How to Make Good Procreate Art (Even If You're Just Starting!)

Karinda West
May 27
4 min read

Hey creative friends ✨

If you’ve ever opened up Procreate, stared at the blank canvas and thought, “Where on earth do I start?” — you’re not alone. We’ve all been there. Procreate is an amazing tool, but it can feel overwhelming when you’re new to it or even if you’ve dabbled but want to take your art to the next level.

The good news? You don’t need to be a tech wizard or a professional artist to make beautiful, meaningful digital art. All you need is a bit of guidance, a touch of curiosity, and the willingness to play.

Let’s break it down nice and simple.

The very first base layer, keep it loose and simple.

1. Pick a Subject That Inspires You

Before you even open Procreate, take a breath and ask yourself: What do I feel like drawing today?

This could be:

A flower from your morning walk
A cozy cup of coffee
A dreamy scene from your imagination
A portrait of your pet or family member
Something completely abstract!

There’s no right or wrong answer. The magic happens when you draw what you care about. That energy shows in your work, and it makes the whole process feel more fun and natural.

🌱 Tip: Start small and simple — like a single object or a cute doodle. You don’t have to make a masterpiece on Day 1.

Slowly stack up your layers on top of each other. It wont look like a masterpiece straight away!

2. Set Up Your Canvas & Create Your Layers (Trust Me, Layers Are Your Best Friend)

Layers are one of Procreate’s best features — and when you use them right, your art becomes more flexible and stress-free.

Here’s how to keep it easy:

Start with a sketch layer. Use a light pencil brush (like 6B or HB) and sketch loosely. This is just your rough idea.
Add a new layer underneath for colour. This way, you can colour without messing up your lines.
Use separate layers for each element. For example: background on one layer, character on another, shadows on another. This makes it easy to edit without erasing other parts.

💡 Name your layers! It helps so much when your canvas gets busier.

🧠 Think of layers like tracing paper — you can build your artwork piece by piece without smudging everything.

My colour palette is a range of greens with blue and pink accents.

3. Make a Colour Palette That Feels You

Choosing colours can feel overwhelming, but a good palette will make your art feel more you — cohesive, vibrant, and full of personality.

Here’s how to simplify the process:

Start with 4–6 main colours. Think: one or two neutrals, a pop colour, a soft tone, and an accent.
Use the Colour Harmony tool. It helps you find colours that look good together.
Save your palette in Procreate. Tap the colour dot → Palettes → “+” → “Create new palette.”

🎨 Tip: Take inspiration from real life! Snap a photo of a sunset, your outfit, or your favourite packaging and pull colours from that.

And remember, colours don’t have to be “realistic.” Pink skies? Blue skin? Green flowers? Go for it. Art is for expression, not perfection.

Adding the details at the end is the funnest part, have a play here and see what happens!

4. Add the Fun Details Last

Once your base is down — sketch, colour, basic shading — this is when the real magic happens. Add:

Texture (use brushes like gouache, dry brush or noise)
Highlights (use a soft brush on a low opacity)
Shadows (add depth using darker tones on a Multiply layer)
Background elements, sparkles, scribbles — whatever feels good!

This is the stage where your art starts to come alive. Don’t be afraid to play here.

5. Zoom Out & Adjust

Once you’ve added your final touches, zoom out and take a moment. You might notice something you want to tweak — maybe a colour feels too bright, or a shape feels off. That’s okay. Trust your instincts.

Use:

The Liquify tool to nudge things
The Adjustments tab to change brightness, saturation, or add effects like blur
The Hue/Saturation tool to shift colours if something’s not quite right

👀 Looking at your art flipped (use the canvas flip in Actions > Canvas) gives you a fresh perspective and helps catch awkward areas.

6. Save It & Celebrate!

To save your work:

Tap the wrench tool → Share → Choose PNG or JPEG
Save to your device or post it online if you want to share!

Take a moment to appreciate what you’ve made — even if it’s not perfect, it’s yours. You created something from nothing. That’s worth celebrating 💫

In Summary (TL;DR):

Choose a subject you love — it makes everything easier
Use layers — they're your digital safety net
Make a palette that speaks to your style
Add details — textures, shadows, and fun finishing touches
Adjust and refine with tools like Liquify and Hue
Save and be proud — every piece is part of your creative journey

You don’t need fancy skills or years of experience to make good art in Procreate. You just need curiosity, patience, and a little playfulness. Keep showing up, keep experimenting, and most importantly — have fun with it.

You've got this 💛