Procreate Digital Painting Guide for iPad

The Procreate Artists' Beginners' Mastering Handbook Manual for Drawing, Painting, and Coloring on iPad Pro, iPad Air, and iPad Mini

Jane Butner

© 2022 Jane Butner

All rights reserved.

This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

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Procreate Digital Painting Guide for iPad

The Procreate Artists' Beginners' Mastering Handbook Manual for Drawing, Painting, and Coloring on iPad Pro, iPad Air, and iPad Mini

Jane Butner

Disclaimer

The advice and strategies found within may not be suitable for every situation. This work is sold with the understanding that neither the author nor the publisher is held responsible for the results accrued from the advice in this book.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

Chapter 1: Procreate Basics, Interface and Gestures

The layout of the UI

Tools for painting (top right)

Create Your Own UI

Brush cursor

Hide the Interface

The canvas for the project

Chapter 2: Gallery

Create

Creating Custom Canvas

Preview

Browse artworks with a swipe or a tap!

Open from Preview

Organize

Stacks

Import and Share

Sharing

Share Destinations

File Types

Chapter 3: Colors

Color Panel

Color Companion

Color Values for the Active Area

Revert back to the previous color

ColorDrop

Threshold for ColorDrop

SwatchDrop

Threshold for SwatchDrop

Recolor

Eyedropper

How to use Eyedropper tool

Sample Color by Holding Modify Button

Tap the Modify Button to Try Out a Different Color

Setups for the Eyedropper

Disc

Decide on a Shade

What Colors Are in the Spectrum?

Fine Color Control

Zooming in and out of the Saturation Disc

Classic

Decide on a Shade

1. Traditional Shade

2. Sliders for Hue, Saturation, and Brightness.

3. Putting the Pieces Together

Harmony

Make a Color Scheme Decision

1 Disc for Hue/Saturation

2 Brightness

Reticles

Modes

1. Complementary

2. Complementary Splits

3. Analogous

4. Triadic

5. Tetradic

Choosing Color Schemes

Value

Decide on a Shade

1 Saturation/Brightness/Color (HSV)

2 Green, blue, and red

3. Hexadecimal

Concluding

Palettes

Swatches

Palettes in Convenient Form Factors

Create a swatch of your favorite color

Concluding

Make Use of Swatch

SwatchDrop

Rearrange Swatches

Set a Swatch as the Current Color

Remove the Swatch

The Palette Archive/Library

Make a Color Scheme

Make a Palette the Default

Sharing a Palette

Make a Copy of a Palette

Rearranging Palettes

Deleting Palettes

Palette Capture

Palette Capture from Camera

Visual Mode

Indexed mode

Capturing Color Palettes from Files

Palette Capture from Photos

Importing & Sharing Palettes

Importing Palettes

Importing Color palettes from Adobe®

Share with Drag and Drop

Sharing a Palette

Profiles

Colors and their corresponding hues

Access Color Profiles while building a Custom Canvas.

Color Profiles that are already installed

CMYK and RGB

Import Color Profiles

Changing Color Profiles

Chapter 4: Brushes

Paint, Smudge, and Erase

Brush Library

Categories of Brush Sets

Chapter 5: A Beginner's Guide to the Brush Library & Brush Studio

Brush Studio

Chapter 1: Procreate Basics, Interface and Gestures

You may use Procreate to create dynamic drawings, rich paintings, stunning illustrations, and breathtaking animations. Procreate is a portable art studio that comes with a variety of innovative features and easy-to-use tools. Over 200 handmade brushes at your disposal.

Procreate has an extensive brush collection that includes everything from pencils, inks, charcoals, and creative brushes that can create wonderful painterly textures. You may customize brushes in the Brush Studio or choose from a large library of pre-made brushes to meet your specific needs. Finally, you may even design and create your brushes. You may use whatever color you can think of to paint and sketch.

Color Dynamics, Color Harmony, and Color History allow you unparalleled power and choice in the color of your products and services. Using the Color Companion or touching and holding the canvas, you may select the right shade of color at any moment.

Everything a professional artist needs, from Transform, Warp, and Layers with complete Blend Modes to selection and effects, is available in Procreate. Create whenever and wherever you want.

The layout of the UI

Procreate's minimalistic interface has three components, all of which are meant to keep the emphasis on your work. The sleek design helps keep everything in place and your art at the center with maximum vision. However, there is no compromise on flexibility and customizability with Procreate, which is why you can also tweak the layout to your liking as well.

