The Procreate app for iPad is not only the killer cell app for artists—it’s genuinely the most effective portray packages ever launched.
So What Is the Procreate App?
On this A to Z of Procreate, I’ll reply that query with 26 mini Procreate tutorials, in addition to Procreate suggestions and methods that may reveal why it’s so in style amongst digital artists in the present day.
What You Will Study
Among the many stuff you’ll be taught are:
- Learn how to add new brushes in Procreate
- Learn how to set up new fonts and magnificence textual content
- Learn how to mix and erase whereas sustaining texture
- Learn how to change opacity in Procreate
- Methods for working with palettes and colours
And if you happen to’d quite watch than learn, try the video model on our Envato Tuts+ YouTube Channel:
A is for Add New Brushes
You may add new Procreate brushes to the default assortment by opening the Brush panel and tapping the “+” button:
Then faucet the Import button:
Browse for and choose a suitable brush pack:
You’ll then see the comb pack seem within the Brush panel:
Yow will discover over 150 of the very best Procreate brush packs within the devoted Procreate part at Envato Parts.
B is for Mixing Modes
Procreate has 26 completely different mixing modes you’ll be able to apply to layers.
By default, a layer’s mixing mode will probably be set to “Regular”, as indicated by the letter N to the proper of the layer identify:
To vary to a distinct mixing mode, faucet that letter N and an inventory of all obtainable mixing modes will develop so that you can select from:
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C is for Altering Opacity
It’s not instantly apparent the way to change opacity in Procreate, but it surely’s simple as soon as you know the way. There are two methods to get there.
The primary is to open the Layers panel and faucet on the mixing mode indicator. When you do this, an area will open up exhibiting an opacity slider on the prime:
Alternatively, you’ll be able to two-finger faucet on the layer and an opacity indicator will seem alongside the highest of the canvas. Slide your finger to the left on the canvas to lower opacity and to the proper to extend it:
D is for Drag & Drop to Fill
For those who’d prefer to know the way to fill in Procreate, it’s tremendous simple. All you need to do is drag your lively shade out of your palette and drop it into the world you wish to fill:
If there’s a little bit jaggedness across the edges, maintain for a second earlier than dropping the colour and drag to the left or proper to manage how the sting of the fill is positioned:
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E is for Erase & Mix With Matching Brush
While you’re portray with a textured brush, you don’t wish to damage that texture by erasing with a daily spherical brush.
As an alternative, erase with an identical brush by tapping the eraser icon twice to open its panel then selecting the identical brush you’re portray with:
Now, if you erase, your textured model will stay constant:
For those who’re questioning the way to mix in Procreate, the method is similar, so you’ll be able to mix with an identical brush as effectively:
F is for Fonts
Procreate makes font set up a easy matter of drag and drop.
Obtain some fonts for Procreate, and for that objective you’ll be able to select from over 18,000 fonts obtainable at Envato Parts. Any TTC, TTF, and OTF recordsdata are suitable:
Then open up the Information app and Procreate facet by facet, and simply drag and drop the fonts onto the canvas to have them mechanically imported:
Add textual content to your design by tapping the wrench icon, and underneath Add, select Add textual content:
Choose the textual content, after which open the Edit Type panel by tapping both the font identify or weight:
Right here you’ll be able to select from amongst your Procreate fonts, set a weight, management the sizing, spacing, and opacity, and set the alignment:
G is for Grouping Layers
Layers in Procreate will be grouped by swiping proper on every layer you wish to add to a bunch, after which tapping the Group button on the prime proper:
Teams let you transfer and resize a number of layers without delay, in addition to transferring a number of layers up and down within the layer stack without delay.
H is for Harmonies
Deciding on colours that harmonize is simple by the Colour panel.
Open the Colour panel and change to Concord on the backside. You’ll see a number of reticles, the most important of which is your at present lively shade. The opposite reticles are colours that harmonize with the lively shade. Click on a distinct reticle to set that shade because the lively one.
Swap between 5 completely different shade harmonies by clicking the present concord identify. Transfer the lively reticle, and all the opposite reticles will transfer to keep up the chosen shade concord.
I is for Immediate Palette
You may immediately create a Procreate shade palette from any {photograph}.
Open the Colour panel and change to Palettes on the backside. Click on the “+” button on the prime proper and select New from pictures:
Choose a photograph, and Procreate will mechanically extract colours from it and add them to a palette:
J is for Simply Faucet
All you have to do to undo modifications in Procreate is faucet anyplace on the canvas with two fingers.
Conversely, you’ll be able to redo steps by tapping with three fingers.
And a four-finger faucet will disguise the interface or present it once more.
Ok is for Photoshop Killer?
Procreate will be bought for an astoundingly low, one-time, flat USD $9.99. That’s the value of a single month of Photoshop.
This huge distinction in worth leaves lots of people questioning about Procreate vs. Photoshop. Might you employ Procreate as a Photoshop alternative?
It is determined by what you employ Photoshop for, however in lots of circumstances, sure, you could possibly use Procreate as a alternative.
If you’re primarily a digital painter, you could possibly most undoubtedly change to Procreate. Likewise, if you happen to want software program for frame-by-frame animation, picture manipulation or photo-bashing, hand lettering, and even pixel artwork, there’s an excellent probability Procreate will have the ability to adequately substitute Photoshop for you.
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L is for Line Artwork
If you’re working with line artwork and don’t wish to by chance make modifications to it whereas coloring, you’ll be able to make the most of the Reference perform.
Faucet the layer with line artwork on it, after which activate the Reference property.
