Written by Daisie Team

Published on 10 July 2023 7 min read

When it comes to digital art, Procreate is a game-changer. Its extensive features and easy-to-use interface make it an ideal platform for artists of all levels. One of the key aspects of creating compelling digital artwork on Procreate is mastering the art of blending. This guide will help you navigate the ins and outs of the Procreate brush settings for blending, ensuring you create artwork that is as smooth as it is stunning.

Getting to Know Procreate

Before we dive into brush settings for blending, let's familiarize ourselves with Procreate. This intuitive digital painting app has made waves in the art world with its wide range of features and ease of use.

Brief Overview

Procreate is a raster graphics editor app for digital painting, available exclusively on the iPad. Its user-friendly nature ensures that even beginners can hit the ground running. With an array of brushes, layers, and blending modes at your disposal, you can create intricate and detailed artwork. And the best part? You can do all of this from the comfort of your own iPad, without having to deal with messy paints or other art supplies.

Tool Palette

The tool palette is where all the magic happens. Here, you'll find a variety of tools for sketching, painting, and editing your artwork. The tools include brushes, erasers, the smudge tool, and more. The key to mastering Procreate and creating stunning artwork is understanding how to use and adjust these tools to meet your needs. For instance, tweaking the Procreate brush settings for blending can help you achieve smooth transitions between colors and tones in your artwork.

Procreate Interface

One of the reasons why artists love Procreate is its clean and intuitive interface. The interface includes a canvas where you create your artwork, and a toolbar that houses all the tools you need. The toolbar is conveniently located at the top of the screen, allowing for easy access. The layering system is another great feature of the Procreate interface. It allows you to work on different elements of your artwork separately, which can be especially useful when blending colors.

Choosing the Right Brushes

The Procreate app offers a vast library of brushes, each with its own unique characteristics. Knowing which brush to use and how to customize it is the first step towards mastering Procreate brush settings for blending.

Brush Library

The Brush Library in Procreate is like an artist's paradise. It's loaded with a wide variety of brushes that you can use to create different textures and effects in your artwork. From fine pencils to textured charcoals and watercolors, the library has it all. The key to successful blending is choosing a brush that suits the texture and style you're aiming for.

Customizing Brushes

What sets Procreate apart is the ability to customize brushes. You can tweak the settings of each brush to match your style and the specific needs of your artwork. For instance, you can adjust the opacity, size, and even the pressure response of a brush. This customization can significantly impact your blending. By playing around with the brush settings, you can achieve the perfect Procreate brush settings for blending.

Saving Brushes

After you've found the perfect settings for your brush, you wouldn't want to lose them, would you? Procreate allows you to save your custom brushes for future use. So, once you've nailed those Procreate brush settings for blending, you can save the brush and use it in your future projects. This not only saves time but also ensures consistency in your work.

Color Selection and Mixing

Now that you've chosen your brushes and customized them to your liking, let's talk about color. Color plays a crucial role in digital art and Procreate offers a range of features to help you select and mix colors with ease.

Color Wheel

The Color Wheel in Procreate is where the magic begins. It's a full spectrum of colors at your fingertips. By sliding your finger around the wheel, you can easily select the exact hue you want. For blending, choose colors that are adjacent to each other on the wheel for a smooth transition.

Color Harmony

Ever wonder how some artists seem to always get their color palettes just right? The secret is in understanding color harmony. Procreate’s color harmony tool can help you find colors that work well together. It's a neat trick to ensure your color blends look natural and pleasing to the eye.

Color Dropping

Procreate's ColorDrop feature is a game-changer when it comes to blending. It allows you to fill an area with a selected color quickly and seamlessly. But that's not all. If you drag the color and hold it over the area you want to fill, Procreate will give you a preview of the blend. Handy, right? This feature is a great way to see how your Procreate brush settings for blending will look in action.

Mastering Layers

Layers are your best friends in digital art, especially in Procreate. They allow you to work on different parts of your artwork separately without affecting the rest. Let's dive into how you can master the use of layers in Procreate for smooth blending.

