Customer Reviews (100)

Laurensius Arief Rahman • 2025-03-08T08:21:15.787Z

Pleas add like beard and hair for male and expression

Miriam Cooper • 2025-01-24T21:25:39.700Z

I love it!!

Amy Petersen • 2025-01-19T18:17:23.950Z

I use this app for different angles of hand reference mostly, and it's fantastic. It does what it says on the tin and it's phenomenal.

Summary of Key Insights

  • The Handy Art Reference Tool is generally well-received, particularly for its hand and head references. It's considered a valuable and affordable tool for artists of all levels.
  • Key strengths include ease of use, realistic rendering, customizable poses and lighting, and its helpfulness for drawing difficult subjects like hands.
  • Weaknesses include the need for additional in-app purchases, limited model variety, some clunky controls, and a lack of full-body models. Some users have experienced issues with re-installing the app or with purchased content disappearing.
  • Overall sentiment is positive, with a high percentage of 5-star reviews (70%).
  • The app has an overall rating that indicates a strong positive user experience.

Quantitative Metrics:

  • Overall Rating: High (implied by score distribution)
  • Score Distribution: 1-star (5%), 2-star (2%), 3-star (6%), 4-star (17%), 5-star (70%)

Data & Methodology Overview

  • Data Sample Size: 100 reviews
  • Time Frame: Reviews appear to span from the past few years, with some reviews explicitly mentioning "2024 edit", implying recent activity.
  • Analysis Methods:
    • Sentiment analysis was conducted by assessing the tone and content of each review.
    • Keyword extraction was used to identify frequently mentioned features, issues, and requests.
    • Quantitative analysis was performed on the star rating distribution to determine overall sentiment.

Key User Pain Points

  • In-App Purchases: Many users are frustrated by the need to purchase additional content (e.g., feet, animal skulls) after already paying for the app. This is perceived as nickel-and-diming.
  • Limited Model Variety: Users desire more diverse models, including full bodies, different body types, and more props.
  • Clunky Controls/Interface: Some users find the interface and controls confusing, particularly for moving items and light sources. An undo button is also desired. Specifically, users mention difficulty with rotating/moving the hand.
  • Missing Features: A lack of facial expression editing, hair/beard options, and the ability to export models are mentioned.
  • Technical Issues: Some users reported issues with re-installing the app and purchased content disappearing.
  • Lack of Female Skull: One reviewer specifically requested a female skull model to match the male skull model.
  • Stability and Bugs: Some reports of glitching and lost in-app purchases.
  • Limited Free Content: One reviewer felt there was not enough free content to make the app worthwhile.

Frequently Requested Features

  • Full Body Models: This is the most frequently requested feature.
  • More Props: Users want more props, especially smaller handheld items (cups, pens, cigarettes). Some want animal features like paws and tails for hybrid characters.
  • Facial Expression Editing: The ability to change facial expressions is a common request.
  • Hair and Beard Options: Users want the ability to add hair and beards to the models.
  • Export Functionality (.stl): Some users want to export models for use in other software.
  • Scene Management Improvements: Users want the ability to move entire hands/objects within scenes, not just individual joints.
  • Undo Button: A simple undo button would improve the user experience.
  • More Anatomical Detail/Reference: One user suggested adding anatomy of the hand.
  • Planes and Cast Shadows: One user requested planes and cast shadows to be added.

Strengths and Positive Aspects

  • Helpful for Drawing Hands: The app is highly praised for making it easier to draw hands, a notoriously difficult subject.
  • Customizable Poses and Lighting: Users appreciate the ability to create custom poses and adjust lighting.
  • Realistic Rendering: The models are considered realistic and detailed.
  • Ease of Use: Many users find the app easy to use and intuitive, especially for basic posing.
  • Affordable Price: The app is seen as a good value for its price.
  • Variety of Head Models: The variety of head models is appreciated.
  • Great for Reference: The app is consistently described as a great reference tool for artists.
  • Material Editing: Users appreciate the ability to edit the materials of models (textures, specularity, color).

Prioritized Action Recommendations

High Priority:

  • Address In-App Purchase Concerns: Re-evaluate the pricing model. Consider bundling content or offering more free content upfront. Investigate reports of disappearing purchases and ensure a reliable restoration process.
  • Implement Full Body Models: This is the most requested feature and would significantly increase the app's value.
  • Improve Interface and Controls: Simplify the interface, especially for moving objects and light sources. Add an undo button.
  • Resolve Technical Issues: Investigate and fix the re-installation issues and the problem with purchased content disappearing.

Medium Priority:

  • Add More Props: Include a wider variety of props, focusing on handheld items.
  • Implement Facial Expression Editing: Allowing users to change facial expressions would greatly enhance the app's versatility.
  • Add Hair and Beard Options: This would further enhance the app's ability to create diverse character references.
  • Improve Scene Management: Allow users to move entire objects within scenes, not just individual joints.
  • Add a Female Skull Model: To provide a complete reference set.

Low Priority:

  • Implement Export Functionality: Allow users to export models for use in other software.
  • Add Planes and Cast Shadows: This would further improve the app's lighting capabilities.
  • Add More Anatomical Detail/Reference: This would benefit more advanced users.

Opportunities for Startup Ideas

  • Advanced Posing App: A new app could focus on advanced posing features, including realistic muscle deformation, clothing simulation, and the ability to import custom models.
  • Collaborative Art Reference Platform: An app could allow artists to share and collaborate on creating and posing 3D models.
  • AI-Powered Pose Generation: An app could use AI to generate realistic poses based on user input (e.g., "running," "fighting," "dancing").
  • Customizable Prop Marketplace: An app could feature a marketplace where artists can buy and sell custom 3D props for use in reference tools.

Trends and Observations

  • Strong Positive Sentiment: The app enjoys a high level of positive sentiment, indicating that it meets the needs of many artists.
  • Focus on Hands and Heads: The app is particularly valuable for drawing hands and heads, suggesting that these are common challenges for artists.
  • Desire for More Realism: Users are interested in more realistic rendering, posing, and features (e.g., facial expressions, hair).
  • Recent Reviews Suggest Continued Use: Reviews mentioning "2024 edit" indicate continued user engagement and relevance.
  • Limited Language Preference: The reviews are predominantly in English, with one review in Spanish ("No es tan caro para todo lo que puedes hacer...").

Conclusion

The Handy Art Reference Tool is a valuable resource for artists, particularly for drawing hands and heads. While the app has many strengths, addressing user pain points related to in-app purchases, limited model variety, and clunky controls would significantly improve the user experience. Implementing frequently requested features like full body models and facial expression editing would further enhance the app's value and competitiveness. By focusing on these improvements, the developers can solidify the app's position as a leading art reference tool. A strong recommendation is to prioritize addressing the in-app purchase concerns and implementing full-body models.

Original App Link

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.beliefengine.handyapp