Pros use it to make a living and it’s free. Not ‘free trial’ but actually free. I found and fell in love with the Affinity Designer suites. Great set up, all the programs I’d ever need no matter how far I took this and a one time price. Unknown to me was that Canva had bought it and was revamping. They made the whole program free not long after I’d purchased. I don’t regret having paid for it. It’s great.
I’m watching an artist on YouTube, Chris Piascik, and he swears by Adobe Fresco. Now I’m learning how to use and falling in love with the live brushes. I can watercolor without the mess and time constraints. I can play with oil paints without the smell or mess or supplies or length of dry time. It is again, free. Still not ‘free trial’ free but truly free.
I bought a new iPad and have loved every minute of it to the point I have moments of thinking I might become an Apple person. My friend bought an older refurbished iPad for a much friendlier price. Both download and use the program the same. Point being, a human wanting to dabble or get serious or both, could get set up for less than $200. And it doesn’t matter if you live in a van or a mansion, if you have the space for a crafting space or not, if you can afford to buy and store all of the craft store or not. You need the space for a tablet and its pencil. That is it.
I’ve realized I like hobbies that I can set down and walk away from for 5 minutes or 5 years and they are ready to go when up pick them back up. Yes, technology has some limitations, but I’m ok with that for the joy this is bringing me now.