Mastering Procreate: Tips for Symmetrical Art

Written by Daisie Team

Published on 11 July 2023 8 min read

When it comes to digital artistry, Procreate is more than just a tool—it's a canvas, a studio, and a creative companion. With this feature-rich app, you can create stunning artwork right from your iPad or iPhone. However, mastering Procreate and harnessing its full potential, especially for creating symmetrical art or procreate mirror drawing, can be a bit tricky. But fear not! This blog will guide you on your journey to becoming a Procreate pro.

Get to Know Procreate

Before jumping straight into drawing, it's good to get familiar with your workspace. After all, you wouldn't start painting without knowing where your brushes and paints are, right? So, let's get to know Procreate a bit better.

Explore the Interface

Procreate's interface is user-friendly but still boasts a wealth of features. Here's what you need to know:

Gallery View: This is where all your artworks live. You can create new canvases, organize your work, and even import images here.
Canvas Interface: Once you open a canvas, you'll see your drawing space. At the top, you'll find options for adjusting brush size and opacity, while the sidebar houses your brushes, eraser, layers, and colors.
Gestures: Procreate heavily utilizes gestures. Two-finger tap to undo, three-finger swipe for the copy-paste menu, and the four-finger tap to toggle fullscreen mode are just a few examples.

Experiment with Tools

Like any good art studio, Procreate is full of tools. But instead of physical brushes and paints, you've got digital brushes, smudge tools, and an eraser. Each tool has a range of customizable settings, so don't be afraid to tweak them and see what happens! For instance, you could use a chalk brush for texture in your procreate mirror drawing or a paintbrush for a smoother finish.

Learn Shortcuts

Shortcuts are a great way to speed up your work process. Procreate has plenty of them. For example, you can quickly switch between your brush and eraser by just pressing and holding the eraser icon. Or, you can adjust brush size and opacity with a simple slide of your Apple Pencil. The more shortcuts you know, the quicker you can transform your ideas into art.

So, now that you're familiar with the interface, let's start creating some basic shapes and forms. And remember, practice makes perfect—so don't worry if you don't get it right the first time!

Start with Basic Shapes

Every masterpiece begins with simple lines and shapes. You might be aiming to create an intricate procreate mirror drawing, but it all boils down to the basics. Let's break it down.

Draw Simple Forms

Start with simple shapes like circles, squares, and triangles. Get comfortable with creating these forms consistently. This practice not only warms up your hand but also forms the foundation for more complex shapes in your designs. Remember, even the most intricate procreate mirror drawings start with simple forms!

Use Assistive Grid

Having trouble keeping your lines straight or your circles perfect? That's where the assistive grid comes in. It's a guide that you can overlay on your canvas to help you draw with accuracy. You can adjust the size of the grid squares, their opacity, and even the color. It's like having a digital ruler and compass right on your canvas—pretty handy, right?

Apply Symmetry Tool

Here's where the magic happens for procreate mirror drawing. The Symmetry tool in Procreate mirrors what you draw on one side of the canvas to the other, creating perfect symmetry. You can choose between vertical, horizontal, quadrant, or radial symmetry, depending on the kind of artwork you're creating. Just imagine—drawing one half and letting Procreate do the rest. It's like having a drawing buddy!

Now that you have your basic shapes down, let's add some depth and dimension to them with layers. You'll see—it's like going from a sketch to a full-blown painting!

Harness the Power of Layers

Layers in Procreate are like clear sheets stacked on top of your artwork. You can draw on them, rearrange them, and even change their opacity without affecting the rest of your work. It's like having multiple canvases in one, giving you the flexibility to experiment without fear of messing up your main design. Let's dig into how you can make the most out of layers for your procreate mirror drawing.

Organize your Artwork

Imagine having a drawer for each element in your artwork—background, main design, and details—where you can tuck away or bring out each element as needed. That's exactly what layers allow you to do. You can create a separate layer for each part of your design, which makes managing complex artworks a breeze. Plus, it's easy to edit or remove a specific part without disturbing the rest of your work. Now, that's what you call organized chaos!

Learn to Blend

Blending colors in Procreate is as satisfying as blending real paint—minus the mess, of course. You can blend colors on the same layer to create smooth transitions, or even blend layers to create cool effects. Just imagine how this can level up your procreate mirror drawing. The key here is to experiment with different blending modes and opacity levels. It's like being a digital alchemist, mixing and matching until you find the perfect blend!

