Disable Pressure Sensitivity in Procreate: A Guide

Daisie Team -

Contents

1. Get Familiar with Procreate

2. Locate Pressure Sensitivity Settings

3. Understand Pressure Sensitivity

4. Disable Pressure Sensitivity

5. Troubleshoot Common Issues

6. Explore Creating Without Pressure

If you've found yourself wondering how to turn off pressure sensitivity in Procreate, you're not alone. This guide will take you through all the necessary steps, from understanding the basics of Procreate to successfully disabling pressure sensitivity. So, let's get started!

1. Get Familiar with Procreate

Before diving into the specifics of pressure sensitivity, it's important to understand the basics of Procreate. This digital illustration app is a gem with its intuitive interface, diverse tools, and advanced layering capabilities. Here's what you need to know:

Understanding the Interface

The Procreate interface is user-friendly and might seem pretty straightforward if you've used other digital art apps before. Here are some key points:

  • The Gallery is where you can view all your artworks. To create a new piece, simply tap the "+" button at the top right.
  • The Actions menu, represented by a wrench icon, is where you adjust settings, export your artwork, and more.
  • The Layers panel lets you manage your layers, while the Colors panel allows color selection.

Feel free to explore and play around with the interface. You might discover some handy shortcuts along the way!

Exploring the Tools

Procreate is packed with powerful tools that cater to all kinds of artists. Here's a quick rundown:

  • The Brush Library is where you'll find a variety of brushes. You can also create your own!
  • The Smudge tool, represented by a finger icon, blends colors in your artwork.
  • The Eraser tool does exactly what you think—it erases!

Each tool can be customized to your liking, which is where turning off pressure sensitivity comes into play. But more on that later!

Using the Layers

Procreate provides a robust layering system, much like the ones you'd find in Photoshop or Illustrator. A few things to note:

  • You can add a new layer by tapping the "+" button in the Layers panel.
  • By tapping on a layer, you can rename it, adjust its opacity, and perform other actions.
  • You can also sort layers by dragging and dropping them in the Layers panel.

Layers are a great way to compartmentalize your artwork, making it easier to manage and edit. Now that you're familiar with the basics of Procreate, let's move on to how to turn off pressure sensitivity in Procreate.

2. Locate Pressure Sensitivity Settings

Before you can disable pressure sensitivity, you'll need to know where these settings are located. Let's dive into it:

The first step in changing your pressure sensitivity settings is navigating to the Brush Settings. Here's how:

  1. Open the Brush Library by tapping on the brush icon in the top right-hand corner.
  2. Select the brush you want to modify.
  3. This will open the Brush Settings, which is where you'll find the pressure sensitivity options.

Remember, each brush in Procreate can have its own unique sensitivity setting. This means you'll need to adjust each brush individually if you want to turn off pressure sensitivity for all of them.

Locate the Pressure Settings

Once you're in the Brush Settings, finding the pressure sensitivity options is easy. Here's what to do:

  1. Scroll down to the 'Dynamics' section of the Brush Settings panel.
  2. Here, you'll see a graph with two axes. This is the pressure sensitivity graph.

The pressure sensitivity graph affects how your brush responds to changes in pressure. The X-axis represents the pressure you apply, while the Y-axis represents the effect of that pressure. Now that you know where the pressure settings are, let's move on to understanding what pressure sensitivity is and why you might want to turn it off.

3. Understand Pressure Sensitivity

Before we dive into how to turn off pressure sensitivity in Procreate, let's take a moment to understand what it is and why it's a feature in the first place.

Effects of Pressure Sensitivity

Pressure sensitivity is what makes digital drawing feel more like traditional drawing. Here's how it works:

  1. With pressure sensitivity turned on, the harder you press with your stylus, the thicker and darker your lines become.
  2. Conversely, when you draw with a lighter touch, your lines will be thinner and lighter.

This feature is particularly useful when creating artwork with a lot of depth and texture, as it allows for a greater range of line widths and opacities. However, not every artist finds this feature useful - which brings us to our next point.

Why You Might Disable It

While pressure sensitivity can be a great tool, it's not always the best fit for everyone's artistic style. Here's why you might want to turn it off:

  • Consistency: If you're looking to create artwork with consistent line widths and opacities, pressure sensitivity might be more of a hindrance than a help.
  • Control: Some artists find it easier to control their brush strokes without the added variable of pressure sensitivity.
  • Comfort: If you find applying pressure to your stylus uncomfortable or tiring, turning off pressure sensitivity can make drawing more enjoyable.

Now that you understand what pressure sensitivity is and why you might want to disable it, let's get to the fun part: how to turn off pressure sensitivity in Procreate.

