Join me in the exploration of Procreate tools and designing a Valentine's Day-themed USA Forever stamp!
NOTE: The text "USA Forever" is required on all American stamps. It wasn't my choice haha.
About Procreate
Procreate is a digital painting app that was created by Savage Interactive for iOS and iPadOS after its founders saw the potential of Apple products. It was then launched on the App Store in 2011 and has gathered millions of users with the rapid advancement of technology. You can use it to create digital sketches, illustrations, paintings, animations, etc. It also comes with brush presets and the option to create your own as well. Additionally, you can adjust filters on images, blur, color-correct, etc. To learn more about its features, check out this quick info page as well as Procreate's official website. It is my personal favorite digital medium, for it's the best way to be creative on the go!
MATERIALS
Apple iPad Pro (12.9" 4th generation) - ($ 1,099)*
Apple Pencil (2nd generation) - ($ 129)*
Procreate app - ($ 9.99) *
Price Commentary
*Because Procreate is only available for the iPad (and iPhone, though very simplified), the iPad is a requirement. The one I use is a newer model and was a special birthday gift. On the Apple website it's $1099, but the cheapest option is $329, and an iPad mini is $499. Price also depends on the physical screen size and storage, so please keep that in mind when making a selection. The pencil I use is the second generation, but you can also get the first generation for $99. The biggest difference between the first and the second is that the second generation charges wirelessly while the first one requires to be plugged in. Different iPads support different pencils, so make sure you check the compatibility before choosing a pencil. As for the Procreate app itself, it is available on the App Store for $9.99 as a one-time purchase. It's not like Adobe Photoshop where you need to pay a subscription! :)
About the Materials
iPads should always be handled with care, therefore you should buy a screen protector and case. The Apple pencil tip can also wear out and/or be lost, so be careful with how aggressively you draw with it.
Procreate itself has a vast selection of brushes and tools, way too many for me to cover everything. For the purpose of this blog, I will show you how to use the basic features of Procreate as well as some brushes that are related to my little tutorial on designing a stamp.
Procreate Tools + Settings (click on thumbnails to expand)
If creating a new artwork, open the app and click on the + button in the upper right corner. You'll be given different preset options for your canvases, or you can create one from scratch. I would recommend using the CMYK option for your canvas because if you like your work you can print it with color accuracy. Under "canvas settings," make sure it's also at 350 DPI for the best resolution. Please check out my notes on the pictures to guide your use of the tools.
Procreate Brushes (click on images to expand)
Procreate has several brushes that come as presets with the app. If you'd like to make your own, check out this video on how to create heart stamps or this one on how to create dash lines. We will use both brushes in my tutorial. As for the images above, you can see that Procreate has calligraphy pens, sketching pencils, airbrushes, spray paints, and many more types of digital tools that mimic traditional mediums as well as non-traditional ones. I will be using the 6B pencil, the monoline pen, the medium brush, and the splatter brush for my drawing.
How much pressure you apply on your pencil can affect the transparency of some brushes, but some are not affected. Different brushes can be used to smudge/blend, but my favorite is the medium brush because you can control how soft or hard the blend will be by playing around with pressure. I also love adding texture with the splatter brush, and you can do that through alpha lock or a clipping mask (covered below).
Reference + Clipping Mask Vs. Alpha Lock (click on images to expand)
If you create an outline for a drawing and you want to fill it in, it is best to always set the outline as "Reference" by clicking on its layer, and then creating a new empty layer underneath it. While still on that layer beneath the apple outline, color-drop (drag the upper right color bubble into a CLOSED space of the outline) red into the apple and green into the leaf. Once done, you should have a layer full of colors SEPARATE from the outlines, but that still retains its shape. This is important because if you change your mind later on about the coloring or outline, you can easily modify them without them affecting each other.
If you don't set outlines as "Reference" and simply color drop directly into the same outline layer, you will not have two separate layers. The coloring will be part of the outline, thus making it hard to edit either the outline or the coloring itself.
If you'd like to change the color of a base or add shading to it, I suggest always using a clipping mask. First, create a solid base, then add a new empty layer ON TOP of your base, not beneath. Set that new layer to a "clipping mask" and use any brushes to add color, texture, shading, blending, etc. The great thing is that it'll follow all the pixels in the layer beneath it so you don't have to worry about coloring outside the lines. It's also perfect for changing or erasing the shading if you decide you don't like it as you progress because it will not affect the original base color.
However, if you use "alpha lock," you can't edit the shading without affecting the base layer colors. Only use alpha lock if you're sure your shading won't need to be changed. Alpha lock is used directly on the same layer as your base, so there's no need to add another layer.
Let's MAke a Valentine's Day-Themed USA Stamp Design!
Step 1
Open a new canvas—in this case, I used the CMYK Comic preset because we're doing a stamp and we can print this out with CMYK. In your first layer, create a sketch for your design using the 6B brush.
Step 2
Step 3
Step 4
Step 5
Step 6
Step 7
Step 8
Step 9
*NOTE: The arrows pointing down indicate that the layer they correspond to is set to "clipping mask" and will follow the pixels of the layer beneath it. Also, the "Reference" option will only show up on the most recent layer set as a reference, since there can only be one reference at a time.*
I decided to group my layers together according to each element of the drawing. To group layers, simply use your Apple Pencil to swipe right on every layer you wish to group together. They should be highlighted in blue. Then, click on "Group" as it appears in the upper right corner. You will then be able to rename them.
Additional Sources:
There are so many Youtube videos you could watch or show your students as you teach them how to use this app. With the rapid advancement of technology, Procreate is an essential tool for any artist to have at their disposal, especially if they are to master it. Here are some links that have helped me in my Procreate journey that show you tips and tricks:
Intro to Procreate:
100 Procreate Tips:
Hidden Features:
How to Back Up Your Files!!!:
Overall...
Age appropriateness: I would only teach Procreate to middle schoolers and high schoolers because of how complicated this digital media can be. For a middle school digital art class, I would probably let them do the basics of Procreate with minimal layering and line art, whereas with high school students, I would teach them how to keep everything organized and ask them to create more complex designs with shading. Procreate even has some free lesson plan ideas that art educators can use to teach children here.
Strengths: Procreate is a very affordable application itself, and it has hundreds of presets that you can explore. The brush collection is very nice and allows you to mimic some traditional mediums that aren't as easily accessible, such as spray painting. It's also very portable and you can store everything within the iPad, therefore making it easy for quick on-the-go sketching or editing that would otherwise require you to have all your materials out with traditional art.
Limitations: Unless you name your layers, you will not be able to find which layer you're on by simply clicking on the line like with Adobe Illustrator. There are also no vectors, which means dexterity with traditional drawing is important. Because of the lack of vectors, getting perfect lines is very hard, so doing geometric graphic design work may be a bit harder. Also, I believe text fonts are available, but very limited. Therefore, Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop would be best for graphic design, while Procreate is best for digital paintings, drawings, character design, quick animations, or editing touch-ups needed by hand. Lastly, since iPads are expensive for schools to afford, it may be hard to teach a class unless they bring their own devices.
Comfort Level: I'm somewhat comfortable teaching Procreate. I'm more of a traditional artist, therefore I don't do many digital artworks with this app. I have a lot more to explore, such as the animation features and the 3D rendering features. I would still like to expand on my knowledge if I were to teach older children, as well as what prompts to give them.
Possible health or safety concerns: I don't have any safety concerns. iPads and the Apple Pencil cause no harm to older students since they won't break or swallow them.
Happy Designing! :) (here are more drawings i've made in the past)
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