Procreate G Pen: Manga Art Creation Tips & Techniques

Written by Daisie Team

Published on 11 July 2023 9 min read

When it comes to creating manga art, the Procreate app offers a variety of tools to breathe life into your artistic vision. One of these tools is the innovative G Pen, a versatile brush that provides an authentic manga creation experience right on your tablet. This blog post is dedicated to the G Pen and how to make the most of it in Procreate. Whether you're a novice manga artist or a seasoned pro, this guide will help you master the g pen procreate to create stunning manga art.

1. Get to Know Procreate G Pen

The Procreate G Pen is more than just another brush in your toolkit. Let's dive into what makes it so special and why it's a go-to choice for manga artists.

Features of Procreate G Pen

The G Pen in Procreate stands out due to its unique features:

Pressure Sensitivity: The G Pen responds to the pressure you apply, allowing you to create lines of varying widths. The harder you press, the thicker your stroke; lighten your touch for thinner lines. This feature mimics the feel of traditional Manga G Pens.
Tilt Function: Tilt your Apple Pencil to adjust the angle for broader strokes or fine lines—just like you would with a real pen.
Customizable Settings: You can tweak the G Pen's settings to match your preferences, adjusting aspects like streamline, opacity, and size.

Why Use Procreate G Pen for Manga Art

With its unique features, the G Pen is ideal for creating manga art in Procreate. Here's why:

Authentic Manga Experience: The G Pen replicates the experience of drawing with a traditional Japanese G Pen, bringing an authentic touch to your digital manga art.
Versatility: From sketching to inking, the G Pen can do it all, enabling you to create detailed characters, dramatic scenes, and intricate backgrounds.
Control: The G Pen provides a high level of control, so you can draw exactly what you envision. This is especially useful when drawing complex manga characters and elements.

Now that you have a sense of what the G Pen in Procreate brings to the table, it's time to start drawing. In the next section, we will cover the basics of using the G Pen, from drawing lines to shading techniques.

2. Start with Basics

Before you jump into creating complex manga art, let's master the basics of using the G Pen in Procreate. It's like learning to walk before you run. Ready? Let's dive in.

Drawing Lines

Drawing lines with the G Pen is a breeze once you understand how pressure sensitivity works. Here are some tips:

For thick lines, apply more pressure to the screen with your Apple Pencil. This is great for bold, dramatic strokes in your manga art.
To draw thin lines, lighten your touch. This is perfect for subtle details and intricate elements.
Practice drawing straight and curved lines. Start slow and gradually increase your speed. Remember, it's about control, not speed.

Shading Techniques

Shading adds depth to your manga art, making it more visually appealing. Here's how to shade with the G Pen:

Cross-Hatching: Create a series of intersecting lines. The closer the lines, the darker the shade.
Stippling: Use the tip of your G Pen to create tiny dots. The more dots in an area, the darker the shade.
Smudging: Use the Smudge tool in Procreate to blend your shading, creating a smooth gradient.

Experiment with these techniques to see which one best suits your style and the story you're trying to tell with your manga art. Remember, practice makes perfect. The more you use the G Pen in Procreate, the better you'll get at using it to create stunning manga art.

3. Mastering Perspective in Manga

Manga art is all about storytelling, and perspective plays a key role in that. It sets the scene and guides the reader's eye. Let's explore how to use the G Pen in Procreate to master perspective in manga art.

One-Point Perspective

One-point perspective is the simplest form of perspective. Everything converges to a single point on the horizon. Here's how to get it right using the G Pen in Procreate:

First, draw a horizontal line across your canvas—this is your horizon line.
Next, decide on a vanishing point. This point is where all parallel lines converge.
Now, draw lines from the vanishing point to the edges of your objects. These lines form the sides of your objects, creating the illusion of depth.

Two-Point Perspective

Two-point perspective is a bit more complex, but it can make your manga art more dynamic. Here's how to do it:

Start with your horizon line and two vanishing points.
Draw lines from each vanishing point to form the edges of your objects.
Remember, vertical lines remain straight, while horizontal lines converge to one of the vanishing points.

Three-Point Perspective

Three-point perspective is great for dramatic scenes with tall buildings or deep spaces. It adds a third vanishing point either above or below the horizon line. Here's how to use it with the G Pen:

Start with your horizon line and three vanishing points—two on the horizon line and one either above or below it.
Draw lines from each vanishing point to form the edges of your objects.
Remember, all lines converge to one of the vanishing points, adding depth and dimension to your manga art.

By mastering these perspective techniques, you can create more engaging and immersive manga art with the G Pen in Procreate.

4. Character Creation Tips

Characters are the heart and soul of any manga story. They bring the plot to life and invite readers into their world. Let's explore some tips for creating compelling manga characters using the G Pen in Procreate.

Drawing Facial Features

Facial features can express a character's personality and mood. Here's a quick guide on how to draw them:

Start with a basic shape for the head, usually an oval or circle.
Add two lines—one vertical and one horizontal—to act as guides for the face's symmetry.
Draw the eyes along the horizontal line. Manga eyes are usually large and expressive, so don't be afraid to exaggerate.
Add the nose and mouth. They're typically simpler in design, but they can still express a lot of emotion.
Finally, add the hair. Manga hair is known for its unique styles, so let your creativity shine!