4. Disable Pressure Sensitivity

Alright, let's get down to business. Here is your step-by-step guide on how to turn off pressure sensitivity in Procreate. Don't worry—it's a pretty straightforward process once you know what you're doing.

Adjusting Pressure Curves

The first thing you'll need to do is adjust the pressure curves. Here's how:

  1. Open up your brush settings by tapping on the brush you're using.
  2. Find the 'Pressure' option and tap on it. You'll see a graph that represents the pressure curve.
  3. To disable pressure sensitivity, you'll need to make the curve a straight horizontal line. To do this, drag the end point of the curve down to the bottom right corner.

And just like that, pressure sensitivity is turned off for that brush. But don't celebrate just yet—we still need to test out our changes.

Testing Your Changes

So, how can you be sure that you've successfully turned off pressure sensitivity? Simple: by testing it out. Here's how:

  1. With the brush you've just adjusted, try drawing a few lines on your canvas. Apply varying amounts of pressure as you do.
  2. If pressure sensitivity has been successfully disabled, all your lines should be the same thickness and opacity, regardless of how hard you press.

If that's the case, then congratulations! You've successfully learned how to turn off pressure sensitivity in Procreate. If not, don't worry. Head back to the 'Pressure' settings and try adjusting the curve again. You'll get the hang of it with a bit of practice.

5. Troubleshoot Common Issues

Even with the best of guides, you might still run into some snags while trying to turn off pressure sensitivity in Procreate. Not all heroes wear capes—so let's look at some of the most common issues and their solutions.

Pressure Not Deactivating

If you've followed the steps above but pressure sensitivity is still on, it might be due to the following:

  1. Brush settings: Remember, pressure sensitivity is adjusted on a per-brush basis. If you've adjusted the settings for one brush but are using another, pressure sensitivity will still be active.
  2. Pressure curve: Getting the pressure curve just right can be a bit tricky. If you're still experiencing pressure sensitivity, try adjusting the curve again. Make sure the curve is a flat horizontal line.

Unexpected Behavior After Disabling

Disabling pressure sensitivity can sometimes result in brushes behaving differently than expected. For instance, you might notice a loss of texture or the brush might feel too 'hard'. This is normal—because the brush is no longer responding to pressure, it can't create the same range of textures as before. You can try adjusting other settings, like 'Flow' or 'Opacity', to get a feel that's more to your liking.

Remember, the key to learning how to turn off pressure sensitivity in Procreate is practice. Don't get discouraged if you run into issues at first. Keep experimenting with different settings and brushes, and you'll soon become a pro.

6. Explore Creating Without Pressure

Now that you've got a handle on how to turn off pressure sensitivity in Procreate, it's time to explore the world of pressure-free digital art. But what can you expect from this new frontier?

Benefits of Creating Without Pressure

Believe it or not, there are a number of benefits to turning off pressure sensitivity:

  • Consistency: Without pressure sensitivity, your brush strokes will be more uniform, leading to smoother, more consistent lines.
  • Control: Some artists find that they have more control over their brush strokes without the variable of pressure to consider.
  • Comfort: For those who find applying pressure physically uncomfortable or tiring, turning off pressure sensitivity can make drawing on a digital tablet a more comfortable experience.

Experimenting with New Techniques

Turning off pressure sensitivity isn't just about avoiding strain or achieving consistency—it's also a fantastic opportunity to experiment with new techniques. For example, you could try a more graphic style with bold, consistent lines. Or perhaps play around with layering and opacity to create depth and texture without the need for pressure variation. The world of digital art is your oyster!

Examples of Artwork Made Without Pressure

Feeling a bit uninspired? No worries, here are a few examples of what artists have achieved without pressure sensitivity:

  1. Minimalist Line Art: With consistent line weight, artists create stunning minimalist pieces that emphasize form and composition over detail.
  2. Graphic Design: Without pressure sensitivity, you can create crisp, clean lines perfect for logos, typography, and other graphic design elements.
  3. Pixel Art: Pixel artists rarely use pressure sensitivity, and yet they create detailed and vibrant pieces. It's all about color selection and placement!

So there you have it, your comprehensive guide on how to turn off pressure sensitivity in Procreate. Now go forth and create!

If you enjoyed our guide on disabling pressure sensitivity in Procreate and want to learn more about using this powerful app, we highly recommend checking out the workshop 'Intro to Procreate: Drawing with Digital Tools' by Vicky Catalan. This workshop will provide you with an in-depth introduction to Procreate and help you unlock your full potential as a digital artist.