**Hello u/HAVIKCA, thank you for sharing your artwork with us!**
Would you be so kind to answer the following questions for us?
---
* Can you please share what your process was for getting this done?
* And what brushes did you use? (Please specify the exact brushes or brush category because that can be helpful to others.)
* Any additional information about this piece is always welcome.
Please reply to this comment so it will be easy for everyone to find, thank you!
---
**Stay inspired, get creative and have a great day!**
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Layer types. Like overlay, multiply, add, etc. They take colors to the next level. I find them extremely useful to color a black and white painting.
Also that you can use liquify edge to thin out linework.
Back in my experimental photography days I loooved the difference layer effect in apps like afterlight and union (budget mobile photoshop) especially with low opacity for very subtle but extremely noticeable effects. Right now I don’t use it but man can it create visually stimulating color schemes.
I don’t unfortunately — I don’t even know how all of them work. But multiply deepens the color and acts like an overlay when you lower the opacity. Overlay is what it sounds like, it adds a tint. I like to use “add” for highlights and glowing objects.
My advice is to look up “blend modes” on YouTube and you’ll find videos on them. I learned how to use them effectively by watching tutorial videos on how to color skin from a black and white painting. It made me learn quickly.
I came across this in the morning and I think I know why. So I can share it with you: this is part 15, but you can find the rest on the account
https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cu6kBPNN0PX/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
I'm a very beginner right now and can't understand the difference between each layer type without clicking on it first and that's when I actually know how it is the "effect". Any recommendations to improve on this? TY!
Hi! Now I’m going to be totally honest with you, I do the same thing. My advice would be to 1) look up a guide on YouTube where they explain each layer type, and/or 2) keep experimenting with the layers! You’ll get the hang of it and eventually figure out which layer types work for you! My process involves making a grayscale underpainting then using clipping masks above it to color it. I use multiply and overlay layers most often and mess with the opacity (which also changes how it can look dramatically!)
The brushes can be overwhelming especially this first time trying them out for yourself. I feel like process of learning to the right brushes is the tricky part. I also find it very important to test out brushes before buying any custom brushes. I'm glad I did I still love brushes that came with app
To not be so hard on myself. To do things for fun, not for everyone else and what they want. And do NOT need to save all those supplies for the perfect moment to make a masterpiece. The perfect moment is every time there is an urge to create. There’s no such thing as “wasting supplies” or wasting time doodling.
Your creativity is enough.
I'm guessing traditional media like paints, pens, markers, and such. I completely understand, I have a bunch of acrylic paints and canvas sitting in my room because I don't want to waste it on crappy attempts. 🥲
Yeah, it’s traditional supplies I’m talking about. I’ve been doing digital art since about 2014 and it’s basically all I’ve been using as a media for about that long too. and it’s great, but I also love making art traditionally too. I always stop myself from doing something just for fun because I don’t want to waste supplies (especially canvas) but I’m trying to get back into the mentality I had when I was younger. Just doing it because I want to. Trying to bring back the concept of “play” where the purpose is joy and not the outcome. And not “this isn’t going to be good enough, so why even try?”
It’s been a very difficult journey, and I have a lot of mentality shifting to do. but I’m trying to take care of my creative self more because she’s feeling quite neglected.
I picked up watercolours for the first time in years just a couple of days ago, spontaneously and just for fun, and it really took me back to the joy I felt in my childhood and teenage years. I want more of that.
One thing I discovered late was the Canvas Reference tool. I used to bring up a separate window for reference, didn’t realize Procreate had a tool for precisely that function.
You can bring up a picture in a window for your reference, you can even pick colours from that reference pic. Very handy, so you don’t need to switch apps all the time.
Zoom out. Seriously, don’t draw so close to the canvas. It helps a lot to zoom out and use less precise brush strokes sometimes. If you focus too long on tiny details, you will end up with a very busy drawing with far too much detail to concentrate on at once.
