Procreate Guide: The Basics
If you’re opening Procreate for the first time, this is all you need to get started. No overwhelm. No deep dive. Just the essentials.
What Procreate Is
Procreate is a digital drawing app for iPad.
It lets you sketch, ink, paint, and design—all in one place.
You don’t need to understand everything to use it.
You just need to start.
Create Your First Canvas
Open Procreate.
Tap the + (top right).
Choose any screen size.
If you plan to print later, use 300 DPI.
For now, any canvas works.
The Only Tools You Need to Know
At the top right:
Brush — Draw
Eraser — Remove
Smudge — Blend
Layers — Organize your work
Color Circle — Pick colors
On the side:
Adjust brush size
Adjust opacity
That’s enough to begin.
Basic Gestures
Two-finger tap — Undo
Three-finger tap — Redo
Pinch — Zoom in and out
Use these often. They save time.
Drawing Your First Marks
Select a brush.
Draw lines across the screen.
Draw shapes.
Fill the page.
Don’t try to make anything perfect.
You’re getting used to the feel.
Understanding Layers
Layers are like stacked sheets of paper.
Use them to separate your work:
One layer for sketch
One layer for clean lines
One layer for color
Tap the + in the Layers panel to add a new one.
Adding Color
Tap the color circle.
Pick a color.
Draw a shape, then drag the color into it to fill.
Simple and fast.
Moving and Adjusting
Tap the arrow icon (Transform).
You can:
Move your drawing
Resize it
Rotate it
Nothing is permanent. You can always adjust.
Exporting Your Work
Tap Wrench (Actions) → Share
Choose:
PNG for best quality
JPEG for smaller files
A Simple Workflow
Create canvas
Sketch
Add a new layer
Draw clean lines
Add color underneath
Export
Final Thought
You don’t need to master Procreate to use it.
You just need to open it and draw.
Everything else comes after.