Creating Dynamic Poses

Dynamic poses can give your characters more energy and motion. Here's how to create them:

Start with a simple stick figure to get the basic pose.
Add shapes to represent the body parts. Use circles for joints and simple lines for limbs.
Once you're happy with the pose, start adding details. Remember that the G Pen in Procreate is pressure sensitive, so you can easily create thin lines for delicate details and thicker lines for bold strokes.

Creating characters is a fun and creative process. With the G Pen in Procreate, you can bring your characters to life, express their personalities, and tell their stories. And remember, practice makes perfect, so keep drawing!

5. Background Design Strategies

Backgrounds are the canvases on which your manga characters live and interact. Creating engaging and believable backgrounds with your G Pen in Procreate can enhance your manga art by providing context and depth. Let's dive into some strategies.

Creating Depth and Distance

Depth and distance give your scenes a three-dimensional feel. Here's how to create them:

Use size and placement. Objects closer to the viewer are larger and lower on the page, while distant objects are smaller and higher up.
Play with detail. Close objects have more detail, while distant objects are less defined.
Experiment with color and value. Objects in the distance are lighter and less saturated.

Remember, the G Pen in Procreate offers a range of line weights and opacities, so you can easily play with detail and value to create depth and distance.

Incorporating Elements of Nature

Nature can add beauty and drama to your scenes. Here's how to incorporate it:

Use reference photos. They can help you capture the details and textures of nature accurately.
Experiment with different brushes. The G Pen in Procreate is great for outlines, but you might want to try other brushes for different textures.
Pay attention to light and shadow. They can add depth and realism to your natural elements.

Don't forget, backgrounds are not just setting the scene—they're also telling the story. So have fun with them, experiment, and let them speak!

6. Storytelling Through Art

Manga is more than just visuals, it's a form of storytelling. G Pen in Procreate can be a powerful tool in narrating your story. Let's see how.

Using Panels Effectively

Panels are the 'frames' of your manga, guiding readers through the story. Here's how to use them effectively:

Vary panel sizes. Bigger panels can slow down the pace, while smaller ones can speed it up.
Change panel shapes for effect. For instance, jagged panels might indicate a tense situation.
Go beyond the panel sometimes. Breaking panel borders can make a moment more dramatic or important.

With G Pen in Procreate, you can easily draw and adjust panels, making your storytelling even more dynamic.

Creating Emotional Impact

Emotion is what connects readers to your characters and story. Here are ways to create emotional impact:

Use facial expressions. Even subtle changes can convey different emotions.
Pay attention to body language. How a character stands or moves can also show how they feel.
Utilize environment and lighting. They can set the mood of a scene.

The G Pen in Procreate, with its pressure sensitivity, is perfect for drawing expressive faces and body language. Remember, it's all about making your readers feel something—joy, fear, surprise, anything at all!

Once your story and artwork are in place, the G Pen Procreate experience isn’t over yet. It's time to add the final touches and refinements to your Manga art.

Adding Details

Details can make your manga art truly stand out. Here's a tip: don't add details to everything. Instead, focus on areas you want to draw attention to. This could be a character's eyes, a piece of clothing, or a key item in the background. With the G Pen Procreate, you can adjust the size to add those delicate details. It's like the cherry on top of the sundae—it just completes the picture.

Balancing the Composition

Composition is about how elements of your art are arranged. A balanced composition feels right and draws the reader in. But how can you achieve this?

Use the rule of thirds. Imagine your page divided into nine equal parts. Place important elements along these lines or at their intersections.
Balance different elements. If one side of the page is heavy with detail, consider adding something on the other side to balance it.
Guide the eye. Use lines, shapes, and colors to guide the reader's eye where you want it to go.

The G Pen Procreate offers flexible line width and pressure responsiveness, making it ideal for creating balanced compositions. Remember, you're not just creating art, you're guiding your reader's experience.

Creating your Manga art with the G Pen Procreate is just the beginning. Now, it's time to share it with the world. Remember - art isn't just about creating; it's also about sharing and inspiring others.

Finding the Right Platform

There are countless platforms where you can share your Manga art, but the trick is to find the right one for your work. Some artists prefer Instagram for its visual focus, while others lean towards DeviantArt for its strong art community. Manga-specific platforms like MangaMagazine also exist. Just remember: The goal isn’t to be everywhere, but to be where your audience is.

Receiving and Responding to Feedback

Once you share your art, feedback will come. Some of it will make you smile, some of it might make you frown. But all of it is valuable. It's how you grow as an artist. How you respond, though, is equally important. A simple thank you goes a long way, and if someone offers constructive criticism, take it as a chance to learn. With every piece of feedback, you're becoming a better artist, and your next G Pen Procreate creation will be even better.

There you have it, the journey of creating Manga art from start to finish using G Pen Procreate. From learning the basics, mastering perspectives, creating characters and backgrounds, to sharing your art and receiving feedback - it's a journey of creativity, learning, and self-expression. So, what are you waiting for? Grab your G Pen Procreate and start creating!

If you enjoyed our blog post on "Procreate G Pen: Manga Art Creation Tips & Techniques" and want to dive deeper into the world of digital drawing, we highly recommend checking out Vicky Catalan's workshop, 'Intro to Procreate: Drawing with Digital Tools'. This workshop will guide you through the basics of Procreate, helping you master the tools and techniques needed to create stunning digital art.