Creating Perfect Shapes in Procreate: A Guide

Daisie Team -

Contents

1. Get Familiar with Procreate

2. Start with Simple Shapes

3. Master the Use of Layers

4. Experiment with Colors and Textures

5. Refine Your Shapes with Advanced Tools

6. Save and Share Your Work

Procreate, a popular, powerful digital illustration app, often leaves newbies wondering, "how to make shapes in Procreate?" Making perfect shapes might seem a bit intimidating at first, but this guide will walk you through the process step-by-step. Let's start the journey into the world of Procreate and learn how to craft flawless shapes that bring your art to life.

1. Get Familiar with Procreate

Before jumping straight into making shapes, understanding the Procreate environment is key. It's like getting to know your new playground before you start to play. So let's understand what Procreate is, explore its interface, and get a feel for its tools and brushes.

Overview of Procreate

Procreate is a game-changing app for digital artists, illustrators, and anyone with a creative spark. It's a one-stop-shop for everything art-related, offering a wide range of tools, brushes, and features to help you craft your masterpiece. The best part? It's portable—so you can create anywhere, anytime, right on your iPad.

Getting to Know the Interface

The Procreate interface is clean and intuitive, but it's packed with features. Here are the basics:

  • The Toolbar sits at the top of the screen and houses your essential tools—like brushes, eraser, and layers.
  • The Canvas is your workspace, the blank page where all the magic happens.
  • The Color Picker (the circle at the top right) is your palette, where you choose the color for your next stroke.
  • The Sliders on the left control the size and opacity of your brush.

Getting comfortable with the interface is like learning the layout of a new city—it makes getting around much easier.

Explore Tools and Brushes

Procreate offers an impressive array of brushes and tools. Here's a quick rundown:

  • Brushes: From sketching pencils to texture brushes, there's a brush for every style and technique. You can even customize your own!
  • Smudge: This tool acts like a digital finger, smearing your digital paint around the canvas. Great for blending and creating smooth gradients.
  • Erase: It does exactly what you think—erases. But it's also a brush, so you can erase with the same texture and style as you draw.
  • Layers: This feature allows you to draw on top of your artwork without affecting the original. It's like having infinite pages in your sketchbook.

Exploring these tools is like trying out different instruments—you'll find what works best for your symphony of shapes.

2. Start with Simple Shapes

Now that you're familiar with Procreate, it's time to start making shapes. Drawing might seem challenging at first, but remember, every complex illustration begins with simple shapes. Let's learn how to draw basic shapes, use guidelines for precision, and practice consistency to perfect our skills.

Drawing Basic Shapes

Shapes are the building blocks of every drawing. Here's how to make shapes in Procreate:

  • Circle: Press and hold your pencil on the screen and draw a round shape. Don't lift your pencil—Procreate will automatically perfect your circle.
  • Square/Rectangle: Just like the circle, draw a rough square or rectangle and hold your pencil down. Procreate will straighten your lines and angles.
  • Triangle: Draw three connected lines and hold. Procreate will make your triangle symmetrical.

Remember, it's all about practice. The more you draw, the better you get.

Using Guidelines

Guidelines are your secret weapon for drawing perfect shapes. They're like invisible lines that guide your pencil, helping you draw straighter lines and better proportions. Here's how to use them:

  • Tap on the wrench icon (Actions menu) at the top left of the screen.
  • Select "Canvas" from the drop-down menu.
  • Turn on "Drawing Guide". This will overlay a grid on your canvas.
  • You can customize the grid size and color to fit your drawing needs.

With guidelines, it's like having a math teacher by your side, making sure every line and angle is just right.

Practicing Consistency

Consistency is key when learning how to make shapes in Procreate. It's about drawing the same shape over and over again until it becomes second nature. The goal is to train your hand to make precise, consistent shapes without even thinking about it.

Here are a few practice tips:

  • Set a timer: Draw shapes for 15 minutes every day. You'll be amazed at the progress you make in a week.
  • Vary your sizes: Draw big circles, tiny squares, long rectangles. This helps improve your control and flexibility.
  • Rotate your canvas: This can give you a new perspective and challenge your hand-eye coordination.

Remember, Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither is your skill in making shapes in Procreate. Keep practicing, and soon, you'll be crafting shapes like a pro.

3. Master the Use of Layers

Now that you're getting the hang of shapes, it's time to level up your game. In Procreate, layers are like transparent sheets stacked on top of each other. By mastering layers, you can easily organize, modify, and add complexity to your artwork. Let's understand layers better and learn how to create, manage, and use layer modes effectively.

Understanding Layers

Think of layers as individual sheets of glass stacked on top of each other. You can draw on each sheet separately, and when viewed from the top, all the drawings combine to form a complete picture. In terms of how to make shapes in Procreate, layers allow you to create complex shapes by combining simple ones. For example, you could create a star by overlapping two triangles on separate layers.

Creating and Managing Layers

Creating a new layer is as simple as tapping the '+' button in the layers panel. But managing layers, now that's an art in itself. Here are some tips:

  • Organize your layers: It's a good idea to keep related shapes on the same layer. For example, if you're drawing a tree, you might have one layer for the trunk, another for the leaves, and so on.
  • Rename your layers: With complex drawings, you might end up with dozens of layers. To keep track of them, tap on a layer and select 'Rename' from the pop-up menu.
  • Use layer visibility: You can hide or reveal layers by tapping the checkmark next to them. This is useful when you want to focus on one part of your drawing without being distracted by the rest.

