Mastering Procreate IPA: Tips for Stunning Digital Art

Written by Daisie Team

Published on 11 July 2023 8 min read

Unlocking the potential of digital art has never been more exciting with the advent of tools like Procreate IPA. This powerful, user-friendly app has become a go-to choice for many artists, illustrators, and designers everywhere. Whether you're a seasoned artist or a beginner, mastering Procreate IPA can open up a world of possibilities, enabling you to create stunning digital art. This blog will guide you through the essentials and beyond, providing helpful tips and tricks to make your digital art journey smooth and enjoyable.

1. Getting Familiar with Procreate IPA

Before we dive into the more advanced tips and techniques, it's important to get a strong grasp on the basics of Procreate IPA. This includes understanding the interface, making use of the basic tools, and exploring the advanced features that Procreate IPA offers.

Navigating the Interface

One of the first steps in mastering Procreate IPA is getting comfortable with its interface. Here are some key areas to focus on:

Gallery View: This is where all your artworks are stored. You can create new works, organize your projects, and even import images directly from your device.
Canvas: Once you open or start a new project, you'll be brought to the canvas. This is your playground where you can draw, edit, and bring your imagination to life.
Toolbar: Located at the top of the screen, the toolbar houses all the essential functions like brush, eraser, layers, and colors.
Slider Controls: On the left side of the screen, you'll find sliders that control the size of your brush and the opacity of your strokes.

Using Basic Tools

Now that you're familiar with the interface, let's get to know some of the basic tools. Procreate IPA offers a collection of tools that are as easy to use as they are powerful. Here's a quick rundown:

Brush Tool: Procreate IPA comes with a wide range of pre-set brushes for you to choose from. To select a brush, simply tap on the brush icon in the toolbar.
Eraser Tool: Made a mistake? Don't worry. The eraser tool can help you clean up any unwanted lines or strokes. Just like the brush tool, you can also change the eraser's size and opacity.
Smudge Tool: This tool allows you to blend colors and soften edges, creating a more natural and smooth transition between colors.
Layers: Layers allow you to work on different parts of your artwork without affecting the rest. You can add, delete, or rearrange layers as you need.

Exploring Advanced Features

Once you're comfortable with the basics, it's time to explore some of the advanced features of Procreate IPA. These features can take your digital art to the next level. Here are a few to get started:

QuickShape: This feature helps you create perfect shapes. Draw a shape and hold your pencil in place, Procreate IPA will automatically perfect it for you.
Alpha Lock: Want to paint within a specific shape without going outside the lines? Alpha Lock is the answer. It restricts your brush strokes to the existing content of a layer.
Adjustment Tab: This is where you can adjust the colors, saturation, brightness, and other properties of your artwork.

Now that you've got a handle on the basics of Procreate IPA, you're already on your way to creating stunning digital art. But the learning doesn't stop here. In the next sections, we'll cover more advanced topics like brush techniques, layers and blends, color effects, and how to finish and export your artwork.

2. Brushing Up on Brush Techniques

Brushes are the heart and soul of any digital art piece, and Procreate IPA provides a fantastic array of options. Getting a hold on these brushes, how to customize them, and even create your own can really up your digital art game.

Choosing the Right Brush

Procreate IPA comes equipped with a library of brushes across a variety of categories. But with so many options, how do you choose the right one? Here are a few tips:

Understand the Categories: Brushes are grouped into categories like inking, painting, artistic, airbrushing, and more. Knowing what each category offers will help you select the right brush for your project.
Test and Experiment: Don’t be afraid to try out different brushes. You’ll get to know the effect each brush creates and find your favorites over time.
Consider Your Style: Some brushes work better for certain art styles. For instance, if you're into comic art, you might find the inking brushes more useful.

Customising Brush Settings

One of the powerful features of Procreate IPA is the ability to customize your brushes. This allows you to adjust their behavior to fit your unique style and needs. Here's how:

Tap on a brush to open the brush settings panel.
Here, you will see different options like spacing, jitter, streamline, and more. Experimenting with these settings will help you understand how they affect the brush strokes.
Once you're happy with the adjustments, you can save your custom brush by tapping on "Done".

Creating Own Brushes

Did you know that Procreate IPA allows you to create your own brushes? This feature gives you the freedom to create a tool that is truly unique to you. Let's see how:

Open the brush library and tap the "+" button at the top right to create a new brush.
Now, you can start customizing your brush using the settings panel, just like when customising existing brushes.
You can also import a shape or texture to use as the base for your brush. This is where you can get really creative!