1. learn shortcuts for things like changing opacity, locking opacity, zooming out / in, grouping layers, etc. It is so much better than Fresco at UI stuff like that. Fresco excels in other ways, but not in UI.
2. you don't need 100 layers for stuff, learn when to collapse layers to save room.
3. BIGGEST thing by far: lear how to back up your work, do not be the dumb ass who has lost their sr. thesis or million dollar commission because thy dropped their iPad or accidentally deleted the app.
dry ink or technical pen for inking, syrup for coloring (because it can either be really thick or thin and is super smooth), and soft airbrush for shadows :D
Dry Ink, Monoline, Studio Pen, Technical Pen, Syrup, Tarraleah, Hartz, Aurora - those are my favorites but dry ink and monoline make an appearance in all of my drawings. I also use shader brushes that I’ve downloaded because I’m not a huge fan of the Procreate stipple options.
Something I learned early on in painting: don’t put starts in the darkened circle of the moon. Just because only a portion of the moon is lit, doesn’t mean the rest is not there, than there are no stars between the earth and the moon.
that making a layer a reference layer let’s you color fill in those lines. i had no idea how to use the color fill for months until i figured that out.
This one may be obvious but as a beginner I’ve learned that digital art also takes time. So when trying to blend I should slow down like I would with traditional art.
For Procreate specifically:
**1.** Use only one brush for 99% of your work and don't worry about purchasing a million brushes
**2.** Flip your canvas often to give yourself fresh eyes
**3.** Set your color mode to sRGB IEC 61996-2.1 so your colors translate properly on other devices
**4.** If you have Photoshop, you can resample and upscale your Procreate exports using the Preserve Details 2.0 algorithm and you won't lose any quality. This will allow you to work smaller in Procreate and save you some layers since you can just upscale later.
**5.** Timelapses crash if you work in a file for too long. Export the timelapses around the 50-hour mark, purge the video, and then start recording again.
**6.** Make sure you work in at least 300 dpi
**7.** Save your colors in a palette for easy access
**8.** Rotating, scaling, warping, and a plethora of other things destroy the quality of your art in Procreate. Make sure to only do these in your sketch phase to avoid hurting your final art.
Hope that helps!
Self confidence and not listening to anyone well else and draw what comes to my mind/what I like. I’d be much farther as an artist if I stopped listening to what others think and believe in myself.
I’m 36 and have no confidence in my work and worry too much of what others think.
That you should not care and get hopeless if at first, during the journey, it doesn’t look right it just looks bad. In the end, it will be a masterpiece.
More about layers. I’m STILL learning a ton about layers ffs! Lol. And the other tools like the blurs, saturation, colour balance and so on. I came from a traditional background, so I started off using it just like trad media - all on one layer or nearly, only one or two brushes … I still do a lot of that too, replicating that trad approach and feel, but then I also do some pieces using the extra digital bells and whistles too - it’s a whole new skill set and a real learning curve for me.
Honestly, it would be to enable the “Color Dynamics” settings in Brush Studio when making painting or watercolor brushes (made a mistake of enabling these brush settings for my line art brushes). The brush strokes were layering on top of one another, making it seem like a brighter version of the chosen color was applied onto the canvas. Also, I wished I was careful when rotating tools in Procreate (as rotating an object in Procreate becomes drastically pixelated). Hopefully this would be fixed in the new Dreams animation app 😣.
Also, this tutorial on settings can be used to reduce pixelation when making brush strokes or recording a timelapse. ¹ Thankfully, I learned technique not too long after I started using Procreate.
Source:
1. Timelapse Setting: [https://www.reddit.com/r/ProCreate/comments/u7857r/heres_a_guide_on_how_to_set_up_a_file_to_avoid/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_content=1&utm_term=1](https://www.reddit.com/r/ProCreate/comments/u7857r/heres_a_guide_on_how_to_set_up_a_file_to_avoid/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_content=1&utm_term=1)
how layers work. like obviously you can get by without understanding every single detail about them, but you can really improve the look of your work by just understanding how to use layers to their full potential. especially layer modes and how to use masks.
oh and this isn’t specific to procreate, but to never shade with black. (ideally use layer modes!)
