What is Procreate?
Procreate is the super popular and creative app that allows you to turn your iPad into a portable art studio. After launching in 2011, Procreate quickly established a loyal following among designers, artists and creators thanks to its ability to recreate the sensation of physically drawing on paper or painting on canvas in a digital environment.
Use it with a stylus to unlock a range of intuitive tools and techniques – from brushes that look like hand-lettering to adding layers of animation and blending hues to create a realistic watercolor effect. Procreate allows you to import files from other devices and locations, and integrates with other apps and programs meaning you can seamlessly move around your various workflows.
How to Use Procreate
To start using Procreate, simply download the app and start familiarizing yourself with the various features that will help you make outstanding pieces of art:
1. Download the Procreate app.
2. Create a custom canvas by setting the size and resolution yourself, or choose from standard sizes like A4.
3. Explore the brush library – Procreate comes with hundreds of versatile brushes, but you can also download, install and add new brushes. Just tap the + and choose import, or tap on the brush file elsewhere on your iPad to bring up the option to import.
4. Learn to use layers, as these will help you quickly and confidently make changes to and edit your artwork. You can create a new layer by tapping the + icon in the Layers panel, giving it a name and selecting one of the content options.
5. Get to grips with the selection tool to isolate parts of your work.
Why Use Procreate Tutorials?
If you’ve previously used Adobe software like Photoshop for your design and illustration work, then many of Procreate’s features will look and feel familiar – which should make getting started much easier. However, if you are looking for expert guidance, refer to our range of Procreate tutorials to learn tips, tricks and techniques to take your understanding up a notch.
From Procreate to Figma and Sketch, we’ve curated a list of some of the best graphic design tools on the market – including a mix of tried-and-tested favorites and exciting newcomers. To help you select the right tool – we explore the features, applications, and pros and cons of each.