10 Essential Anime Procreate Brushes for Digital Artists

Written by Daisie Team

Published on 11 July 2023 9 min read

3. Dive into the World of Gouache Brushes

4. Learn the Art of Inking with Ink Brushes

5. Experiment with Watercolor Brushes

6. Master the Use of Texture Brushes

7. Play Around with Smudge Brushes

8. Fiddle with the Charcoal Brushes

9. Try Your Hand at Acrylic Brushes

10. Embrace the Variety of Special Effect Brushes

As a digital artist, you can bring your anime dreams to life using Procreate, a powerful drawing app brimming with a broad variety of brushes. The right brushes can make your artwork pop off the screen, but with so many options, it can be tough to know where to start. That's why we've hand-picked 10 essential anime Procreate brushes to help you create your next masterpiece.

1. Get the Gist of Procreate

Before we dive into the brushes, let's get our bearings with Procreate. It's an iPad app that's won the hearts of digital artists worldwide. With its user-friendly interface and vast library of brushes, it's no wonder that Procreate has become the go-to tool for creating anime art.

Here are a few Procreate basics to help you get started:

Canvas: You can create a new canvas by clicking on the '+' button on the top right of the screen. Procreate offers several preset sizes, but you can also customize the size to fit your project.
Layers: This feature lets you draw on multiple layers, which you can then rearrange, merge, or adjust individually. To create a new layer, click on the layer icon (it looks like two squares).
Brush Library: This is where you'll find all your brushes. You can access it by clicking on the brush icon in the top right corner. Here, you can select, customize, and even create your own brushes.
Color Palette: To choose a color, click on the circle in the top right corner. Procreate offers a variety of ways to select colors, from a classic color wheel to a value slider.

Now that you've gotten the gist of Procreate, it's time to explore its impressive range of brushes. These include everything from basic brushes for sketching and inking to more specific ones for texture and special effects. Among these, you'll find a diverse collection of anime Procreate brushes that can help you create stunning manga and anime artwork.

2. Explore Anime Brushes

When it comes to anime Procreate brushes, there's a whole world to explore. Anime brushes are designed to emulate the distinctive style of anime and manga art. Made for sketching, inking, coloring, and even creating special effects, these brushes can elevate your digital art to a new level.

Here's a quick look at some of the anime brushes you might find in Procreate:

Line Brushes: Perfect for sketching out your characters and scenes. These brushes have a smooth, clean line that's ideal for creating the sharp edges and sleek looks often seen in anime art.
Shading Brushes: These provide a range of textures and gradients, perfect for adding depth and dimension to your drawings. With these brushes, you can achieve the distinctive cell-shading look typical in anime.
Texture Brushes: Want to add a bit of grit or grain to your anime art? Texture brushes let you do just that. They can help to give your work a more organic, hand-drawn feel.
Effect Brushes: From magical sparkles to dynamic speed lines, effect brushes can add that extra wow-factor to your anime art. They can help you to bring your scenes to life, adding dramatic flair to action scenes or a touch of magic to fantasy settings.

Remember, the best way to get familiar with these anime Procreate brushes is to play around with them. Don't be afraid to experiment and see what each brush can do. You might be surprised by the effects you can achieve!

3. Dive into the World of Gouache Brushes

Now let's dive into the world of gouache brushes in Procreate. If you're new to the term, let me break it down for you. Gouache refers to a type of paint that's similar to watercolor but more opaque. It's known for its color vibrancy and versatility, and it's a popular choice among many anime artists.

So, what can you expect from gouache brushes in Procreate? Here's a quick rundown:

Smooth Brushes: These brushes are perfect for creating a smooth, even base layer for your artwork. They're great for blocking in big areas of color.
Detail Brushes: These brushes are designed for adding fine details to your work. You can use them to paint in the intricate patterns on a character's outfit or to bring out the texture in their hair.
Texture Brushes: With these brushes, you can add a bit of texture to your artwork. They mimic the unique, grainy look of real gouache paint.
Mixing Brushes: Want to blend your colors together? That's where mixing brushes come in. They allow you to mix your digital colors much like you would with real paint, creating a seamless blend.

Finding the right gouache brushes for your style can make a big difference in your anime art. So don't be shy — dive in and start experimenting with these versatile tools in Procreate!

4. Learn the Art of Inking with Ink Brushes

Okay, you've mastered the art of laying down your base colors with the gouache brushes. But what's next? Or rather, what could make your anime drawings pop and stand out? The answer is simple: ink brushes.

Ink brushes are the unsung heroes of the digital art world. They're what you need to add the finishing touches to your work, and they can do wonders for your anime art. Here's why:

Line Art: With ink brushes, you can create crisp, clean line art that makes your characters stand out. Whether you're drawing the outline of a character or adding in small details, ink brushes are your best bet.
Shading: Use the ink brushes to add depth to your work through shading. Just remember, the key to good shading is to pay attention to your light source!
Contrast: Ink brushes can help you create contrast in your work, adding depth and dimension to your anime creations.

Remember, practice makes perfect. So, don't be afraid to play around with different ink brushes, see how they feel, and find the ones that work best for you and your style of anime art.

5. Experiment with Watercolor Brushes

Let's move on to a type of brush that can add a touch of whimsy and softness to your anime art: watercolor brushes. If you've tried traditional watercolor painting before, you might be thinking—how can I possibly replicate that effect digitally? Well, you're in for a surprise! Anime Procreate brushes offer an amazing selection of watercolor brushes that mimic the real deal.

