12 Awesome Things to Draw in Procreate to Spark Your Creativity
Hey there! Carolyn here. As a professional illustrator, I‘m always excited to share my passion for digital drawing and help others tap into their artistic side. And when it comes to iPad drawing apps, Procreate is hands-down my favorite.
Procreate makes it so easy and fun to create incredible digital art. Its huge selection of brushes and powerful features give you the tools to draw anything you can imagine with ultra-realistic results. Plus, the simple interface is perfect for both beginner and expert artists.
So whether you‘re a drawing newbie looking for some inspiration, or a seasoned pro wanting to branch out and try new things, you‘ve come to the right place. I‘ve put together a list of 12 awesome drawing ideas to create in Procreate, complete with tips and recommended brushes to bring your artwork to life. Grab your iPad and Apple Pencil, and let‘s jump in!
1. Fabulous Florals
You can never go wrong with drawing flowers. They‘re a great subject for practicing your sketching, shading, and blending skills. Procreate‘s default brush library has all the tools you need to illustrate beautiful blooms:
- Sketch the basic shapes with the 6B Pencil
- Ink the outlines with the Studio Pen
- Shade the petals with the Soft Brush for a smooth blend
- Add details and textures with the Fine Tip Ink Pen
Don‘t want to start from scratch? Procreate also has some nifty floral stamps, like the cute Paper Daisy brush. Experiment with layering different shapes, colors and textures to create your own unique bouquets and flower gardens.
2. Amazing Animals
From cuddly pets to majestic wildlife, animals are always a popular subject to draw. And the Procreate brushes make it easy to render realistic fur, feathers, scales and more.
For furry friends, try these brushes:
- Short Hair for subtle fuzziness
- Long Hair for flowy fur
- Weed Bush for scruffy textures
The Halftone Brush adds cool scale and skin textures for reptiles, fish, and other creatures. And the Soft Brush is great for blending and highlighting snouts, ears, paws and other features.
You can also use the Liquify tool to push, pull and reshape your animal drawings, allowing you to get those poses and proportions just right. Don‘t be afraid to play around!
3. Wonderful Watercolors
While Procreate‘s default watercolor brush selection is limited, it still provides plenty of tools to help you dive into this distinctive painting style:
- Watercolor brush for the base washes
- Water Pen for bleeds and runs
- Wet Acrylic for bold strokes and blending
- Flicks for splatters and specks
It takes some practice to achieve that loose, flowy look of real watercolor. Remember to work in layers, building up color gradually. Experiment with different opacity and water levels for each layer to get that perfect translucent effect.
You can also import watercolor textures and use them as backgrounds for your paintings. Combine them with the existing brushes for an even more authentic look.
4. Mesmerizing Mandalas
Drawing mandalas is one of my favorite ways to relax and get into a creative flow. The symmetrical patterns are so satisfying to make! Procreate‘s Drawing Assist is a must-have for this.
Simply activate Drawing Assist, choose your symmetry type (radial is great for most mandalas), and start drawing. Every stroke you make will be mirrored automatically. It‘s like magic!
I prefer using simple, even-pressure brushes like the Technical Pen or Monoline Brush for crisp, uniform linework in my mandalas. But don‘t be afraid to branch out with different brushes and textures in your designs. You can create some wildly unique patterns by layering different shapes and styles.
5. Incredible Irises
Want to make your portrait drawings really pop? Spend some extra time rendering the eyes, especially the irises. With a few clever brush combos and shading techniques, you can create incredibly lifelike eyes in Procreate.
Here‘s a Quick Iris Drawing Process:
- Sketch basic eye shape with 6B Pencil
- Fill iris base color with Soft Brush
- Add details with Thylacine brush
- Shade with Gesinski Ink brush at low opacity
- Highlight with White Soft Brush
- Blend everything with Smudge Tool
The key is building up color and detail gradually for a smooth, dimensional look. Vary the opacity, pressure and size of each brush to achieve more precise shading and highlights.
6. Dazzling Droplets
Water droplets are so satisfying to draw, and Procreate makes it easy to nail that glistening, transparent look. Start by drawing the basic shapes of the droplets with the Studio Pen. Then use the soft brush to add the base color, usually a light blue or gray.
Here‘s where the magic happens: select the Soft Brush again, but this time pick a bright, light color like white or pale yellow. Gently tap a highlight on the top edge of each droplet. Then use the Smudge tool to carefully blur the highlight downwards.
For a final touch of realism, add a subtle shadow below each droplet with a dark, low-opacity Soft Brush. Instant glass-like droplets! Try drawing them on different backgrounds like leaves, windows, and spiderwebs for even cooler effects.
7. Luminous Clouds
Procreate‘s Airbrushing brushes are perfect for painting soft, fluffy clouds:
- Soft Brush for the base shapes
- Clouds Brush for wispy details and textures
- Fog Brush for atmospheric haze
Start with a blue sky background, then use the Soft Brush to loosely block in the basic cloud shapes. Gradually build up the forms and textures with the Clouds and Fog brushes, varying the brush size and opacity.
Remember, clouds are not just white! Add subtle shades of gray, blue, and even pink or orange for more realistic depth and lighting. You can also use the Smudge Tool to gently blend the edges for an even softer look.
