Chapter 1: How to Best Get Started with Procreate

Mastering Procreate: A Step-by-Step Learning Plan for Beginners. In this chapter, you’ll learn how to navigate the Procreate interface, use essential gestures, set up your first canvas, and complete your basic drawing. This chapter lays the foundation for everything else. If you’re a beginner like all of us are at some point, then Chapter 1 will get you familiar with Procreate! If you’re a visual learner and prefer to start with watching the process in action, there are endless video tutorials on the internet.

Lesson 1.1: Understanding the Procreate Interface

Step-by-Step Breakdown

1. Open Procreate

• Tap the Procreate app on your iPad.

• You’ll land in the Gallery View, which shows all your artworks.

2. Exploring the Gallery View

• Tap “Select” to organize or delete artworks.

• Tap the stack icon to group drawings.

• Tap on an artwork to enter canvas mode.

3. Create a New Canvas

• Tap the + icon (top-right).

• Choose a default canvas (ex: Screen Size) or tap “Create Custom Size”.

4. Create Custom Canvas

• Recommended beginner settings:

  • Width: 3000 px

  • Height: 3000 px

  • DPI: 300

  • Color Profile: RGB (P3 for rich colors)

5. Canvas Interface Layout

• Top Toolbar (left to right):

  • Actions (wrench icon)

  • Adjustments (magic wand)

  • Selections (ribbon icon)

  • Move tool (arrow)

• Sidebar (left side):

  • Brush Size (slider)

  • Brush Opacity (slider)

  • Color (circle at the bottom)

• Right Tools:

  • Brush (paintbrush)

  • Smudge (finger)

  • Eraser (eraser)

  • Layers (two squares)

  • Color (circle)

Chapter 1: Practice Exercise

1. Open a new canvas.

2. Tap every icon and explore.

3. Try changing brush size and opacity.

4. Use Undo (two-finger tap) and Redo (three-finger tap).

Lesson 1.2: Essential Gestures & Shortcuts

Important Procreate Gestures

Chapter 1: Quick Tips

• Tap and hold the square (left sidebar) to activate Precision Mode.

• Use QuickShape by drawing a shape and holding your pen in place.

Chapter 1: Practice Exercise

1. Draw a circle. Hold for QuickShape.

2. Fill it with color by dragging the color dot into it.

3. Undo and Redo the action.

Lesson 1.3: Setting Up Your Canvas Correctly

Canvas Types Based on Usage

For Social Media Art

• Size: 2048 x 2048 px or 1080 x 1350 px

• DPI: 150

• Color Profile: RGB

For Print Projects

• Size: A4 or A3 (in inches or mm)

• DPI: 300

• Color Profile: CMYK or RGB

For Animation

• Size: 1920 x 1080 px

• DPI: 72–150

• Color Profile: RGB

Understanding Color Profiles

• RGB (Red, Green, Blue) – Best for screen work. Bright, vivid colors.

• CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black) – Used for print, but colors look duller.

Practice Activity

1. Create 2 canvases:

   • RGB at 150 DPI

   • CMYK at 300 DPI

2. Try painting with the same color on both.

3. Observe the color differences.

Lesson 1.4: Your First Drawing Challenge

Tools to Use

• Sketching Pencil Brush (in Sketching category)

• Monoline Brush (for bold outlines)

• Color Wheel (to select shades)

Chapter 1: Challenge Steps

1. Open a blank canvas.

2. Use the pencil brush to draw a simple face or flower.

3. Create a new layer and trace over it with the Monoline brush.

4. Add a third layer and apply basic colors.

5. Experiment with the opacity slider to shade your drawing.

End-of-Chapter Checklist

✅ I can create a canvas and choose the right settings
✅ I know how to navigate the Procreate interface
✅ I can use gestures like Undo, Redo, and QuickShape
✅ I understand the difference between RGB and CMYK
✅ I’ve made my first Procreate drawing

Download some of our single brushes, which cost less than brushsets, and practice. The Procreate default brushes are perfectly capable of giving you all the benefits and experience of digital art, too! Remember to tag us on social media – we’re excited to cheer you on!

Related: Mastering Procreate: A Step-by-Step Learning Plan for Beginners