7 Essential Procreate Painting Techniques for Stunning Digital Art

Daisie Team -

Contents

1. Mastering Brush Techniques

2. Using Layers for Complex Artwork

3. Perfecting Color Blending

4. Creating Custom Brushes

5. Incorporating Textures and Patterns

6. Exploring Procreate's Gesture Controls

7. Speeding Up Your Workflow with Shortcuts

If you're looking to up your digital art game with Procreate, you've come to the right place. In this blog, we'll explore seven essential Procreate painting techniques that will help you create stunning digital art. With these techniques, you'll be well on your way to making Procreate paintings that will leave your audience in awe.

1. Mastering Brush Techniques

To create impressive Procreate paintings, it's important to understand and master the brush techniques available in the app. Here are some tips to help you make the most of the brushes:

  • Explore the brush library: Procreate comes with a wide variety of brushes. Take some time to experiment with different brushes to find the ones that work best for your style.
  • Adjust brush settings: You can customize brush size, opacity, and other settings to achieve the desired effect. Don't be afraid to play around with these settings to find the perfect balance for your artwork.
  • Use pressure sensitivity: If you're using an Apple Pencil, take advantage of pressure sensitivity to create more dynamic strokes. By applying more pressure, you can create thicker lines; using less pressure will result in thinner lines.
  • Practice different stroke techniques: To improve your Procreate paintings, practice creating various types of strokes, such as cross-hatching, stippling, and blending. This will add depth and texture to your artwork.

By mastering brush techniques in Procreate, you'll be able to create digital art that captures the essence of traditional painting while taking advantage of the unique benefits digital tools have to offer.

2. Using Layers for Complex Artwork

Layers are a fundamental aspect of digital art, and understanding how to use them effectively can truly elevate your Procreate paintings. Here are some helpful tips for using layers in your artwork:

  • Organize your artwork: Use layers to separate different elements of your Procreate paintings, such as foreground, midground, and background. This will make it easier to edit specific parts of your artwork without affecting the rest of the image.
  • Experiment with blending modes: Procreate offers a variety of blending modes that can be applied to layers. Try using different modes, like Multiply or Overlay, to see how they affect the look and feel of your artwork.
  • Use masks for non-destructive editing: Layer masks allow you to hide or reveal parts of a layer without permanently erasing any pixels. This can be especially helpful when you want to make changes to your Procreate paintings without losing any work.
  • Take advantage of layer opacity: Adjusting the opacity of a layer can create interesting effects, such as making elements seem more transparent or blending colors together. Play around with layer opacity to add depth and dimension to your artwork.
  • Group layers: If your Procreate painting has many layers, organizing them into groups can help keep your workspace tidy and make it easier to navigate your project.

Using layers effectively in your Procreate paintings will allow you to create more complex and detailed artwork, giving you greater control over your creative process. So, don't be shy—embrace the power of layers and watch your digital art soar to new heights!

3. Perfecting Color Blending

Color blending is a vital skill for creating visually stunning Procreate paintings. Mastering this technique will help you achieve smooth transitions, realistic shading, and vibrant colors in your artwork. Here are some tips for perfecting color blending in Procreate:

  • Choose the right brush: Some brushes in Procreate are better suited for blending than others. Brushes with soft edges, like the Soft Airbrush or Blend Brush, can help you achieve smooth blends between colors.
  • Adjust brush settings: Experiment with brush opacity and flow to find the right balance for blending colors. Lower opacity and flow settings will allow for more subtle and gradual color transitions.
  • Use the color wheel: The color wheel in Procreate makes it easy to select and mix colors. Use the wheel to find complementary and contrasting colors that work well together in your artwork.
  • Apply light pressure: When blending colors, use a light touch with your stylus to create gradual transitions. Pressing too hard can result in harsh lines and uneven color distribution.
  • Practice, practice, practice: Like any skill, perfecting color blending takes time and practice. The more you experiment with blending in your Procreate paintings, the better you'll become at creating smooth, seamless color transitions.

By refining your color blending techniques, you'll be able to create Procreate paintings that are both eye-catching and realistic. So, grab your stylus and start blending—your digital art will thank you for it!

4. Creating Custom Brushes

One of the coolest features of Procreate is the ability to create your own custom brushes. This allows you to add unique textures and effects to your Procreate paintings, making your artwork truly one-of-a-kind. Here's a simple guide to get you started with creating custom brushes:

  1. Open the brush library: In Procreate, tap the brush icon to open your brush library.
  2. Create a new brush: Tap the "+" button in the top-right corner to create a new brush. This will open the brush settings menu.
  3. Select a base shape: Choose a base shape for your brush by tapping the "Shape" option. You can use one of the built-in shapes or create your own by importing an image.
  4. Adjust the settings: In the brush settings menu, you'll find a wide range of options to customize your brush. Experiment with the settings to create the desired texture, size, and behavior for your brush. Some important settings to consider are spacing, scatter, and jitter.
  5. Test your custom brush: Use the drawing pad in the brush settings menu to test your custom brush. Make adjustments to the settings as needed until you're happy with the results.
  6. Save your brush: Once you're satisfied with your custom brush, tap "Done" in the top-right corner to save it to your brush library.

