage and our server finds the lines in it. We keep it privately with that picture so the lines can be made again. Your photos are never public or shown to anyone, unless you share a drawing with a link yourself. **Do I need to sign up to use Pencilbloom?** No sign-up is needed. The app keeps your pictures and progress in a private account of its own, so you can start drawing right away. Purchases are handled by Apple and Google. **How do I delete my data?** In the app, open your profile and choose Delete account: your photos, drawings and progress are removed for good. If you have Pro, cancel it in App Store or Google Play settings first; deleting the account doesn't cancel it. You can also write to us for a copy of your data. **How do I get help or contact the Pencilbloom team?** In the app, go to Profile › Help: it sends us your app version automatically, so we can help faster. You can also write to us through the contact form on our Contact page, and we'll reply by email. Free & Pro ## Pencilbloom Pro **Is Pencilbloom free?** Yes, Pencilbloom is free to start, with no sign-up and no card. The free app includes pictures to trace, free step-by-step lessons, the first steps of every Pro lesson, coloring on screen and a few photo-to-line conversions a day. Our coloring pages are free to download and print. **What does Pencilbloom Pro add?** Pro unlocks every picture, lesson and course, more photo-to-line conversions, the Color on paper guide and full-length HD time-lapses without a watermark. You can upgrade inside the app, and you manage or cancel the subscription in your App Store or Google Play settings. ## Your first drawing takes *about ten minutes.* Free on iPhone, iPad and Android. scan to download ## Keep exploring - [Learn to draw](https://pencilbloom.com/learn) - [Coloring pages](https://pencilbloom.com/coloring-pages) - [Tracing guides](https://pencilbloom.com/guides) Made by [iHux](https://ihux.co).