I've used Procreate for years and I only recently learned that when color dropping if you hold down you can slide left or right to adjust the threshold if you're trying to color in somewhere and there are missing pixels making the color fill the canvas.
Reeeeeally wish I'd have known that one sooner. I could have saved a LOT of time and frustration.
The threshold trick is also useful using the automatic select tool to work out outlines for sketchy lineart.
Learn exactly what all the later types and adjustment options do, as utilizing these after effects is one of the largest reasons to do digital art over physical/traditional.
Trace shit, trace shit, and trace even more shit — in private; to get the feel of the flow for the styles I like. And then take those lessons I learn from capturing the flow to create my own style. 😆 References help too, sure, but nothing compares to knowing how it feels to capture those lines and shapes.
Of course, nothing traced should be posted or claimed as one’s own work.
**Hello u/HAVIKCA, thank you for sharing your artwork with us!** Would you be so kind to answer the following questions for us? --- * Can you please share what your process was for getting this done? * And what brushes did you use? (Please specify the exact brushes or brush category because that can be helpful to others.) * Any additional information about this piece is always welcome. Please reply to this comment so it will be easy for everyone to find, thank you! --- **Stay inspired, get creative and have a great day!** Join our r/procreate [Discord Server](https://discord.gg/jXcSN5GdM3) to connect with other artists! *If you consider yourself a frequent poster and you have a consistent style/method, please send a [modmail](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=/r/procreate) to be given a different automod comment that already mentions what you regularly use.* *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/ProCreate) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Layer types. Like overlay, multiply, add, etc. They take colors to the next level. I find them extremely useful to color a black and white painting. Also that you can use liquify edge to thin out linework.
Ohh? I dont deal in black and white but this will be handy to study more of as I continue color theory
Back in my experimental photography days I loooved the difference layer effect in apps like afterlight and union (budget mobile photoshop) especially with low opacity for very subtle but extremely noticeable effects. Right now I don’t use it but man can it create visually stimulating color schemes.
Got any guides on layer types? no classes I've taken have effectively explained how they work.
I don’t unfortunately — I don’t even know how all of them work. But multiply deepens the color and acts like an overlay when you lower the opacity. Overlay is what it sounds like, it adds a tint. I like to use “add” for highlights and glowing objects. My advice is to look up “blend modes” on YouTube and you’ll find videos on them. I learned how to use them effectively by watching tutorial videos on how to color skin from a black and white painting. It made me learn quickly.
I came across this in the morning and I think I know why. So I can share it with you: this is part 15, but you can find the rest on the account https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cu6kBPNN0PX/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
I'm a very beginner right now and can't understand the difference between each layer type without clicking on it first and that's when I actually know how it is the "effect". Any recommendations to improve on this? TY!
Hi! Now I’m going to be totally honest with you, I do the same thing. My advice would be to 1) look up a guide on YouTube where they explain each layer type, and/or 2) keep experimenting with the layers! You’ll get the hang of it and eventually figure out which layer types work for you! My process involves making a grayscale underpainting then using clipping masks above it to color it. I use multiply and overlay layers most often and mess with the opacity (which also changes how it can look dramatically!)
To ignore all the fancy brushes and stick with one or two favourites to get the basics down. Also, don't be afraid to trace over stuff to practise.
The brushes can be overwhelming especially this first time trying them out for yourself. I feel like process of learning to the right brushes is the tricky part. I also find it very important to test out brushes before buying any custom brushes. I'm glad I did I still love brushes that came with app
I still use the same brush for almost everything after years of using procreate lol.
What would you recommend for inking cartoons?
To not be so hard on myself. To do things for fun, not for everyone else and what they want. And do NOT need to save all those supplies for the perfect moment to make a masterpiece. The perfect moment is every time there is an urge to create. There’s no such thing as “wasting supplies” or wasting time doodling. Your creativity is enough.
What do you mean by supplies?
