Floral Art Creation: Procreate Tips & Techniques

Written by Daisie Team

Published on 11 July 2023 8 min read

Creating floral art has been a timeless pursuit for artists, and in the digital age, Procreate has emerged as an essential tool for this craft. If you're keen on exploring the realm of digital floral art, this blog will guide you through the process of creating your own Procreate flower masterpieces. From familiarizing yourself with the Procreate app to sharing your finished artwork, we've got you covered. Get ready to bring your floral visions to life!

1. Getting Familiar with Procreate

Before you start penning down your first Procreate flower, it's important to understand how to navigate the Procreate interface and customize settings to your liking. Also, learning about the variety of brushes and tools at your disposal can really elevate your creations. Let's dive right in!

Navigate the Interface

Procreate's interface is designed for ease of use, but it can feel a little overwhelming at first. Here's a quick rundown:

The Gallery is where you'll find all your artworks. It's the first screen you see when you open the app.
The Canvas is your working area, where the magic happens. You can pinch to zoom in or out and rotate it to your comfort.
The Toolbar at the top has options for undo, redo, and actions like cut, copy, paste, and more.
The Brush Library and Color Palette on the right are your main tools for painting your Procreate flower.
The Layers Panel on the left lets you manage layers — an essential feature for complex designs.

Adjusting Settings for Personal Comfort

Personalizing your Procreate settings can help you work more efficiently and comfortably. Here are some tips:

You can adjust the Pressure Curve in the settings to control how sensitive your Apple Pencil is to pressure.
The Gestures Controls allow you to customize how you interact with the Canvas and tools. For instance, you can set a three-finger swipe down to invoke the 'Copy' command.
Experiment with the Interface Size and Right or Left Hand Interface options to find what suits you best.

Using Brushes and Tools

Creating a Procreate flower design revolves around using the right brushes and tools. Here's what you need to know:

Procreate comes with a vast array of Brushes. From sketching to texturing, there's a brush for every need. Don't forget to try the different flower brushes!
The Smudge Tool is great for blending colours, while the Eraser Tool helps correct mistakes or create interesting effects.
The Selection Tool lets you select, move, and transform parts of your design, making it easier to perfect your Procreate flower.

Now that you're familiar with Procreate, let's move on to creating basic floral designs.

2. Creating Basic Floral Designs

With the basics of Procreate down, you're ready to start painting your first Procreate flower! This section will guide you through drawing stems and leaves, designing flowers, and adding details for realism. Let's get those digital brushes moving!

Drawing Stems and Leaves

Stems and leaves form the backbone of your Procreate flower design. Here's how you can create them:

Choose a brush with a fine tip for the Stems. Green is a common choice for stems, but don't be afraid to experiment with colors.
For the Leaves, you can use the same brush or switch to a broader one for a different effect. Remember to vary the size and direction of leaves for a natural look.
Add some Curves to your stems and leaves for a more dynamic, organic feel. You can do this by varying the pressure on your Apple Pencil while drawing.

Designing Flowers

Now comes the fun part — designing your Procreate flower! Here are some steps to get you started:

Start with a basic Shape. This could be a circle for a rose, an oval for a tulip, or something more complex for an exotic flower.
Add Petals around the shape, keeping in mind the type of flower you're creating. Petals can be wide, narrow, fluffy, sleek — the possibilities are endless!
Choose a Color for your flower. You could pick a traditional color like red for a rose or purple for a violet, or go wild with a rainbow-colored flower! The choice is yours.

Adding Details for Realism

A Procreate flower comes to life with details. Here's how you can add a touch of realism to your designs:

Add Veins to your leaves using a finer brush and a darker shade of the leaf color. This small detail can make a big difference!
Don't forget the Center of the flower. Adding dots, lines, or a different color can help create a focal point.
Use different shades of the same color for your petals to give your Procreate flower some Depth. Lighter shades towards the center and darker towards the edges usually works well.

With these techniques, you can create a simple yet beautiful Procreate flower. But why stop there? Let's explore some advanced techniques to take your floral art to the next level!

3. Advanced Floral Art Techniques

You've mastered the basics of creating a Procreate flower, but are you ready to elevate your floral art even further? Let's explore the world of layers, textures, and shadows to create complex and realistic floral designs.

Using Layers for Complex Designs

Layers are like digital tracing paper — they let you build your Procreate flower piece by piece without messing up the rest of your design. Here's how you can use them:

Create a new Layer for each part of your flower — one for the stem, one for the leaves, one for each petal, and so on. This way, you can tweak each part independently.
If you want to create a bunch of flowers, each flower can have its own set of layers. This makes it easier to move and arrange flowers later on.
Remember, you can Rename each layer to keep track of what's on it. You wouldn't want to accidentally paint a leaf on your petal layer, would you?

