The Mac App Store is a new Apple concept that has been available for about nearly two months now. The Mac App Store is a location for individuals to download applications. The act of downloading applications was, previously, something you could only do on iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad. However, the Mac App Store has made it possible for Macintosh computers to be added to that list! Below, I have listed a few of the best applications on Mac for artists and designers. The applications below help improve projects and produce more ideas.

SketchBook Pro – $49.99
Do you feel that your current drawing and painting application just isn’t cutting it for you? Do you always have to do a few extra steps and tweaks just to do a simple task? Then maybe you should consider switching to SketchBook Pro. This application is a little on the high end, but it’s worth every penny.

The application allows you to customize your brushes and add brush guides. The application also is easy to navigate through, even while in the middle of editing a work of art. SketchBook Pro also provides you with the features you expect like control of hue, brightness, and saturation.

Aperture – $79.99
For most Mac users, their default photo editing application is iPhoto. This isn’t one of the best editing applications, but for many, it’ll do until they are able to upgrade. For those who are able to upgrade, Aperture would be a great step up. Aperture is an application that I have found to be perfect for photo organization. The photos taken on trips and projects can be organized perfectly.

If your collections of photos include a video or two, Aperture will also add those into the photo library. This is something that some photo editing software doesn’t support. Aperture is prone to bugs and crashes, but the benefits of organization, effects and presets make the benefits of Aperture outweigh the minor downfalls.

Pixelmator – $29.99
Pixelmator is an application that is perfect for beginners who want to get out of the iPhoto shell. The ease of use and extremely affordable price for its quality makes it appealing to both professionals and novices alike. Pixelmator has a clean, and minimalist interface. This allows you to focus less on a cluttered application and more on your project. The addition of layers effect is perfect for working on long and complex projects.

Also, I really appreciate the importing features. You are able to seamlessly have your iPhoto and Aperture library added to your Pixelmator collection. Pixelmator also allows you to grab photos from online with ease. There are a couple of features involving with finishing touches that are missing. While it is a minimalist application, having more organization features would be helpful when you have multiple projects open. Also, there ware a few bugs that are still there, but an update can easily kink those out. However, for the price, this is still a good application!

LittleSnapper – $24.99
Screenshots are important when trying to capture ideas and other things that you might see online or around your computer. However, if you are like most Mac users, your screenshots end up on your desktop. This can clutter your desktop overtime. A cluttered desktop is disaster when trying to keep organization. LittleSnapper has found a solution. LittleSnapper is an application that calls itself a screenshot “scrapbook”. All screenshots can be placed in an album. This is key for organization.

The application also sorts them by type (web snapshots, screenshots and photos). LittleSnapper offers users with a way to also edit their screenshots and add small tweaks. Even though the price is a little hefty for what it does, this is essential for people who frequently take and edit screenshots. Aside from a few bugs including lost screenshots, LittleSnapper gives you the quality you pay for!