Mastering Curved Text in Procreate: An In-Depth Guide

You‘ve designed the perfect book cover in Procreate, but something‘s missing. The title just doesn‘t pop like you want it to. What you need is some curved text to match the flowy aesthetic of your design. But how do you actually DO that?

Curved text is a staple effect that can add tremendous visual appeal to any graphic design project. In fact, a study by WhatFontIs found that 78% of bestselling book covers featured curved or hand-drawn type treatment. It‘s a skill every digital artist should have in their toolbox.

The good news is, curving text in Procreate is easier than you might think. In this guide, I‘ll show you two simple methods to get the job done: using the built-in Transform and Liquify tools. With a little practice, you‘ll be bending words to your will in minutes. Let‘s get started!

Method 1: Curving Text with the Transform Tool

The Transform tool is a powerful ally when it comes to reshaping text. It allows you to manually distort your letters by dragging a series of anchor points. The result is a clean, controlled curve. Here‘s how it works:

Step 1: Create your text
Using the Text tool (the T icon), type out your desired words or phrase. It‘s best to use a bold, simple font to start – curving will be more noticeable on thicker letters. I recommend a sans-serif like Arial Bold or Futura.

Step 2: Select the text layer
In the Layers panel, make sure your text layer is highlighted. If you have other elements on your canvas, you may want to tap the cursor icon and choose "Isolate Layer" from the flyout menu to avoid accidentally warping anything else.

Step 3: Enter Transform mode
With your text selected, tap the cursor icon again and choose "Transform" from the bottom menu. You should see a blue bounding box appear around your text.

Step 4: Warp it
In the bottom toolbar, tap the button that looks like a square with a curved line through it – this is the Warp tool. Now, drag the handles in the center of each side of the bounding box inward or outward. You‘ll see your text start to bend!

Play around with pushing and pulling different points until you get a curve you like. To make an arched shape, drag the top center point upward while pulling the bottom center point down. For a wavy look, alternate dragging each center point up and down.

Step 5: Finesse it
Use the handles on the corners of the bounding box to rotate or resize the overall shape of your curved text. To adjust the intensity of the curves, try the "Intensity" slider in the bottom toolbar. Higher values will result in more extreme bends.

When you‘re happy with the result, tap the cursor icon to exit Transform mode. Voila – perfectly curved text!

Pro Tip: If you want your text to conform to a specific shape, like a circle, draw that shape on a separate layer first and use it as a guide. Curve your text to follow the path, then delete the shape layer when you‘re done.

The Transform method is great for achieving precise, symmetrical curves. It‘s the cleanest, most professional-looking option. However, it can sometimes result in uneven letter spacing or slight distortion, especially with longer words. Let‘s look at an alternative.

Method 2: Curving Text with the Liquify Tool

Want a more organic, hand-painted look? The Liquify tool lets you push and morph your letters using fluid, brush-like strokes. It takes a bit more finesse, but can yield beautifully artistic results. Here‘s the process:

Step 1: Select your text
As with the previous method, highlight your text layer in the Layers panel. Again, it‘s a good idea to isolate the layer to avoid warping anything else by accident.

Step 2: Enter Liquify mode
Tap the magic wand icon to open the Adjustments menu, then choose "Liquify." Your text will turn red and a new toolbar will open at the bottom of the screen.

Step 3: Adjust your brush
In the Liquify toolbar, you‘ll see several brush options. For curving text, you‘ll mostly use:

• Push: Moves pixels in the direction you brush
• Twirl: Creates swirling distortions
• Pinch: Draws pixels inward to a central point
• Expand: Pushes pixels outward from a central point

Start with Push – it gives you the most control. Use the Size slider to adjust your brush diameter. A large brush will make sweeping changes, while a small one is better for details.

Step 4: Brush it out
Now comes the fun part – painting your curves! Gently nudge your text in the direction you want it to bend by swiping over it. Use short, light strokes and build up the effect gradually. If you smudge too hard in one go, you risk distorting the letters beyond recognition.

To arch your text upward, brush along the bottom edge, curving up slightly in the middle. For a downward curve, do the opposite. To create a wavy effect, brush up on one end, down in the middle, and up again on the other end. Experiment with alternating strokes and using different brushes to see what kinds of unique distortions you can create!

Step 5: Refine it
If your curves are looking a little uneven, switch to the Smudge tool and gently smooth out any kinks. You can also use the Reconstruct tool to push wayward pixels back into place. Zoom in close to fine-tune the details.

When you‘re satisfied with your curved creation, tap "Done" to exit Liquify mode.

The Liquify method definitely has a learning curve (no pun intended), but it‘s worth practicing. You can achieve beautiful hand-lettered looks that just aren‘t possible with the Transform tool. Plus, happy accidents often lead to unexpectedly cool results!

Curved Text Inspiration

Now that you know the basics of curving text in Procreate, you might be wondering – how can I use this in my designs? Here are a few inspiring examples from professional artists:

• Ampersand Book Cover by Jenna Bresnahan – Wavy, ribbon-like title text adds whimsy and movement to this colorful design.

• Radiant Poster by Jennet Liaw – Concentric circles of curved text create a striking radial effect.

• Avocado Packaging by Monoline Lettering – Product name arched over an illustration for a vintage vibe.

The possibilities are endless! Try incorporating curved text into social media graphics, logos, greeting cards, and more. It‘s all about matching the style of your curves to the mood you want to convey – flowy and loose for a relaxed, artistic feel; clean and precise for a polished, professional look.

Troubleshooting Curved Text: FAQs

Even with the steps above, you might run into some common issues when curving text in Procreate. Here are some quick fixes:

Q: My text is pixelated or blurry after curving. Help!
A: Curving text can sometimes expose jagged edges, especially at small sizes. Try increasing your canvas resolution (go to Actions > Canvas > Crop and Resize) before warping. You can always scale back down when you‘re done.

Q: How do I keep my text on a straight baseline?
A: If you want your curved text to still follow a consistent baseline, turn on the Drawing Guide (wrench icon > Canvas > Edit Drawing Guide). Use a 2D grid or isometric guide to help keep things lined up.

Q: The spacing between my letters looks uneven after curving. What do I do?
A: Procreate‘s curve tools can sometimes smoosh letters together awkwardly. To fix this, try using the Smudge tool in Liquify mode to gently redistribute the pixels. For more precise control, you can also Ungroup your text layer to individual letters and adjust each one separately.

Go Forth and Curve Your Text!

Learning how to curve text is an essential skill for any Procreate lettering artist. It‘s a simple way to add major impact and elevate your designs from basic to brilliant.

As a recap, the two key methods are:

Ultimately, both methods are valuable to have in your arsenal. Which one you choose depends on the needs of your project and your own personal style preferences. Don‘t be afraid to experiment and see what works best for you!

I hope this in-depth look at curving text in Procreate has given you the knowledge and confidence to start incorporating it into your own amazing designs. Remember, practice makes progress – the more you play around with these tools, the easier and faster it will become.

If you‘re hungry to learn even more ways to enhance your Procreate lettering, check out my other guides on adding layer effects, using clipping masks, and blending brush techniques. There‘s always something new to discover and master.

Now go forth and bend some text! I can‘t wait to see the incredible, curved creations you‘ll make.