Creating custom brushes can be a game-changer for your Procreate paintings, adding a level of depth and personalization that sets your work apart from the rest. So, don't be afraid to explore and experiment—the possibilities are endless!

5. Incorporating Textures and Patterns

Textures and patterns can add depth and realism to your Procreate paintings, making them more visually interesting and engaging. Here are some ways to incorporate textures and patterns into your digital artwork:

  1. Using textured brushes: Procreate comes with a variety of textured brushes that can help you easily add texture to your artwork. You can also create your own custom brushes, as discussed in the previous section.
  2. Importing images: You can import images with interesting textures or patterns and use them as a base for your painting. To do this, tap the "Actions" menu (wrench icon), select "Add," and choose "Insert a photo" or "Insert a file."
  3. Using layer blending modes: Experiment with different layer blending modes to combine textures and patterns with your artwork. You can achieve various effects by changing the blending mode of a texture layer, such as Multiply, Overlay, or Soft Light.
  4. Creating patterns with the symmetry tool: Procreate's symmetry tool can help you create intricate patterns easily. To enable symmetry, open the "Actions" menu, choose "Canvas," and then toggle on "Drawing Guide." Tap "Edit Drawing Guide" and select "Symmetry" to start creating symmetrical patterns.
  5. Applying masks and alpha lock: You can use masks and alpha lock to apply textures and patterns selectively to specific areas of your Procreate paintings. To use alpha lock, swipe right with two fingers on a layer, and to create a mask, tap the layer and select "Mask."

By incorporating textures and patterns into your Procreate paintings, you can elevate your artwork and make it more visually appealing. Remember, you can always adjust the opacity of your texture or pattern layer to achieve the perfect balance between your base artwork and the added details.

6. Exploring Procreate's Gesture Controls

Procreate's gesture controls make it easy and intuitive to navigate and manipulate your digital canvas. By understanding these controls, you'll be able to work more efficiently and focus on creating stunning Procreate paintings. Here are some useful gesture controls to explore:

  1. Two-finger tap to undo: Make a mistake? No problem! Simply tap with two fingers on the screen to undo your last action. You can do this multiple times to undo several steps.
  2. Three-finger swipe to redo: Changed your mind about an undo? Swipe with three fingers on the screen to redo the action.
  3. Pinch to zoom and rotate: Use a two-finger pinch or spread gesture to zoom in and out of your canvas. You can also rotate your canvas by twisting your fingers while pinching.
  4. Three-finger scrub to clear a layer: Quickly delete the contents of a layer by performing a scrubbing motion with three fingers on the screen.
  5. QuickMenu: Procreate's QuickMenu is a handy feature that allows you to access your most-used actions with just a tap. To enable it, go to the "Actions" menu, choose "Prefs," and toggle on "QuickMenu." Then, tap and hold anywhere on the screen with one finger to bring up the QuickMenu.

These are just a few of the many gesture controls available in Procreate. By mastering these gestures, you'll be able to work more efficiently and spend less time navigating menus, allowing you to focus on creating beautiful Procreate paintings.

7. Speeding Up Your Workflow with Shortcuts

Utilizing shortcuts in Procreate can significantly speed up your workflow and help you create Procreate paintings more efficiently. By taking advantage of these shortcuts, you'll be able to spend more time focusing on your art and less time searching for the right tool or menu. Here are some helpful shortcuts to keep in mind:

  1. Color picker shortcut: To quickly access the color picker, press and hold your finger on the screen. This will allow you to sample a color directly from your canvas.
  2. Brush size and opacity adjustment: Slide your finger left or right on the brush size slider to increase or decrease the size of your brush. Similarly, slide your finger up or down on the opacity slider to adjust the opacity of your brush.
  3. Eyedropper tool: You can access the eyedropper tool by pressing and holding the color circle in the top right corner of the screen. This allows you to quickly sample colors from your canvas.
  4. Toggle visibility of UI: To quickly hide or show the user interface, tap on the screen with four fingers. This can help you focus on your Procreate painting without any distractions.
  5. Full-screen mode: To enter full-screen mode, swipe up with four fingers. This will hide all of the toolbars and give you a clean, unobstructed view of your canvas.

By incorporating these shortcuts into your workflow, you'll be able to create stunning Procreate paintings more efficiently, giving you more time to experiment and refine your artistic skills.

If you're eager to dive into the world of digital art, we highly recommend the workshop 'Procreate Basics: Making Digital Art' by Sameera Maruvada. This workshop will provide you with essential tips and techniques for getting started with Procreate, a powerful tool for creating stunning digital art.