Now, if you happen to drag and drop colours onto different layers, the fill will keep inside the road artwork, as if all the pieces was on a single layer:
M is for Masking and Clipping
To create a masks for any layer, simply faucet that layer after which select Masks from the popup menu:
A masks layer will then be added above. Paint in black on the masks to cover components of the lively layer, in white to indicate it, and in grey for transparency:
To make use of a clipping masks, add a layer above the layer with the form you wish to use for clipping. You may paint on the brand new layer earlier than or after activating clipping. While you’re prepared, faucet the layer you wish to act because the clipping form and select Clipping Masks:
Something you paint on the clipped layer will solely present if it’s throughout the bounds of the clipping form:
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N is for No Line Wobble
To assist together with your Procreate drawing or line artwork, brushes have a line smoothing setting known as StreamLine. The extra you improve the setting, the smoother your traces will probably be:
Entry the StreamLine setting by choosing a brush from the Paint menu, after which tapping it a second time to open up its settings. The StreamLine setting is positioned underneath the Stroke path tab:
O is for Open the Fast Menu
Procreate has a six-item radial menu known as the Fast Menu. To activate it, faucet the wrench icon, go to Prefs, and select Gesture controls:
Go into the QuickMenu tab, after which select the gesture you wish to use to open the QuickMenu:
When you open the QuickMenu, you’ll be able to customise any of its objects by long-pressing them after which selecting a distinct motion:
P is for Paint With Filters
Relatively than filters being utilized to entire layers, you even have the choice to color the areas wherein you’d like a filter to take impact.
Faucet the wand icon, select an adjustment filter, after which faucet the pencil choice:
Begin portray on a layer, and the filter will have an effect on solely the areas you paint, with the depth decided by the pen stress:
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Q is for Fast Shapes
Procreate doesn’t have devoted form drawing instruments, however what it does have is Fast Shapes.
Draw out any form, as roughly as you want, and maintain the pencil in place on the finish of the final line:
The traces will mechanically snap into excellent straight traces, or curves if you happen to drew an ellipse. From right here, you’ll be able to transfer the place of your pencil to vary the rotation and dimension of the form. Earlier than you raise the pencil, if you happen to place a finger onto the canvas as effectively, the proportions and angles of the form will probably be adjusted and may kind excellent squares and circles.
R is for Reference Field
You may simply hold your reference pictures available whereas working by tapping the wrench icon, selecting Canvas, after which toggling on the Reference choice:
A field will seem, into which you’ll be able to import any picture:
S is for Snapping
When making transformations, activate snapping to get some very helpful help for transferring, scaling, and rotating.
Activate Magnetics to activate blue tips that behave like railroad tracks, supplying you with some stickiness if you transfer alongside these traces and serving to you with repositioning:
Activate Snapping to snap to the sides and middle factors of different layers, and of the canvas, in addition to snapping for rotation increments:
T is for Two Brushes
You may combine any two brushes right into a single “twin“ brush.
Choose your first brush, after which swipe proper to pick out one other brush from the identical set. Faucet the Mix button on the prime of the panel:
You’ll then have the ability to paint with each brushes on the similar time:
U is for Unstacking and Stacking
“Stacks” in Procreate are a manner of organizing your paperwork into classes throughout the Gallery.
To create a stack, long-press a doc to pick out it. Optionally, faucet different paperwork so as to add them to your choice. Then drop the paperwork onto one other doc to create a stack. Faucet the stack identify if you happen to’d prefer to rename it.
To unstack paperwork, first go right into a stack by tapping it, after which long-press a doc to pick out it. Once more, you’ll be able to optionally faucet different paperwork to pick out them too. Then drag the choice as much as the highest left and maintain it over the stack identify. After a second, you’ll be taken out of the stack and into the gallery, the place you’ll be able to launch the choice to drop them again into the highest stage.
V is for Video Time Lapse
Procreate can seize a time-lapse video of your works, with no noticeable influence on the efficiency of the software program.
To activate video recording, faucet the wrench icon, go to Video, and toggle Time-lapse Recording on:
While you’re executed together with your piece, return to the identical place within the menu and faucet Time-lapse Replay to look at your time-lapse video again. Or faucet Export Time-lapse video to generate a video file.
W is for Warp and Distort
Procreate has highly effective warping and distorting performance that permits you to remold the form of any layer. To entry each features, faucet on the arrow icon to open the Remodel Toolbar:
Distort is the third tab on the toolbar and is nice for doing issues like modifying the obvious perspective of a form, whereas sustaining the looks of flatness:
Warp is the fourth tab and is superb for extra detailed manipulation that modifications the curvature of the form:
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X & Y are for XY Axis Drawing Information
Get your traces completely aligned into the X and Y axes through the use of the 2D grid drawing information.
Faucet the wrench icon, go to Canvas, toggle on Drawing Information, after which faucet Edit Drawing Information:
From right here, underneath 2D Grid, set the grid dimension you need, activate Assisted Drawing, after which faucet Achieved:
Now, all of the traces you draw will probably be locked into exact alignment:
You may as well use the identical method to help you with drawing isometric traces, perspective traces, and in symmetry:
Z is for Zoom and Rotate
You may zoom and rotate your complete picture by tapping the wrench icon, going to the Canvas part, and selecting utilizing the Crop and Resize perform:
To zoom in on the picture, drag the sunshine grey handles of the canvas inward, and drag it round to reposition it. And to rotate the picture, faucet Settings, after which within the dropdown panel that seems, drag the Rotation slider left or proper:
Wrapping Up
In order that’s the A to Z of Procreate: 26 of the best options, suggestions and methods that will help you take full benefit of the software program.
And that will help you together with Procreate much more, get your self stocked up with an important huge stack of brushes, fonts and different belongings to make use of with it over at Envato Parts.