Applying Textures for Depth

Textures can add a whole new dimension to your Procreate flower. Here's how to apply them:

Procreate comes with a bunch of Texture Brushes. Experiment with these to see which ones you like best for your flowers and leaves.
You can also create your own Custom Texture Brushes in Procreate. This could be a photo of a real leaf or flower, a scan of a texture you like, or anything else you can think of.
Apply the texture to your flower using a Clipping Mask. This allows the texture to show through the shape of your flower without going outside the lines.

Creating Shadows and Highlights

Shadows and highlights can make your Procreate flower pop off the screen. Here's how to add them:

Choose a darker shade of your flower color for the Shadows. These usually go on the underside of petals, the base of the stem, and anywhere else light wouldn't hit directly.
Choose a lighter shade for the Highlights. These go where the light hits your flower — the top of petals, the tip of the stem, and so on.
Remember, shadows and highlights should follow the shape of your flower. If your petals curve, so should your shadows and highlights.

With these advanced techniques, your Procreate flower can rival those in a real garden! But why stop at flowers? Let's see how you can combine your floral art with text for a stunning final product.

4. Combining Floral Art with Text

Why not add a little message to your Procreate flower art? A splash of text can make your art piece more meaningful or personalized. Let's dive into the world of fonts, positioning, and integration.

Choosing Fonts that Complement Your Art

Choosing the right font can make your text blend seamlessly with your Procreate flower. Here's how to find the perfect match:

Consider the mood of your art. Is it delicate and elegant, or bold and vibrant? Choose a font that shares the same mood. For instance, a delicate script font may pair well with a dainty flower, while a bold sans-serif font may work best with a vibrant sunflower.
Procreate comes with a range of built-in fonts, but you can also import your own. Sites like Google Fonts and DaFont offer a ton of free options.
Remember, readability is key. Your font should be easy to read at the size you plan to use it.

Positioning Text Among Florals

Where you place your text can have a big impact on your Procreate flower design. Here's how to get it just right:

Consider the shape of your flower arrangement. If it's circular, your text might look good in the middle. If it's a vertical bunch, your text could go alongside.
Make sure your text doesn't cover key parts of your flowers. You wouldn't want a petal or leaf to disappear behind a letter!
Use the Transform Tool in Procreate to move, resize, and even rotate your text until it's in the perfect spot.

Integrating Floral Elements with Letters

Want to take your Procreate flower and text combo to the next level? Try integrating floral elements with your letters. Here's how:

Draw a vine or stem that turns into the first letter of your text. This can create a seamless transition between your floral art and your message.
Add small flowers or leaves to your letters. Just make sure the letter shape is still clear.
Experiment with different ideas and see what works best for your design. Remember, there are no rules in art — only guidelines.

With these tips, you can create a Procreate flower design that not only looks beautiful but also tells a story. Now, let's move on to the final steps: checking your work, saving your design, and sharing it with the world.

Now that you've combined your Procreate flower art with text, the final step is to polish and share your masterpiece. Let's learn how to give your work a final review, save it properly, and share it effectively.

Checking Your Work

Before you share your Procreate flower design, give it a final check. Here's what to look for:

Check for any stray marks or smudges that might have slipped in while drawing. You can erase these with the Eraser tool.
Make sure the text is spelled correctly and easy to read. Any changes needed? You can use the Text tool to edit or move your text around.
Give your artwork a once-over to make sure everything looks balanced and harmonious. If something feels off, don't hesitate to tweak it.

Saving and Exporting Your Design

When you're satisfied with your Procreate flower design, it's time to save and export. Here's how to do it:

First, save your work in Procreate's native format (.procreate). This will preserve all your layers and allow you to come back and make changes later.
Next, export your design in a shareable format. JPEG and PNG are common options. JPEG is ideal for photos and realistic art, while PNG preserves transparency — perfect if you want to place your design on different backgrounds.
Remember to choose a safe and easy-to-find location on your device to save your files. You don't want to lose your hard work!

Now for the fun part: sharing your Procreate flower design with the world. Here's how to do it:

First, choose the right platform. Instagram and Pinterest are great for visual art, but don't overlook other platforms like Facebook or even LinkedIn, depending on your audience.
When you post your design, include a caption that explains a bit about your work. What inspired you? What does it mean to you? People love to hear the story behind the art.
Finally, remember to use relevant hashtags like #ProcreateFlower or #DigitalArt to reach a wider audience.

And there you have it! You've created a beautiful Procreate flower design, combined it with text, and shared it with the world. Now go out there and create more beauty!

If you enjoyed exploring tips and techniques for creating floral art with Procreate, you'll love the workshop 'Creating the Cosmos with Procreate' by Jeffrey Thelin. This workshop will take you on a journey through the cosmos, teaching you how to create stunning space-themed artworks using Procreate. Expand your skills and discover new ways to express your creativity!