Da Vinci Eye
An app that shows a photo over your paper so you can trace it by hand.
What Da Vinci Eye does
Da Vinci Eye is a tracing app for iPhone and iPad. You prop your phone above your paper, pick a photo, and see it laid over the page on screen, so you can trace it with a real pencil or brush. It does a similar job to a projector or light box, but the image only appears on your screen, not on the paper.
If you searched for an app that projects an image so you can draw it, this is the idea, with one honest note: nothing shines onto the paper. You look through your screen and see the photo and your paper together, then follow the lines with your real pencil.
You set your phone or iPad on a stand above or in front of your page. AR mode pins the image to the real world, so it stays lined up even if the paper shifts a little. There is also a simpler Classic mode. AR mode needs a newer device; the listing says iPhone 7 and older will not work.
Beyond tracing, it can show light and dark areas of an image to guide shading, break a photo into step-by-step shading steps, and record a time-lapse of you drawing. There are lessons, daily prompts and a community feed.
It is free to download, shows ads, and has paid upgrades at many different prices. We found it on iPhone and iPad only.
Alternatives to Da Vinci Eye
Who it's for
Skip it if: Android owners. People who want a digital drawing app.
Pricing
Free planDa Vinci Eye is free to download and shows ads. The US App Store lists paid upgrades from $1.99 a month to $49.99 a year, but does not explain what each one includes, so check the offer in the app.
Prices can vary by country. Checked 19 Oct 2026.
What people like
- Turns any photo into a tracing guide
- Works with real paper, canvas or walls
- Strong App Store rating
- Small independent developer
Watch out for
- Shows ads
- You need a stand or a way to hold your phone steady
- Many upgrade prices with little explanation
- No Android version we could confirm
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Questions people ask
Does Da Vinci Eye actually project onto paper?
No. Nothing is projected. You see the photo laid over your paper on your screen, and you trace what you see.
What do I need to use Da Vinci Eye?
An iPhone or iPad and something to hold it steady above your paper, like a phone stand or a stack of books.
Is Da Vinci Eye on Android?
We could only confirm the iPhone and iPad app.
Is Da Vinci Eye free?
It is free to download, with paid upgrades. The store lists several monthly and yearly prices.