Tools for painting (top right)

You'll find everything you need to get started in the top-right menu bar. Make smudges, erase, add layers, and pick colors.

1. Paint

Various brushes for drawing, painting, and inking are available in various sizes and shapes by Procreate. However, you also have the option to create your own.

2. Smudge

You may generate a wide variety of effects by blending your artwork and mixing colors, and you can do this with the help of the Brush Library.

3. Eraser

You may use the Eraser to correct errors and make fine modifications. Use the Brush Library to choose an eraser that goes well with your current work of art.

4. Layers

Using layers, you may paint many things on top of one other without affecting previous work. Individual items may be moved, edited, recolored, and deleted using layers.

5. Colors

Incorporate color into your design by selecting and adjusting the hues. It may be done in various ways, depending on your workflow. You can also make your own custom color palettes and use them in your artwork.

6. Sidebar (left side)

The left toolbar has all of the editing options. Use the toolbar to change the size and opacity of your brushes. In addition, you may use your free hand to access Undo, Redo, and the Modify button as you work.

7. Size of the brush

How to change the tip size of the brush:

Drag the top slider up to increase the size of your brush tip for a fuller stroke.

Drag the top slider down to make the brush tip smaller and get a thinner line.

Tap anywhere along the slider to jump to that spot when making larger changes. Drag your finger sideways to make finer changes. Drag your finger up or down without raising it. Notice how the slider now travels in smaller increments compared to before.

8. Modify Button

You may access the Eyedropper by selecting the square Modify button from the Sidebar. Using this method, you may choose colors directly from your artwork. Just place your finger on the Eyedropper and drag it over the desired shade to choose a color.

You may also use the Eyedropper by holding the Modify button and tapping anywhere.

You may also modify the Modify button to activate other tools. Shortcuts may be created that are unique to you.

9. Opacity

How to change/adjust opacity:

Drag the bottom slider up or down to raise or decrease your brush's opacity from translucent to solid.

Move your finger sideways while holding the slider to make more precise opacity adjustments.

Drag your finger up or down without raising it. Notice how the slider now travels in smaller increments compared to before.

10. Arrows for Undoing and Redoing

To undo the previous action you took, tap the upper arrow key present almost at the end of the slider present on the left side. Redo anything by tapping the arrow at the bottom. Whenever you Undo or Redo an action, a notification will appear at the top of the interface. You can undo up to 250 actions. To quickly undo or redo numerous activities, just tap and hold the arrows.

Instruments for Revision (top left)

Make intricate alterations to your artwork by clicking on the top left menu bar.

11. Exhibitions

In the Gallery, you can keep track of all of your artwork. Adding additional canvases, importing your own photographs, and sharing your work with the world are all options.

12. Adjustments

Inserting, sharing, and adjusting your canvas and any of its components is a snap using the Actions menu. To maximize your productivity, you can also tweak the user interface and touch settings from this location.

13. Modifications

Professional picture effects in the Adjustments menu let you put the final touches on your photos. Color modifications, including Gradient Mapping, may be made quickly and easily. Blur, Sharpen, Noise, Clone, and the mind-bending Liquify capability may all be used to fine-tune your picture. Additional effects like Bloom, Glitch, Halftone, and Chromatic Aberration maybe be used.

14. Selections

Four selection options allow you to isolate any section of your picture. In addition, there are a variety of additional choices for fine-tuning your work.

15. Transform

Using Transform, you may quickly and easily resize and move your picture in various ways. Transform makes complicated picture alteration simple, from basic scaling to flexible warp meshing.

Create Your Own UI

Change the style and feel of the Procreate user interface to your liking. Tweaking the user interface is one of the most valuable options that is overlooked by many. No matter how you like to draw and create Procreate gives you the power to change the interface in many ways. This customizability aids in making you as comfortable as possible by giving you complete control over it.

Intuitive contrast between dark and light colors

There are two visual modes available in the Procreate interface.

The charcoal interface in Dark Mode focuses the attention on your artwork, rather than the charcoal itself. It's best to use the Light Mode while working in bright situations.

Activating Light Mode:

To activate the light mode, go to Actions.

Then go to Preferences.

Now toggle the Light Interface option.

Sidebars on the Left or Right

While painting with your right hand, the Sidebar is positioned such that your left hand has easy access to it.

Right-hand interface

The Right-hand interface option is for people who like the canvas to be on the other side. Here is how you can change the interface:

To change the view first select Actions.