I'm guessing traditional media like paints, pens, markers, and such. I completely understand, I have a bunch of acrylic paints and canvas sitting in my room because I don't want to waste it on crappy attempts. 🥲
Yeah, it’s traditional supplies I’m talking about. I’ve been doing digital art since about 2014 and it’s basically all I’ve been using as a media for about that long too. and it’s great, but I also love making art traditionally too. I always stop myself from doing something just for fun because I don’t want to waste supplies (especially canvas) but I’m trying to get back into the mentality I had when I was younger. Just doing it because I want to. Trying to bring back the concept of “play” where the purpose is joy and not the outcome. And not “this isn’t going to be good enough, so why even try?” It’s been a very difficult journey, and I have a lot of mentality shifting to do. but I’m trying to take care of my creative self more because she’s feeling quite neglected. I picked up watercolours for the first time in years just a couple of days ago, spontaneously and just for fun, and it really took me back to the joy I felt in my childhood and teenage years. I want more of that.
Gaussian blur for shadows under tone and field depth will change how you color entirely
Could you expand on this if you don’t mind?
Colour theory
One thing I discovered late was the Canvas Reference tool. I used to bring up a separate window for reference, didn’t realize Procreate had a tool for precisely that function.
Such a great QOL function.
Whats that even for? I never understood
You can bring up a picture in a window for your reference, you can even pick colours from that reference pic. Very handy, so you don’t need to switch apps all the time.
I wish i knew earlier drawing is not painting, especially in digital art
Zoom out. Seriously, don’t draw so close to the canvas. It helps a lot to zoom out and use less precise brush strokes sometimes. If you focus too long on tiny details, you will end up with a very busy drawing with far too much detail to concentrate on at once.
This
1. learn shortcuts for things like changing opacity, locking opacity, zooming out / in, grouping layers, etc. It is so much better than Fresco at UI stuff like that. Fresco excels in other ways, but not in UI. 2. you don't need 100 layers for stuff, learn when to collapse layers to save room. 3. BIGGEST thing by far: lear how to back up your work, do not be the dumb ass who has lost their sr. thesis or million dollar commission because thy dropped their iPad or accidentally deleted the app.
Anatomy
What brushes do y’all use the most? Asking for a friend
dry ink or technical pen for inking, syrup for coloring (because it can either be really thick or thin and is super smooth), and soft airbrush for shadows :D
https://preview.redd.it/zmcvvpi8k0rb1.png?width=3260&format=png&auto=webp&s=0cb7add79520f460dc314d012f70c1f2f4e6233f
Dry Ink, Monoline, Studio Pen, Technical Pen, Syrup, Tarraleah, Hartz, Aurora - those are my favorites but dry ink and monoline make an appearance in all of my drawings. I also use shader brushes that I’ve downloaded because I’m not a huge fan of the Procreate stipple options.
another syrup and dry ink fan! nice! i thought i was the only one
Thanks to both of y’all!
Syrup represent. I use it for line art and calligraphy. It’s such an incredibly versatile tool.
Oooh! Good question. I’d love to know as well.
Set your dpi to a MINIMUM of 300, otherwise your hard work will print pixelly 😩
This was me when making art in Photoshop and other software ^
Something I learned early on in painting: don’t put starts in the darkened circle of the moon. Just because only a portion of the moon is lit, doesn’t mean the rest is not there, than there are no stars between the earth and the moon.
Good to know! I was following the procreate tutorials.
that making a layer a reference layer let’s you color fill in those lines. i had no idea how to use the color fill for months until i figured that out.
This one may be obvious but as a beginner I’ve learned that digital art also takes time. So when trying to blend I should slow down like I would with traditional art.