By managing your layers effectively, you'll have more control over your artwork and find it easier to make changes or corrections.

Using Layer Modes

Layer modes, also known as blend modes, allow you to create interesting effects by changing how a layer interacts with the layers beneath it. For example, the 'Multiply' mode darkens the artwork, while 'Screen' lightens it. Here's how to use layer modes:

  1. Select the layer you want to change.
  2. Tap the 'N' symbol next to the checkmark.
  3. A list of layer modes will appear. Select the one you want to apply.

Experiment with different layer modes to see what effects you can create. Remember, digital art is all about experimentation and discovery! By mastering layers, you'll add depth and complexity to your shapes, taking your Procreate art to the next level.

4. Experiment with Colors and Textures

Once you've mastered the art of layers, it's time to add some life to your shapes. Colors can convey emotions and set the mood of your artwork, while textures can give it depth and interest. But how do you choose the right colors and textures? Let's find out.

Choosing Colors

Choosing the right colors can seem daunting, but don't worry! Procreate comes with a versatile color picker to help you out. You can choose colors based on hue, saturation, and brightness, or even input hex codes if you have specific colors in mind. Remember, colors can have a huge impact on how your shapes are perceived, so don't be afraid to experiment until you find a combination that works for you.

Applying Textures

Textures can add a whole new dimension to your shapes. To apply a texture in Procreate, you'll first need to choose a textured brush. There are plenty of brushes available, from rough and grainy to smooth and soft. You can even create your own custom brushes if you want something truly unique. When applying textures, remember that less is often more. A subtle texture can give your shapes a sense of depth and realism without overwhelming the viewer.

Blending Colors and Textures

Now comes the fun part — blending colors and textures to create something truly unique. The key to blending is to experiment with different techniques until you find what works for you. Procreate offers several blending tools, from the soft and diffuse 'Smudge' tool to the powerful 'Liquify' tool. You can also use layer modes to blend colors and textures in interesting ways. By experimenting with different combinations, you'll soon learn how to make shapes in Procreate that are rich, vibrant, and full of life.

5. Refine Your Shapes with Advanced Tools

Now that your shapes have color and texture, it's time to take your artwork to the next level. Procreate offers a range of advanced tools that allow you to refine your shapes and add that extra bit of polish. Let's take a look at some of the most useful ones.

Using the Smudge and Erase Tools

Smudging and erasing are essential parts of the creative process. The Smudge tool can be used to blend colors together, smooth out rough textures, or create interesting effects. The Erase tool, on the other hand, is perfect for correcting mistakes or creating negative space in your artwork. Both tools can be customized with different brushes, giving you complete control over their effect and intensity.

Making Use of the Liquify Tool

The Liquify tool is one of the most powerful tools in Procreate. It allows you to warp and distort your shapes in a variety of ways, from subtle tweaks to dramatic transformations. It's a great way to refine your shapes and add a touch of dynamism to your artwork. Be careful, though; the Liquify tool is powerful, but it can also be easy to overdo. Use it sparingly for the best results.

Applying Adjustment Effects

Adjustment effects are a great way to tweak your artwork and give it a professional finish. Procreate offers a range of adjustment effects, from simple brightness and contrast adjustments to more complex effects like Gaussian blur and noise. By learning how to use these effects, you can add depth and complexity to your shapes, making them stand out even more. Remember: the goal is to enhance your artwork, not overpower it. Choose your effects wisely, and your shapes will shine.

6. Save and Share Your Work

After spending time and effort creating and refining your shapes in Procreate, it's now time to share your work with the world. From exporting your work in different formats to sharing it on social media, here's how to make sure your Procreate art gets the attention it deserves.

Exporting Your Work

Procreate allows you to export your artwork in a variety of formats, including JPEG, PNG, and even PSD for further editing in Photoshop. When exporting, it's important to choose the right format for your needs. For example, if you want to preserve the transparency of your shapes, PNG is the way to go. But if you're more concerned about file size, you might opt for JPEG instead.

Sharing on Social Media

Social media is a great platform to showcase your Procreate artwork and connect with other artists. Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest, for instance, are all excellent platforms for visual artists. When sharing your work, remember to include relevant hashtags like #ProcreateArt or #DigitalArt to increase visibility. Also, consider joining Procreate communities or groups where you can share your work and get constructive feedback.

Creating a Portfolio

If you're serious about your art, creating a portfolio can be a great step forward. Websites like Behance or Dribbble allow you to showcase your work professionally. When creating your portfolio, remember to include a variety of your best works. Also, don't forget to tell the story behind each piece; this helps viewers understand your creative process and connect more deeply with your art.

If you're interested in further developing your Procreate skills after reading the "Creating Perfect Shapes in Procreate: A Guide" blog post, don't miss the workshop titled 'How to Draw A Fruit In ProCreate' by Vicky Catalan. This workshop will teach you the techniques and tricks to create beautifully detailed fruit illustrations in Procreate, helping you refine your digital art skills even more.