Do I need special software to draw

You are wanting what is called “Markup” in the apps you use.

Here is an official Apple support document on what you are looking for. I would encourage you to explore the other links in this article, including the ones at the very bottom in the “Learn” section...

Use Apple Pencil with iPad Pro and iPad (6th generation) - Apple Support

This is going to be slightly different in each app or non-existent. Not all apps have/need markup. You being one in a million that may want that does not necessarily mean that Apple should put it in there.

Here is an example... Use Markup in Mail on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support.

Other examples...

In that support article it mentions how to use markup in attachments in the built-in mail app.

In safari there is no way to just draw on a webpage, but if you take a screenshot, you can then draw on that screenshot and save it to your photos to use as your own or tap the share button at the bottom of the screenshot and share it with others.

In Pages, you can use Apple Pencil to create a drawing in Pages by tapping with the Apple Pencil on the document and it will ask you if you want to add a drawing in the selected cursor space. You tap ”Yes” and it will allow you to draw.

In photos, there is no way to open a photo and draw directly on the photo, but you can take a screenshot and then crop the screenshot and markup on the screenshot with Apple Pencil (or even with just your finger).

It is similar for all other apps. It either has built-in functionality or you take a screenshot and save the markups from the screenshots to photos or share the marked-up screenshot using messages, mail, etc.

Hope this all helps!

“Been using iPads heavily for its entire 8 year run!“

As have I my friend. OP was wanting to know what built-in functionality was. I was simply pointing them to it. Yes the App Store is a great place for great third party apps. I believe that the OP was wanting to know more specifically about editing photos and mail using Markup which I answered. Notes is also very capable of using the Apple Pencil as well. Does it have all the functionality of 3rd party apps? No. But for many people it doesn’t need to. They just need to know how to do it with basics and what built-in functionality is capable of.

FYI.

The new 2018 iPad with supoort for,the Apple Pencil really benefits more from third party apps that supoort tge Apple Pencil.

The ONLY apps that ONLY have basic support for the Apple Pencil is the Notes app for drawing/sketching only and Apple’s own Office/productivity apps and the Markup feature.

The Notes app ONLY lets you draw OR wrire in sketch mode.

The Notes app DOES NOT allow you to directly markup a typed text note nor turn handwritten notes or actual handwriting into text, either.

Typically, Apple does not have very strong support in its apps for its Apple Pencil.

It's productivity apps,this time around, are an exception to the rule/norm.

Apple likes to rely on third party app developers to help make their products shine.

The Apple Pencil is no exception and there are better third party apps that have more capabiiities to do what you want to do.

There are lots of other third party apps that can better handle drawing/writing on pictures/photos/images.

Also, better apps for drawing/sketching and taking handwritten notes using the Apple Pencil and even for handwriting to text.

There are close to 200 Apps, now, that support the Apple Pencil.

Almost all are superior in both implementation and features to any software produced by Apple for iOS.

Apple heavily relies on third party apps to supoort and make the iPad the best tablet device and tablet experience available.

This is why there is an App Store and ecosystem that exists for iOS with millions of apps!

Don’t limit yourself to the few apps that Apple offers.

There are much better third party alternative apps out in the App Store for, practically, anything you would like to do on an iPad/iOS device!

Been using iPads heavily for its entire 8 year run!

Uh,

You have your opinion.

I and others have theirs.

Apple's own apps are severely lacking in features support for the Apple Pencil.

The Apple Notes App is a very basic, barebones app with little to no real third party integration and very light in features!

I am using much more powerful ( more feature rich and more feature improved) third party apps than what Apple produces.

Third party apps support iOS and the Apple Pencil to a far greater degree than Apple has, to date.

This is fact.

Why do you thnk the iOS App Store even exists, then?

This is absolutely incorrect

Depends on the existing image. What do you have now (what do you want to draw on that is existing)? You have the Apple Pencil? As of now, you can draw in the Notes app that comes on the iPad. It essentially creates what amounts to an attachment in the note.

Other than that you can edit screenshots that you take with/without the Apple Pencil. You can use your finger.

More info would allow for a more accurate/complete answer.