The shift from drawing on paper to drawing digitally has been quite the challenge. However, over the last year, our Sugar Gamer, Esha Knows, took her artistic skills and started using Procreate. A drawing app you can download on an iPad (not android) through the app store and pair with an apple pencil. Both are purchased 2nd hand, so if you’re ever wondering if there’s a way to dive into digital art on a budget, you don’t always have to buy new.
Esha uses a 2nd-hand 10.5” iPad Pro (2017) and a 2nd-hand 1st gen apple pencil.
Through the unique journey of brush tools and endless headaches trying to perfect using the clipping mask, Esha has found some fun and helpful tips to share with you.
1. Statistics Tab
Have you ever wanted to know how much time and effort you put into your digital art? As a freelance digital artist, when getting commissions ready, this is a fantastic way to make sure you get paid every penny you deserve with your hard work and time used.
Here’s how you do it:
- click the actions tab>canvas tab>canvas Information
- here you will find:
-total strokes made
-tracked time
2. Gesture Controls within Layers
When drawing, layers can sometimes get lost on your canvas whenever you’re trying to select them. This can be very annoying when you try to find that one needle of a layer chilling in the haystack to edit from the bunch.
Here’s what you can do:
- click the preferences tab>gesture controls>layer select
- customize layer select with these gesture controllers from the image above
-but remember, if you select touch and hold, it might interfere with the default setting of the eyedropper, which allows you to hold your finger on the screen and select any color for your palette.
- if that’s the case you can select touch for a light finger tap
-reference yourself back to the layers tab
3. Copy & Paste with the Selection Tool
Do you only want to copy part of your design you’ve already drawn? Then paste it onto a new layer to edit? Without having to draw it over?
Here’s how you do it:
- click the selection tool tab>select freehand
-draw around your design what you want to copy & paste
- click the copy & paste tab
-select the transition too
-add on a new layer to edit
OR
- click the layers tab
-select the layer you want to edit
-swipe left and click the duplicate
- once you duplicate the layer, if you need to, you can:
-use the eraser tool to erase what’s not needed
4. Using the Symmetry Tool
Sometimes it’s about working smarter and not harder. With the symmetry tool, not only do you have that option, but the symmetric designs you can create are cool.
We checked out some YouTube videos by Art With Flo, a digital creator with fantastic online tutorials we followed this butterfly you can see below.
But first, here’s how you find the symmetry tool:
- click the canvas tab
-turn on the drawing guide
-edit drawing guide
-select symmetry
-hit done
5. The Magic of Gaussian Blur
When using digital designs, effects and filters can be so helpful to take your art to the next level. Learn how to create cool ombre backgrounds in under 30 seconds with Gaussian Blur.
Here’s what you can do:
- click the brushes tab
-select the airbrushing brush
-select soft brush (size 30% / opacity 100%)
- click the colors tab
-select a color
-go to the canvas and draw a straight line across
- repeat action onto the canvas while selecting colors going down the wheel
- click the adjustments tab
-select gaussian blur
- click the gaussian blur percentage at the top
- select layer
-use the pencil to hold down and swipe right across the screen until you get the blur level you prefer
There are so many great Procreate tips to use. Did you find any of ours helpful for you? Jump to our social media and let us know along with some of your favorites!
Happy drawing, and stay creative!
