You no longer need the ability to draw or an art degree to make something that looks good. In this newfangled world of AI there is, of course, something to help turn your amateur doodles into full-fledged, polished design. It’s called AutoDraw and it’s a free web tool from Google that runs in any browser without the need to set up an account or download anything.
Here’s how it works. You pick up the Draw tool and start sketching. It doesn’t matter how rough it looks—I’m serious, it can be nigh-indecipherable. As you draw, AutoDraw’s Smart Sketch Recognition analyzes each shape you make and shows a row of neat, artist-made icons along the top of the screen. If you see one that matches what you intended to draw, click it. Your messy scribble gets replaced with a polished illustration instead.
The tool works for simple shapes and more specific things too like a birthday cake, a dog, a lightning bolt, a car, or just about anything else you can imagine. The suggestions update as you draw, so it catches your intent even as you add more elements. It acts like a helpful translator between your rough sketch and a library of professionally designed icons and illustrations.
Beyond the main Draw feature, you get basic tools for adding text, shapes, and color fills. Once you’re done, you can download your finished image as a PNG. I used to be a teacher and I would daydream about this type of tech for worksheets.
AutoDraw works on desktop and mobile, so you can use it with a mouse, a trackpad, or your finger on a touchscreen—it won’t judge you for your crudely-drawn mouse doodles. Even if your artistic talent tops out at stick figures, you can still create something that looks like you paid a professional to make it.
For more fun and helpful website and app recommendations, be sure to subscribe to our PCWorld Try This newsletter.