Procreate Beginners Series - Episode 1 🎨

Introduction

• Host: Christiane
• Goals: Learn to use Procreate brushes, colors, basic gestures, and tools to create digital art on iPad.
• Procreate: A digital painting app used by artists of all levels, leveraging the power of iPad and Apple Pencil.
• Hands-on learning approach.

Getting Started

• Open Procreate to see the Gallery which houses all your works.
• Create a new artwork by clicking the + icon.
• Start with the "screen size" canvas.

Procreate Interface

• Simple but powerful interface with many features and tools.
• Main Tools: Drawing, Smudging, and Erasing tools, Layers, and Colors.
• Tap any tool to select it.

Drawing Tools

• Select the Drawing tool and tap again to open the Brush Library.
• Brush Library: Organized into brush sets and individual brushes.
• Procreate offers over a hundred brushes inspired by real-life media (pencils, inks, paints, charcoals, etc.).
• Example: 6B Pencil from the Sketching set.
  • Pressure-sensitive: Heavier pressure for darker strokes, tilt for shading.
• Example: Old Beach brush from the Artistic Effects set.
  • Inspired by Tasmania, Procreate's birthplace.
  • Works well with the Apple Pencil for pressure, tilt, and speed sensitivity.
• Explore the Brush Library to find brushes that you like and which unlock different potentials.

Adjusting Brush Settings

• Adjust brush size and opacity using the sliders on the left sidebar.
• Top slider: Adjusts brush size.
• Bottom slider: Adjusts brush opacity.

Smudge and Erase Tools

• Smudge Tool: Used to blend existing colors on the canvas.
• Erase Tool: Used to erase colors on the canvas.
• Both Smudge and Erase tools use the same Brush Library as the Drawing tool.
• Example: Using the 6B Pencil for smudging or the Old Beach brush as an eraser.

Colors

• Current color is displayed at the top right corner.
• Tap to open various color selection methods.
• Color Disc: Use the outer circle to select the hue (color range) and the inner circle to adjust brightness and saturation.
• Example: Selecting a bright red color and applying it to the canvas.
• Some brushes, like those in the Painting set, mix colors on the canvas for artistic effects.

Gestures

• Two-finger tap: Undo.
• Three-finger tap: Redo.
• Two-finger hold: Quick undo.
• Three-finger hold: Quick redo.
• Use sidebar buttons for undo/redo as well.
• Pinch with two fingers: Zoom, move, or rotate the canvas.
• Quick pinch: Fit the canvas to the screen.
• Three-finger swipe: Clear the canvas.

Layers

• Use layers to separate and manage different parts of your artwork.
• Tap the Layers icon next to the current color to view layers.
• Layers work like transparent sheets stacked on each other, offering control over drawing, erasing, and editing without affecting other layers.
• Example: Adding layers for different elements like mountains and adjusting them independently.

New Layer Creation

• Tap the + icon in the Layers menu to add a new layer.
• Example: Creating separate layers for different mountain colors to allow easy edits and erases.

Background Color

• Background color layer is at the bottom of the layer list and can be toggled on/off or changed.

Editing and Experimentation

• Experiment with layers to try different ideas or effects.
• Example: Adding texture to the sun and sky using the Old Beach brush.
• Select, hide, duplicate, and delete layers as needed.

Final Touches

• Apply finishing touches to your artwork by adding new layers and using different brushes.
• Example: Enhancing the sun and sky texture with Old Beach brush.
• Layer order adjustments: Drag layers around to change their stacking order.

Sharing Your Artwork

• Tap the wrench icon to open the Actions menu.
• Select "Share" and choose the file format to export your artwork.
• Example: Exporting as PNG to save in Photos app.

Conclusion

• Thank the viewer for following along and completing the first episode.
• Prepare for upcoming videos to learn more about Procreate’s features such as colors, layers, and brushes.