Press — Quickdraw

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Quickdraw: Sketch & Art Studio · ilovequickdraw.app

Puerto Rican, Two-Time Emmy-Nominated Artist Teaches Himself to Code and Builds the Bilingual Art App of His Dreams

Quickdraw: Sketch & Art Studio is available now on iPad, turning “I can’t draw” into “I made this”

LOS ANGELES, October 27, 2026 — After more than 25 years as a filmmaker and visual artist, and two Emmy nominations, Michael Vargas has launched something he never imagined he could build himself: an app. Quickdraw: Sketch & Art Studio is available now on iPad, giving anyone, from first-timers to working artists, a joyful place to make collages and drawings in English or Spanish, then print their creations onto hoodies, mugs and more without ever leaving the app. Vargas, who is Puerto Rican and in his 50s, taught himself to code to make it happen.

The idea for Quickdraw had been with Vargas for four years, but building it seemed out of reach. He didn’t have the budget to hire developers, and he had never written a line of code. Then, in 2026, as the film industry went through a difficult stretch, he reached a crossroads: wait for work to return, or finally build the app himself.

He chose to build. Using YouTube tutorials and Claude, Anthropic’s AI assistant, as his classroom, Vargas spent months learning to code from scratch, one lesson at a time.

“A lot of people in my industry look at AI with fear. I’ve always seen it as another creative tool, like a camera or an editing suite. It helped me learn, and it helped me bring a dream to life that I couldn’t have reached on my own a few years ago.”

Quickdraw was born at Vargas’s art table. For years he has run art workshops and pop-ups around Los Angeles, and people from every walk of life would sit down to make something. Over and over, he heard the same words: “I’m not an artist.” “I can’t draw.”

“That one belief holds so many people back from the joy of making art. A lot of us were never given permission to make mistakes on the way to mastery, or to see art as a way to express ourselves. I wanted to build something that lowers that barrier, so anyone can sit down and just start.”

That philosophy runs through the whole app, captured in its guiding motto: Mistakes Welcomed.

Quickdraw opens to a blank canvas filled with possibility. Users combine collage pieces and drawing tools to create original artwork, with no experience needed. Key features include:

Bilingual by design: a single tap in the app’s settings switches the entire experience between English and Spanish, so families can create in the language that feels like home.
Collage and drawing in one place: cut, layer and draw with style packs inspired by street art, pop art, modern art, cubism and punk.
For all ages, young and old: a kids mode simplifies the tools for the youngest artists, while the full studio gives professionals room to play.
From screen to print: an in-app print shop turns finished pieces into hoodies, t-shirts, mugs, tote bags, prints and more, delivered to the user’s door.

“I didn’t want this to be another app where your art sits on your iPad and goes nowhere. Quickdraw takes you from idea to print to delivery, so the thing you made can live in the real world.”

Quickdraw carries special meaning for Vargas as a Puerto Rican creative.

“This is a story about evolving. When the ground shifted under me, I had the choice to stand still or to grow. I chose to grow, and I built something bigger than me. It’s never too late to learn something new, to keep reaching for your potential, and to help make the world a more beautiful place.”

Availability

Quickdraw: Sketch & Art Studio is available now on the App Store for iPad, with a free trial. Learn more at ilovequickdraw.app.

About Michael Vargas

Michael Vargas is a Puerto Rican filmmaker and visual artist based in Los Angeles with over 25 years of experience. A two-time Emmy nominee, he co-founded the documentary production company Friends We Love and has created work with partners including KCET/PBS and The Getty. Alongside his film work, he maintains an active studio practice and leads community art workshops throughout Los Angeles. See his art at michaelvargas.art and his film work at friendswelove.com.