Then head over to Preferences.

Now tap on the Right-hand interface option.

Sidebars That Can Be Repositioned

On the interface, you may change the height of the Sidebar and here is how you can do it:

Drag the Modify button with your finger from the edge of the interface.

You’ll view the Sidebar as a slide-out panel from the canvas's left side.

After dragging it up or down, release your finger to find the most convenient position for you.

This option is applicable to both left- and right-handed users as Procreate lets you use the interface with interchangeability. You can choose the interface to be optimized for left-handed and right-handed people.

Brush cursor

Before you start drawing, have a look at the brush you're using. The brush cursor is essentially there for you to know where you are drawing.

Your Brush form will display as an outline on the canvas every time you activate the Brush cursor. Here, the contour of your mark is clearly visible.

You can toggle Toggle Brush Cursor on or off by following these steps:

Go to Actions

Select Preferences

Toggle the Brush Cursor option.

Hide the Interface

Work on a single piece of work at a time with no interruptions.

So that you can concentrate on your task, you may prefer if the user interface took a backseat. You may activate the full-Screen mode by swiping four fingers across the screen. Thanks to the interface's removal, you'll be able to see your canvas without any distractions.

You may bring the interface back by tapping with four fingers again or tapping the Full-Screen icon in the upper left corner.
Pro-Tip: You may access the most often used tools via gestures while the UI is hidden in Full-Screen mode.

The canvas for the project

Keep an eye on the larger picture while working on the smallest of details with Procreate.

You can use a wire or AirPlay to show a canvas in full-screen mode on a second monitor. No interface, no zooming, and no interruptions are included in this experience.

To display your work on a second screen:

Go to Actions

Select Preferences

Tap on the Project canvas option

Chapter 2: Gallery

One of the most critical places for you to visit is the gallery of Procreate, as you are going to make beautiful canvases for your project. Discover how Procreate saves your artwork by arranging your Gallery the way you choose. Find out how to upload photographs and how to share your work with the world via social media sites.

Create

Creating a Canvas

In order to access the New Canvas option, hit the + icon in the Gallery's upper-right corner.

It's simple to build a new canvas project using Procreate's pre-made templates.

Using Preset Templates

You may choose from a variety of pre-made canvas templates in various sizes.

New canvas has a collection of preset canvases under the New canvas menu. Templates for A4 paper, 4 x 6 photos, and US paper are included in this collection.

Editing or Deleting Presets

Press the left arrow to modify or remove a pre-created canvas.

To access the Custom Canvas interface, choose Edit from the menu. You may change the characteristics of the canvas here. It's also possible to see how many layers your canvas can support.

Creating Custom Canvas

Edit or build your own canvas if pre-set sizes don't work for you.

To open the New Canvas menu, tap the + symbol. You may access the Custom Canvas screen by tapping the symbol of a rectangle with a + in the upper right corner.

You have the following options for resizing your canvas:

● Name

● Dimensions

●  Color profile

● Time-lapse settings

● Canvas properties

1. Name

You may access the system keypad by tapping the words "Untitled Canvas" at the top of the screen. You may rename your own canvas preset by typing in a new name and pressing Return. Use your Apple Pencil and Scribble to write a custom canvas's name.

2. Dimensions

You may adjust your new canvas preset in terms of its width, height, or DPI.

To change a value, just tap on it. After clicking this, you'll see a number keypad where you may type in the desired size.

Pro-Tip

The number of Maximum Layers available on your canvas changes based on the size you choose. You may apply fewer layers on larger canvases. It's easier to fit more into a smaller area.

With an iPad, you may have an area of up to 16K pixels in one direction, depending on your model.

You may use millimeters, Centimeters, Inches, or even Pixels to establish the canvas size of your artwork. This unit of measurement may be changed by pressing the buttons on the left of the keypad at the bottom.

3. Color profile

Color Profiles offer a variety of options for managing color in your artwork.

RGB is the greatest color profile for seeing art on a computer screen. Like screens, it sees colors as combinations of red, green, and blue and handles color in the same manner.

It's advisable to use CMYK for print-ready artwork. Cyan, magenta, yellow, and black make up the primary colors of this scheme. The majority of commercial printers use this color profile.

Your choice of color space should be guided by where you will show your artwork. You will obtain the most vivid and accurate color results by selecting your final destination's most appropriate color space. It's better to go with the default color space if you're unsure which one is ideal for you.

