Lessons from Building an Indie App for Artists

Summary

Lessons From Building an Indie App for ArtistsA lot has changed since I last wrote about Value Study, my little app for artists, back in 2022. I’ve broken one of my five intentions, and I don’t regret it. The app is now used regularly worldwide, in multiple languages, across Android and iOS, with a handful of users on macOS too. What started as a small idea to help improve my own art has grown into a tool recommended by art teachers and used by people far beyond what I ever expected. That will forever humble me.Free → AffordableMy original plan was for the app to be free. It was one of the five intentions I laid out in that 2022 article. Part of that came from worrying people would think I was a fraud if I charged for it, especially as I’m no art expert. It’s still important to me that the app remains affordable to anyone who wants to use it. But as an income stream, that means relying on reaching many people rather than charging a lot to a small group of loyal customers.Looking back, I’m glad I framed these ideas as intentions rather than rigid core values. Intentions allow room to adapt. They make it easier to acknowledge when something needs to change. So I’ve updated that intention from free to affordable. That small shift gave me permission, mostly to myself, to be paid for my effort without it feeling like greed.As we approach the New Year and head into 2026, my focus is on quality above all else. We live in a world where apps can be built in days rather than months using AI. I’ve been working on Value Study since 2020, and I’ve spent countless hours trying to make it the best it can be. I still believe people want to support independent developers, especially those who are hands-on and care deeply about what they’re making. In practical terms, this means I’ll soon be releasing version 1.0 of Value Study for Android.Value Study for AndroidThe Android version has been in early access for much of this year. It was highly requested, along with Grid mode, which I ...