8. Beautiful Brows
Well-drawn eyebrows can really elevate your portraits. Procreate offers several brushes to help you get those perfect arches:
- Technical Pen for fine, hair-like strokes
- Short Hair for a softer, powder brow look
- Long Hair for longer, more dramatic brows
Start by sketching the basic brow shapes with the Technical Pen. Then fill them in with the Short Hair brush, following the direction of hair growth. Use the Long Hair brush to add a few longer, stray hairs for a more natural look.
Don‘t forget to vary the color! Use at least two shades (a base and a highlight) for more dimension. You can also use the Smudge tool to gently blend the colors for a more natural gradient.
9. Fearsome Flames
Drawing realistic fire may seem intimidating, but Procreate‘s Luminance brushes make it achievable:
- Lasso Flare for the flame base shapes
- Flare Brush for adding glow and sparks
- Soft Brush for blending and highlights
Begin by sketching the basic flame shapes with the Lasso Flare brush. Use shades of yellow, orange, and red to build up the forms. Then add highlights with a low-opacity Soft Brush in shades of white and light yellow.
For a final fiery touch, speckle on some Flare Brush in orange and yellow hues. Smudge everything together gently for a more natural blend. You can also experiment with Layer Blending Modes like Lighten or Screen for an even more luminous effect.
10. Lovely Lineart
Sometimes simple is best. Line art illustrations are timeless and versatile. And Procreate‘s Inking brushes make them so satisfying to draw:
- Studio Pen for bold, uniform lines
- Technical Pen for precise, variable-width strokes
- Dry Ink for rough, textured lines
Sketch your drawing loosely with a pencil brush first. Then create a new layer and ink over it with your brush of choice. Vary the pressure and size of your strokes to add more line weight and dimension.
You can keep your lineart as is, or fill it with color on a separate layer for a bolder look. Experiment with different layer blending modes and opacities for cool color effects.
11. Perfect Portraits
Drawing portraits is one of the best ways to level up your drawing skills. And tracing photos is a great way to practice! Just import a reference photo into Procreate, lower the opacity, and create a new layer to sketch over it.
Some of my favorite Portrait Brushes:
- Pencil Brush for loose, gestural sketches
- Studio Pen for refining shapes and lines
- Soft Brush for smooth shading
- Peppermint for freckles and skin textures
Use the pencil brush to sketch the basic proportions and shapes. Then refine your lines with the Studio Pen. Shade with a low-opacity Soft Brush, then layer on Peppermint for more realistic skin textures. You can also use various texture and hair brushes to render clothing, accessories and backgrounds.
Remember to work in layers so you can easily tweak and edit specific parts. And don‘t forget to flip your canvas horizontally to check for asymmetry!
12. Serene Sunsets
Is there anything more calming than watching a beautiful sunset? Capture those tranquil vibes in Procreate with these brushes:
- Soft Brush for the sky gradient
- Cloud Brush for fluffy clouds
- Canvas Brush for textured landscapes
- Fine Tip Ink Pen for details and outlines
Begin by filling the background with a gradient of warm sunset hues using a large Soft Brush. Then use the Cloud Brush to loosely dab in some clouds. For landscapes, use the Canvas brush to paint rugged cliffs, sandy beaches, or whatever setting you like.
Final touches really make a sunset drawing shine, so don‘t forget to add shadows, highlights and details:
- Use the Smudge tool to smooth out sky gradients
- Dry brush low-opacity white for cloud highlights
- Sketch birds, trees, and other accents with the Ink Pen
- Speckle on sun glare with the Luminance brush
FAQs
Still have questions about drawing in Procreate? Here are some quick answers:
What should I draw in Procreate as a beginner?
Start with simple subjects like basic shapes, food, or flowers. Doodle and experiment with different brushes to get a feel for the app!
What‘s the easiest thing to draw in Procreate?
That depends on you! If you‘re new to digital art, flat objects or basic landscapes (think mountains or clouds) are a good starting point.
Can I draw in Procreate without an Apple Pencil?
Yes! Your finger or a basic stylus will work fine. You can even create some cool abstract art and patterns using Procreate‘s Symmetry and QuickShape features – no special tool required.
Is Procreate good for non-artists?
Absolutely. You don‘t have to be a pro artist to enjoy doodling, lettering, or photo editing in Procreate. Explore the default brushes, play with the smudge tool, learn the gestures – you never know what cool stuff you‘ll create!
Now It‘s Your Turn!
I hope this gives you a good starting point for your Procreate drawing adventures. The possibilities really are endless with this app. The more you experiment and practice, the more confident you‘ll get. Who knows, you may even surprise yourself!
Don‘t be afraid to step outside your comfort zone either. If you usually draw characters, try a landscape. If you love painting florals, branch out with an abstract mandala. Flex those creative muscles!
Feel free to use the brush recommendations and tips here as a jumping-off point for your own artistic explorations. There‘s no right or wrong way to make art – the most important thing is to relax and enjoy the process.
So go get drawing! And when you create something awesome, I‘d love to see it – tag me on Insta @carolyndraws. Happy sketching!