Why should you consider using watercolor brushes in your anime art? Let's find out:

Blending: Just like in traditional watercolor painting, these brushes allow you to blend colors smoothly, creating a seamless transition between different shades and hues. This can add a magical, dreamy effect that's perfect for certain anime scenes or characters.
Layering: Watercolor brushes let you build up layers of color, adding depth and complexity to your characters and backgrounds. This can add a whole new dimension to your anime art.
Transparency: One of the coolest features of watercolor brushes is their transparency. You can use this to your advantage to create light, ethereal effects, or to subtly show something behind a character or object.

So, go ahead and give these watercolor brushes a shot. Experiment, try different techniques, and see how they can enhance your anime Procreate brushes collection and your overall art!

6. Master the Use of Texture Brushes

Next up on our anime procreate brushes journey, we have texture brushes. Just like the name suggests, these brushes are all about adding texture to your digital art. But what does 'texture' mean in this context? It's all about creating a sense of depth and dimension in your artwork. A flat piece of digital art can come alive with the right use of texture brushes.

Here are some of the reasons why texture brushes are a must-have:

Variety: From rough and gritty to soft and fluffy, texture brushes come in a range of styles. This means you can add all sorts of effects to your anime art, creating a visually interesting piece that stands out.
Realism: If you're aiming for a more realistic style of anime art, texture brushes can be your best friend. They can mimic the look and feel of different materials, like fabric, hair, skin, or even the roughness of a stone wall in a background scene.
Depth: As mentioned before, texture brushes are great for adding depth to your art. They can help create the illusion of a three-dimensional space, making your anime characters and scenes pop out of the screen.

Remember, mastering texture brushes is all about practice. So, don't be afraid to play around with different brushes and see how they can elevate your anime procreate brushes toolkit.

7. Play Around with Smudge Brushes

Now, let's talk about smudge brushes—one of anime procreate brushes' secret weapons. Smudge brushes are all about blending, creating smooth transitions, and pulling off those perfect anime gradients. It's like having a magic wand that can blur, smear, and soften your colors, giving your artwork a polished look. But how can you make the most of smudge brushes? Here are some pointers:

Start small: Smudge brushes can be a bit tricky to handle at first. So, it might be a good idea to start with smaller brush sizes until you feel confident to go bigger. This way, you'll get a better control over your blending.
Experiment with pressure: The amount of pressure you apply can affect how much your colors blend. Try varying your pressure to see the different effects you can achieve.
Play with opacity: Lowering the opacity of your smudge brush can help create a more subtle blending effect. So, don't hesitate to adjust the opacity to suit your needs.

Remember, the more you practice with your smudge brushes, the more comfortable you'll become. Before you know it, you'll be blending like a pro and bringing your anime procreate brushes to a whole new level!

8. Fiddle with the Charcoal Brushes

Ah, charcoal brushes—one of the unsung heroes in the world of anime procreate brushes. They add a touch of traditional art to your digital canvas and are perfect for sketching, shading, and adding those little details that can make your anime characters pop. So, are you ready to fiddle with charcoal brushes? Here's how:

Start with a sketch: Charcoal brushes are great for sketching. Their natural texture can give your initial sketches a unique feel. Just set the opacity low, and you're good to go.
Shade your way: When it comes to shading, charcoal brushes are the real MVPs. They can create a range of tones and gradations, helping you achieve a more realistic look in your anime drawings.
Don't forget the details: Charcoal brushes can also be used for adding details. Just increase the brush size, and you can add those fine lines and textures that can take your artwork to the next level.

With charcoal brushes, it's all about having fun and exploring different possibilities. So, don't be afraid to fiddle around and see what works best for you. After all, that's what using anime procreate brushes is all about—experimenting, learning, and improving!

9. Try Your Hand at Acrylic Brushes

Acrylic brushes: they're bold, they're vibrant, and they're an absolute joy to use when it comes to anime Procreate brushes. So, what are you waiting for? It's time to try your hand at acrylic brushes and see the magic unfold!

Go Bold with Base Colors: Acrylic brushes are known for their bold colors. Begin by laying down your base colors. The thick, opaque nature of these brushes helps in covering large areas with ease. Perfect for those vibrant anime characters, right?
Layer it Up: One of the coolest things about acrylic brushes is their ability to layer. You can add multiple layers of colors to create depth and dimension in your artwork. Remember: patience is key here!
Add Some Highlights: Last but not least, use your acrylic brushes to add highlights. This will give your anime characters that shiny, glossy look we all love!

Acrylic brushes can take a bit of practice, but once you get the hang of it, there's no stopping you. So go ahead, try your hand at these anime Procreate brushes and watch your digital art skills soar!

10. Embrace the Variety of Special Effect Brushes

Have you ever wondered how those stunning visual effects in your favorite anime are created? The answer lies in the variety of special effect brushes. They are the final touch, the cherry on top for your anime Procreate brushes collection.

Sparkle and Shine: Special effect brushes like the sparkle brush can add a magical touch to your anime character's eyes or clothing. It's like adding a sprinkle of stardust!
Fire up: Fire brushes can be used to create dramatic scenes, like a blazing battle or a fiery sunset. Remember, it's all in the details!
Light it Up: Light brushes can be used to create a serene glow around your anime characters or to light up a dark scene. These brushes truly have the power to set the mood!

Embracing the variety of special effect brushes will truly set your anime art apart. So, equip your anime Procreate brushes arsenal with these special effect brushes and let your creativity run wild!

If you're excited about enhancing your digital art skills with Anime Procreate brushes, you'll definitely want to explore the workshop 'Animating with Procreate and Photoshop' by Nyanza. In this workshop, you'll learn how to create stunning animations using Procreate and Photoshop, taking your digital art to a whole new level of mastery.