Creating Layers

Creating a new layer in Procreate is as easy as tapping the "+" icon on the layers panel. But why create a new layer? Well, having different elements of your artwork on separate layers allows you to make changes without disturbing other parts of your work. Plus, when it comes to blending, layers provide the flexibility to experiment without the fear of ruining your entire piece.

Organizing Layers

Keeping your layers organized is key to a smooth workflow. Procreate allows you to rename, group, and even color code your layers. So, no more guessing which layer is which. Neat, right? This organization is also beneficial when you're adjusting your Procreate brush settings for blending. You can quickly identify and select the layer you want to blend.

Blending Modes

Procreate offers a variety of blending modes that change how the colors in your layers interact. These modes can significantly affect the outcome of your blending. For example, the "Multiply" mode can create a deeper, richer blend, while the "Screen" mode can lighten your colors. Experimenting with these modes can help you achieve the perfect blend with your chosen Procreate brush settings.

Smooth Blending Techniques

You've chosen your brushes, picked your colors, and mastered the art of layers. Now it's time to put those Procreate brush settings for blending to work. Here are three techniques to help you achieve smooth, seamless blends in your artwork.

Using the Smudge Tool

The Smudge tool is probably one of the most used tools for blending in Procreate. It works just like a traditional finger smudge, softening and blending colors together on your canvas. The great thing about the Smudge tool is that you can set it to any brush style. Want to blend with a soft airbrush or a textured charcoal brush? You can do that! Play around with different brush settings for the Smudge tool to see which ones you like best for blending.

Alpha Lock Method

Alpha Lock is a pretty nifty feature in Procreate that allows you to only paint within the pixels of the layer you've already drawn on. How does this help with blending, you ask? Well, by setting your layer to Alpha Lock, you can blend colors without worrying about going outside your lines. This is especially handy when you're working with complex shapes or detailed pieces. Plus, you can change your brush settings to get the perfect blending effect while using Alpha Lock.

Gaussian Blur Method

If you are after a super soft and smooth blend, then the Gaussian Blur method is your go-to. This feature in Procreate blurs your entire layer, creating a seamless blend of colors. You can control the intensity of the blur by sliding your finger or stylus across the screen. Remember, a little Gaussian Blur goes a long way, so start with a small amount and increase it until you're happy with the result. And of course, don't forget to tweak your Procreate brush settings for blending if needed.

Finalizing and Exporting Your Work

Let's not forget the cherry on top of your artist's sundae: finalizing and exporting your work. Once you've mastered the Procreate brush settings for blending and created your masterpiece, it's time to add those final touches and prepare your art for the world to see.

Applying Final Touches

Adding final touches is like adding a pinch of salt to a dish—it brings out the flavors, or in this case, the details. You might want to adjust the colors, contrast, or even add a few last-minute details. Don't be afraid to revisit your Procreate brush settings for blending here. A little tweak can sometimes make a big difference in your final piece.

Saving Your Work

Once you're happy with your artwork, it's time to save it. Procreate automatically saves your work as you go, but it's always good practice to manually save your project. This way, you can rest assured knowing your hard work is safely stored. To save your artwork, simply tap on the "Actions" menu (the wrench icon), then tap on "Share" and choose "Procreate". This will save your piece with all its layers intact, ready for you to come back to if you need.

Exporting Options

Now, let's talk about showing off your work. Procreate offers several export options, including JPEG, PNG, and even PSD for those of you who want to continue your work in Photoshop. Remember to choose the right format that suits your needs. For example, if you want to maintain the transparency of certain parts of your image, PNG is the way to go. Whatever your choice, you're now ready to share your artwork with the world. And just think: it all started with understanding Procreate brush settings for blending.

If you enjoyed our guide on smooth blending with Procreate and want to further enhance your digital drawing skills, don't miss the workshop 'How to Draw A Fruit In ProCreate' by Vicky Catalan. This workshop will teach you step-by-step techniques to create stunning and realistic fruit illustrations using Procreate, taking your digital art to the next level.