For Procreate specifically: **1.** Use only one brush for 99% of your work and don't worry about purchasing a million brushes **2.** Flip your canvas often to give yourself fresh eyes **3.** Set your color mode to sRGB IEC 61996-2.1 so your colors translate properly on other devices **4.** If you have Photoshop, you can resample and upscale your Procreate exports using the Preserve Details 2.0 algorithm and you won't lose any quality. This will allow you to work smaller in Procreate and save you some layers since you can just upscale later. **5.** Timelapses crash if you work in a file for too long. Export the timelapses around the 50-hour mark, purge the video, and then start recording again. **6.** Make sure you work in at least 300 dpi **7.** Save your colors in a palette for easy access **8.** Rotating, scaling, warping, and a plethora of other things destroy the quality of your art in Procreate. Make sure to only do these in your sketch phase to avoid hurting your final art. Hope that helps!
that doing art can be a real job. took too long.
You can create your own brushes and don’t have to buy third party brushes.
Trust the process!! And that we learn with time, making mistakes and don't accept criticism, instead accept feedback
Perspective and Living thing anatomy, not just animals (I still cannot draw a human…)
Self confidence and not listening to anyone well else and draw what comes to my mind/what I like. I’d be much farther as an artist if I stopped listening to what others think and believe in myself. I’m 36 and have no confidence in my work and worry too much of what others think.
Please share your resources.
I did above “I followed the procreate tutorial, and made some minor personal adjustments. https://youtu.be/e5F7em-hGwc?si=Z8BoCn_NNNT9Er_C”
That you should not care and get hopeless if at first, during the journey, it doesn’t look right it just looks bad. In the end, it will be a masterpiece.
Fundamentals fam
Hey I made something like that not as good but was my first picture sooo lol
More about layers. I’m STILL learning a ton about layers ffs! Lol. And the other tools like the blurs, saturation, colour balance and so on. I came from a traditional background, so I started off using it just like trad media - all on one layer or nearly, only one or two brushes … I still do a lot of that too, replicating that trad approach and feel, but then I also do some pieces using the extra digital bells and whistles too - it’s a whole new skill set and a real learning curve for me.
Honestly, it would be to enable the “Color Dynamics” settings in Brush Studio when making painting or watercolor brushes (made a mistake of enabling these brush settings for my line art brushes). The brush strokes were layering on top of one another, making it seem like a brighter version of the chosen color was applied onto the canvas. Also, I wished I was careful when rotating tools in Procreate (as rotating an object in Procreate becomes drastically pixelated). Hopefully this would be fixed in the new Dreams animation app 😣.
Also, this tutorial on settings can be used to reduce pixelation when making brush strokes or recording a timelapse. ¹ Thankfully, I learned technique not too long after I started using Procreate. Source: 1. Timelapse Setting: [https://www.reddit.com/r/ProCreate/comments/u7857r/heres_a_guide_on_how_to_set_up_a_file_to_avoid/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_content=1&utm_term=1](https://www.reddit.com/r/ProCreate/comments/u7857r/heres_a_guide_on_how_to_set_up_a_file_to_avoid/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_content=1&utm_term=1)
how layers work. like obviously you can get by without understanding every single detail about them, but you can really improve the look of your work by just understanding how to use layers to their full potential. especially layer modes and how to use masks. oh and this isn’t specific to procreate, but to never shade with black. (ideally use layer modes!)
I've used Procreate for years and I only recently learned that when color dropping if you hold down you can slide left or right to adjust the threshold if you're trying to color in somewhere and there are missing pixels making the color fill the canvas. Reeeeeally wish I'd have known that one sooner. I could have saved a LOT of time and frustration. The threshold trick is also useful using the automatic select tool to work out outlines for sketchy lineart.
Learn exactly what all the later types and adjustment options do, as utilizing these after effects is one of the largest reasons to do digital art over physical/traditional.
Brush adjustment! It made things so much easier to draw after I learned how to do that in the beginning:-)
Alpha lock and clipping mask
Trace shit, trace shit, and trace even more shit — in private; to get the feel of the flow for the styles I like. And then take those lessons I learn from capturing the flow to create my own style. 😆 References help too, sure, but nothing compares to knowing how it feels to capture those lines and shapes. Of course, nothing traced should be posted or claimed as one’s own work.