We all have a budding artist inside us. Be it sketching or painting, everyone loves to express themselves by drawing on paper. In recent times, when technology has overtaken many techniques, visual arts remain one of the key areas where technology has embraced the technique and built resource-rich applications to make you draw better. One such application that has become one of the most popular platforms for newbies and professionals is Procreate. Coupled with the iPad, Procreate has become the go-to software to make a stunning piece of art. However, amateurs may find its huge array of functionalities overwhelming, whereas professionals may not be aware of shortcuts that may speed things up for them. This is why we have made a list of tips and tricks that will help you in using Procreate better.
- Gesture controls
Gestures are the fastest way to get the most out of the app. Procreate lets you customize specific gestures that are linked to specific activities. For example, you can customize a three-finger swipe to select a layer. You can add different actions to taps made by your hand and the Apple Pencil. You can find these controls by tapping on the wrench icon and going in Preferences.
- Quickshape
Do you think that your shaky hands don’t make perfect circles or squares? The Quickshape tool can solve this problem. Tap on the wrench icon, select Preferences, and then tap on Gesture controls. You will find the Quickshape feature and by enabling it, you will eliminate the rough shapes as the app will automatically sense the shape and create a smooth object for you.
- Layering capabilities
Layers are the best way to harness the potential of Procreate. Layers allow you to stack shapes, colors, and images on each other so that you can create a brilliant piece of art the same way that an artist uses layers of paint on its painting. You can combine layers into groups and use them to experiment with each other. Additional functionalities like Clipping Masks and Alpha Locks take advantage of layers.
- Making Clipping Mask and Alpha Lock
Clipping Masks are more like masking tapes that painters use to block out the canvas to fill out a certain shape that is bounded by tapes. Making Clipping Masks is very easy. Draw your shape on a layer and then spread the color on another layer under it. Tap the new layer and select ‘Clipping Mask’.
Alpha Lock is a handy tool that allows you to draw within the boundaries of your shape. To use the Alpha Lock, click on the check-box present on the layer that has the shape. Create another layer and then draw on it. You will realize that you won’t be able to draw outside the boundaries of the shape with the Alpha Lock.
- Color palettes
For people who know color harmony, having the perfect color palette for making a piece is highly important. For others, hunting down the exact shade of color may also become a task. The color palettes can save you from this trouble. Just like a regular palette, you can select colors and add them to the palette so they stay there for your reuse. Procreate has three color palettes named Pastels, Campfire and Ascend, that come pre-installed and you can make your own palette by clicking on the ‘+’ icon.
- Color picking
It can become impossible to reproduce an exact color, be it from a picture or some other reference. The Eyedropper tool allows you to catch a color from any reference and use it on the canvas. So you save the trouble from traversing through the limitless color options. You can also tweak the gesture controls to save a particular gesture to the Eyedropper tool. If you are working on a piece that requires constant color correction or referencing, adding a gesture will make things faster.
- Color dropping
As the name suggests the ColorDrop tool drops a specific color on the canvas and adjusts itself according to the shapes placed on the canvas. To use it, you can select a color from the color-circle present on the top right corner and drag it to your canvas. Be careful as the threshold of the ColorDrop tools might interfere with your shapes. Make sure you adjust the threshold so that spilling is minimized.
- Blend Mode
Head over to the top-right section and click on the blend tool which is placed between the eraser icon and the paintbrush icon. This tool will help you smoothen your colors into a gradient. So, instead of switching between colors back and forth, using the Blend tools is much easier and faster.
- Adjustment mode
If you think that your art piece requires a little experimentation, click on the icon beside the wrench icon. This will open the Adjustment tabs which will provide you with a plethora of options including Opacity, Depth, Noise, Liquify, Blur, Push, Pinch, and many more.
John Smith is a technology enthusiast who loves writing about new advancements and IT threats on a regular basis. Her work focuses on the latest advancements in the realm of technology, social media, and cyber security at norton.com/setup.
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