JOURNEY / My First Sticker Pack app

I decided to write a little "Behind The Screen" story of my first iMessage Sticker Pack app made for iPhone and iPad, currently available at Apple App Store. Hopefully this would be helpful to inspire other artists, illustrator, animators, and creators thinking to make their own app.

Woofy Stickers

https://itunes.apple.com/au/app/woofy-stickers/id1234473192?mt=8

Just Like Writing A Book

Creating a collection of stickers is like writing a book. It is not actually a linear process.

You start by collecting a lot of photo references, and in my case, I do collect a lot of dogs photos. Then the next step is of course to draw a lot of doodles. Out of 1000 drawings over a long period of time, maybe you get roughly 10 good enough stickers. That is my quick estimation. But then again, we need to keep the similar style and combine some ideas for final product.

Especially with iMessage stickers, we need to think what kind of emotion or expression would like to be shared by a person sharing the sticker. I test this with some friends and my wife also.

Draw A Lot: Digital and Analog way combined

I used to bring my A5 drawing pads with me and draw using pen or pencil while inside the train or bus. These days, I am drawing using my iPad and sometimes my iPhone. I do not have to buy a new drawing pad each time and take photos for each little drawing. The process is a lot streamlined and smoother nowadays with iPad having built in camera and Internet capability.



With iPad, I am using this drawing app called Paper 53 app a lot. I think it is one of my favourite doodling tools, apart from Tasayui Sketches and also Pro Create.  But I think Paper 53 app is the best for me because I like to quickly put down my ideas and thought into drawings and Paper 53 is really fast and it also provides a set of very natural drawing tools.

I am currently using iPad Air and also Pencil 53 as you can see above, but finger drawing is still pretty handy in most cases. Sometimes I draw on sofa or even on bed, whenever I got a new drawing idea. I did get my iPad Pro quite recently and use the Apple Pencil a lot. I made my sticker pack app using iPad Pro and ArtRage app for paint brush look.

Whenever I finished drawings, I quickly send it as PDF or as PNG to my email as backup. Sometimes I posted them into Twitter or Instagram, if it has a bit of fun story to share.

Challenge Yourself

For me, the experience of creating the first app is a big deal, eventhough it is just a sticker app.

I learn to:

• Use XCode 
• Package the stickers
• Design the app icon
• Processing and preparing the product
• Publishing the app

I always had this question: "I am not a programmer, but I always want to make some kind of app that other people can use and wondering if I can make one?" 

Luckily, since last WWDC 2016 - 2017, Apple made it really easy for artists and illustrators to make their own Sticker package for iMessage!

All we need to do is really to download XCode and use the iMessage Sticker Template. The minimum requirements:
- Have a MacBookPro (2010 or earlier)
- Have an iPhone
- Have a good Internet connection to get learning resources.

This video from Apple WWDC really helps me to make my sticker app:
https://developer.apple.com/videos/play/wwdc2016/204/

You can apparently have a free Apple Developer account simply by using your current Apple account. There is no need to pay for Apple Dev license until you decided to want to sell and publish your work at the App Store.

After learning some XCode and Swift, I found also that we can make so many simple apps you can install on your iPhone and iPad very easily. Such as Camera app, Calculator app, Notes app, and many more. Easier than you might have thought. Swift coding is apparently very friendly, similar to Python language.

What is Next?

My sticker app is probably not the top sticker apps out there, in fact far from successful project. But this is only the beginning.

I am currently learning a little bit more about Swift Programming and also how to make AR Augmented Reality app using Apple ARKit (introduced in WWDC 2017). This is really fun app! I think I should make my sticker a bit more animated.

Top 5 Most Favourite iOS Apps

Over the years, I am keeping a keen eyes over new apps, their development and updates, especially for iOS, iPhone and iPad.

iPhone is now around 9 years and iPad is about 6 years old in 2016. Over this period, we have seen the iOS got updated few times. Especially a total big change for iOS 7. That time, many apps are needing to get updates. Some developers actually gave up or disappear, but some apps continue to shine and get the updates deserved.

There are some apps that deserve recognition as the Developer continued to add features and kaizen-ly make the app faster and better. Here are the top 5 most favourite apps that continue to get updates and surprisingly good since the original iPad:

1. Paper Fifty Three 53 

Paper 53 is a beautiful drawing and painting app to quickly notes idea in the most elegant way. This app was originally made for iPad only, but now it is also an iPhone app. It was a big thing when iPhone version was released. The tools and the design were re-arranged and made to work just as good on iPhone, like it has been on iPad.

Paper 53 never lag when drawing, this is one of the big reason why I like this app. I use to work with just finger touch, and these days, I can also use the app with Pencil and iPad Pro.

I also remember when they released their Pencil 53 device that works together with Paper 53 app in such a way that is truly groundbreaking. 

In latest version update, they made the app works even better with Apple Pencil and iPad Pro. This app is definitely my top favourite to jot my thoughts and ideas in drawings and skethches.

2. Photosync

This app was made long before Air Drop was introduced in iOS. It allows any iOS device to share Photos and Videos via Wifi network. All it needs is to hook into the same Wifi and we can easily transfer photos. This also works with OS X. 

If I am not wrong, Photosync actually works with iBeacon, can trigger sync with a compatible device when you are nearby.

Sometimes when Air Drop failed, Photosync is the best alternative!

3. Camera+ by Tap Tap Tap

This is one company that pushes iPhone volume to functino as Shutter. It was banned originally by Apple, but all change when Apple actually allows shutter function to be triggered by volume.

Camera+ just recently got updated to include beautiful low light mode and long shutter. This is also unlike any other camera app out there.

Camera+ features advanced control over Camera, this is usually my choice of camera app if the default Camera for iOS is not capable.

4. GoodReader

Apple iOS is actually needing a better iCloud Drive File Manager. GoodReader has been there for quite a while and it has gone through 2 incarnations. GoodReader is one of the best file manager that I know of, it features cool stuff such as:
- Touch ID pass code
- Locking of folders
- Sync to other service (DropBox, Google Drive, etc)
- Easy sharing via Wifi
- Ability to deal with Text (speech, dictation)
- Best to store all kind of files (MP3, PDF, etc)

5. iCabMobile browser

This is one ultimate browser that gives a lot (like A LOT) of features on top of what Safari might already provide. Safari is probably super basic.

iCabMobile on the other hand, has gone through many updates over the years. The developer keeps adding useful features, such as:
- Split View built in the app
- All kind of plugins you expcect from browser, and more.

I always recommend or mention these 5 apps everytime my friend got their new iPhone/iPad, and very likely they will need it.

There are few other apps out there, if I make a Top 10 List, I will also include:

Air Video HD

This app has been there for a while for iPad, and when retina iPad arrived, it become HD. It still works today with 4K streaming for iPad Pro. It streams from computer to iPad or iPhone, to multiple iOS devices.

RManager

This app is little bit similar to GoodReader, however this app actually can read your computer within same network and goes inside and stream video and manage files (deleting, copying, etc).

But RManager is a great videoplayer also, it has a built in video player that works with gesture.


Closing Notes...
Those above are some apps I truly think brilliant, they show functions that are beyond a simple function of consuming medias.

iPhone and iPad will continue to grow via the apps. There are actually hundreds of iOS capabilites that are unlocked. Sometimes only possible via Jailbreak.