Brush techniques are a cornerstone of digital art creation. The more you practice and experiment, the better you'll get. And remember, there's no 'wrong' way to use a brush. It's all about finding what works best for you and your style. Ready for the next step? Let's delve into the world of layers and blends.

3. Mastering Layers and Blends

Working with layers and blends in Procreate IPA opens up a whole world of creative possibilities. It's like having a multi-level canvas at your fingertips. So, let's explore how we can effectively use these features to create stunning digital art.

Adding and Organising Layers

Imagine layers as transparent sheets stacked on top of each other. You can draw on each layer individually without affecting the others. Here's how to use this feature in Procreate IPA:

Open the layers panel by tapping on the layers icon.
Tap the "+" button to add a new layer. You can add as many layers as your iPad allows.
To organise your layers, tap, hold and drag them to the desired position. You can also group layers together by pinching them.

Using Blend Modes

Blend modes are like magic—they can change how layers interact with each other, creating a variety of unique effects. Procreate IPA offers several blend modes like Multiply, Overlay, Add, and more. Here's a quick guide on how to use them:

Select a layer and tap on the "N" button next to it. This will open the blend modes list.
Try out different modes to see how they affect your layer. For example, the Multiply mode darkens the colors, while the Add mode brightens them.

Manipulating Layers

With Procreate IPA, you can do more than just draw on layers. You can resize, distort, rotate, and more. Here's how:

Select a layer and tap on the arrow icon to enable the transformation tool.
Now, you can drag to move, pinch to scale, twist to rotate, or tap on the "Distort" option to warp your layer.
Once you're happy with the changes, tap on the arrow again to apply them.

That's a sneak peek into the world of layers and blends in Procreate IPA. The more you play around with these features, the more comfortable you'll become, and the more creative your work will be. But we're not done yet. Next up, let's dive into the vibrant world of color effects.

4. Creating Stunning Color Effects

Color is the lifeblood of any artwork, and Procreate IPA offers a plethora of tools to help you create stunning color effects. With a little practice, you'll be creating digital art that pops and dazzles!

Using Color Dropper Tool

The color dropper is a handy tool in Procreate IPA that allows you to pick colors directly from your canvas. It's as simple as 1-2-3:

Press and hold on the canvas. The color dropper will appear.
Drag your finger to choose the color you want.
Release your finger, and the color is added to your palette.

Exploring Color Harmonies

Creating a balanced and appealing color scheme can be a challenge. That's where color harmonies come in. Procreate IPA's color harmony tool can be a game-changer:

Open the color panel and select the harmony tab.
Choose your base color. The tool will automatically suggest harmonious colors.
Choose a harmony method: complementary, split complementary, analogous, triadic, or tetradic.
The selected colors will appear in the color wheel. You can adjust the colors as needed.

Applying Gradient Effects

Gradient effects can add depth and interest to your artwork. They are easy to apply in Procreate IPA:

Choose your colors. Remember, a gradient transitions from one color to another.
Select the brush tool and choose a soft brush.
Start painting, gradually blending from one color to another.

Mastering color effects in Procreate IPA can take your digital art to the next level. From eye-catching gradient effects to harmonious color schemes, you have the tools to create truly stunning art. But as every artist knows, a masterpiece isn't complete without the finishing touches.

5. Finishing and Exporting Artwork

Every piece of art, no matter how big or small, deserves a grand finish. With Procreate IPA, you can add those final touches that make your artwork complete, ready to share with the world. Here's how you can do it.

Adding Final Touches

Final touches can make all the difference. Shadows, highlights, and small details can bring your art to life. Here's how you can add those in Procreate IPA:

Select the brush tool and choose a small, soft brush.
Choose a color slightly darker than your base color for shadows, and a slightly lighter color for highlights.
Use a light touch and build up the shadows and highlights gradually.

Exporting in Different Formats

Procreate IPA allows you to export your artwork in various formats for different uses. Here's how:

Click on the wrench icon to access the actions panel.
Choose the share tab.
Select the format you want to export as: JPEG, PNG, PDF, or even as a Procreate file.

Now that your artwork is complete, it's time to share it with the world. You can easily do this straight from Procreate IPA:

Go to the actions panel and choose the share tab.
Select the platform you want to share to: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, or any other app on your device.
Add a caption, tags, and hit post!

And there you have it! With Procreate IPA, finishing and exporting your artwork is a breeze. So go ahead, let your creativity fly and make some stunning digital art!

If you've enjoyed learning about mastering Procreate IPA and want to take your digital art skills even further, don't miss the workshop 'Animating with Procreate and Photoshop' by Nyanza. This workshop will teach you how to create stunning animations using both Procreate and Photoshop, elevating your digital art to new heights.