There are already seventeen color profiles pre-installed on Procreate. These designs may accommodate a wide variety of screen and print applications. Most artists should be able to get by with only Display P3 and Generic CMYK Profile.

Use the Import option to bring in your own color schemes.

Pro-Tip

Display P3 canvases enable for more intense saturation of green, red, and orange colors than a standard Display P2.

4. Setup for Timelapse Photos

To keep track of your progress, Procreate lets you create artwork. You may then play a high-speed time-lapse movie of your procedure back.

It's now possible to customize the Time-lapse settings for each new Canvas you create. From 1080p all the way up to full 4K, you may choose the quality of your video. Set your recording quality to Lossless instead of Low (which will result in lower files) (perfect quality with no loss of detail, but a larger file size).

HEVC is a brand-new video compression format designed specifically for use in high-end motion graphics. You may export the alpha channel in HEVC files. Additionally, the reduced file size of HEVC allows for better video quality. Programming, online connectivity, and green-screening are just a few of the ways you may use this feature. Keep in mind that not all devices can handle HEVC at this time.

HEVC's Time-lapse feature lets you record films with a transparent backdrop. You must set canvas Color Profile to sRGB IEC61966-2.1, and you must enable HEVC in order to export a Time-lapse with a transparent backdrop.

5. Canvas properties

Select a backdrop color for your canvas preset in Canvas settings or opt to hide it.

Preview

Artworks may be seen in full-screen mode; animations can be previewed, and your creations can be swiped through in a selection or stack. All of this is possible without ever leaving the Gallery.

Preview by Pinching

You may get a full-screen glimpse of any artwork by pinching it outward.

A double-tap is required to access the canvas while Preview mode is on. You may cancel the preview by pinching inward.

Using Select to Preview

Easily and rapidly examine many artworks at the same time.

Pick one or more artworks using the Gallery toolbar's Select option to enter Selection Mode. You'll see a little circle next to each artwork's name in this mode. You may choose as many of them as you'd like.

You may activate preview mode by tapping the Preview button. Once you've picked the artworks you want to see, begin by swiping through them one by one.

Browse artworks with a swipe or a tap!

You may scroll through your Gallery or Stack by swiping to the left or right.

Once you tap on the preview, the navigation arrows will appear or disappear depending on whether or not you tap on them.

If you want to go back or forth in time, just tap on these arrows.

You may also use the canvas' left and right edges as navigation arrows if you choose.

Only the canvases you've chosen will be shown if you've used Select mode.

Open from Preview

Open artwork in Preview mode by double-tapping it.

To load the canvas and begin painting, rapidly tap twice on a sample picture with one finger.

Organize

Procreate's Gallery is a simple yet effective way to keep your workplace organized. Maintaining a clean and organized workspace is easier with the help of Stacks.

Share, Duplicate, Delete

To see activities, swipe left on a thumbnail of an artwork.

You may Share, Duplicate, or Delete an artwork by swiping it to the left on the thumbnail.

Pro-Tip

The act of deleting a piece of art is irreversible.

Bulk Actions

You may save a lot of time by using bulk operations. More than one canvas may be shared, deleted, or duplicated simultaneously.

To use multiple selections, use the Select button more than once. To pick a canvas, just tap on it. A blue tick appears next to some of the artworks you've chosen.

After selecting numerous artworks, you may utilize the Share, Duplicate and Delete toolbar buttons. Alternatively, you may create a new Stack by combining the two.

Tap and hold on to an artwork in your Gallery to pick up all of the chosen artworks and Stacks. Drag them to your favorite Gallery place now.

Pro-Tip

Need a simple way to choose many pieces of art? Slightly swipe your finger over the thumbnails you'd want to choose in Select mode.

Transform Visual Media

Organize your Gallery to your heart's content. It's simple to move art around. To remove a thumbnail from the grid, tap and hold on to it, then drag it to where you want it and drop it.

Pro-Tip

Tap the canvas you want to move, then tap the additional canvases you want to pick up.

Rotate the artwork

After you've built a canvas, you may flip it around. Get rid of upside-down and sideways previews of the canvas. Rotate your work by holding two fingers on the thumbnail and moving them clockwise or counterclockwise.

Renaming Artwork

Get the right title for your artwork. Here is how you can rename your artwork:

You'll notice a title at the bottom of each thumbnail image, tap on it. (Untitled Artwork is the default title for newly created artwork.)

Activate