Experiment with Opacity

Ever wanted to create a ghostly apparition or a translucent gem in your artwork? With opacity in Procreate, you can. Changing the opacity of a layer can make it appear see-through, allowing the layers beneath to show through. It's like having a dimmer switch for each layer, controlling how much light it lets through. Imagine the possibilities for your procreate mirror drawing!

Alright, now that you've mastered layers, let's add a personal touch to your work with custom brushes.

Create Custom Brushes

One of the coolest features in Procreate is the ability to create your own brushes. This means you can customize your tools to match your unique art style or the specific requirements of your project. So, if you're tired of the same old brushes and want to spice up your procreate mirror drawing, here's how you can do it:

Customize Existing Brushes

Before you start making your own brushes from scratch, why not tweak the existing ones? Procreate comes with a library of pre-made brushes that you can modify to your heart's content. You can change aspects like the shape, grain, dynamics, and even the behavior of the brush. It's like taking a regular paintbrush and magically transforming it into a sparkly unicorn brush—now wouldn't that make your art more fun?

Make your Own Brushes

If you're feeling a bit more adventurous, you can create your own brush from scratch. This might sound intimidating, but it's actually quite simple. All you need is a shape and a grain, and voila, you've got a brush! Plus, the satisfaction of painting with a brush you made yourself is unbeatable. Imagine what unique textures and effects you could add to your procreate mirror drawing with custom brushes!

Did you know that you can share your amazing brushes with others and also import brushes made by other artists? This is a great way to learn from the community and also contribute to it. So, if you've created an awesome brush for procreate mirror drawing, why not share it with the world? Who knows, your brush could be the next big thing in the Procreate community!

Now that you've got your custom brushes ready, let's take a whirl on the color wheel and add some color to your art.

Master the Color Wheel

Color can bring your procreate mirror drawing to life. It's the difference between a summer day and a winter night. The color wheel in Procreate is a powerful tool that can help you choose and manage colors like a pro. So, let's dive in and explore the rainbow:

Understand Color Theory

Ever wondered why some colors look great together while others clash? That's color theory at work! Understanding the basics such as primary, secondary, and tertiary colors, as well as concepts like complementary and analogous colors, can help you make more informed color choices for your artwork. Remember, your procreate mirror drawing isn't just about symmetry—it's also about balance, and color plays a huge role in that.

Use Color Dynamics

Procreate's color dynamics is a feature that lets you add variation to your strokes, making your artwork more vibrant and realistic. For instance, you can set your brush to gradually change color as you paint, or add a random color variation to each stroke. It's like having a magic paintbrush that changes color on its own—how cool is that for your procreate mirror drawing?

Apply Gradient Maps

A gradient map is a fantastic tool that can instantly change the mood of your artwork. By mapping the light and dark areas of your drawing to a specific color gradient, you can create stunning effects. Want to turn your daytime landscape into a sunset? Or give your portrait a cool, retro vibe? A gradient map can do that! It's like having a mood ring for your procreate mirror drawing, changing colors with your art's "emotions".

Now that we've added some color to our art, let's move on to the final stage—finishing and exporting your masterpiece.

Finish and Export your Artwork

Creating your procreate mirror drawing is a journey, and like all good journeys, it needs a fantastic ending. Here's how you can put the final touches, export, and share your artwork with the world:

Apply Final Touches

Before we say goodbye to our artwork, let's make sure it's ready for the spotlight. Details such as cleaning up lines, adding highlights or shadows, or even adding a signature can make a big difference. Remember, your procreate mirror drawing is a reflection of you, so let's make it shine!

Export in Various Formats

Procreate allows you to export your artwork in various formats—JPEG, PNG, PDF, and even as an animated GIF! This flexibility means you can use your artwork in different ways. Want to print your drawing? Export it as a high-resolution PDF. Sharing it on social media? Save it as a JPEG or PNG. The world is your oyster, so go ahead and spread your art far and wide!

Art is meant to be shared, and your procreate mirror drawing is no exception. Whether you post it on Instagram, share it on a blog, or send it to a friend, sharing your work can be rewarding and inspiring. Plus, it's a great way to get feedback and learn from others. So go ahead, make your mark and let your art inspire the world!

And there you have it—the journey of your procreate mirror drawing, from the first stroke to the final export. Remember, practice makes perfect, so keep drawing, experimenting, and most importantly, have fun!

If you're looking to improve your symmetrical art skills in Procreate, don't miss the workshop 'Learn How to Draw in Procreate' by Vicky Catalan. This workshop will provide you with the techniques and tips you need to master Procreate and create stunning symmetrical artwork.