Introduction
Procreate is hands down the best digital illustration app available for the iPad. As an artist and Procreate user myself, I absolutely love this app and find it to be an indispensable tool in my creative workflow. In the following article, I will provide an in-depth look at Procreate, covering its features, capabilities, and why it stands out as the premier iPad app for digital art.
Key Features of Procreate
Procreate is packed with powerful features tailored specifically for digital illustration and painting. Here are some of the key features that make Procreate great:
Extensive Brush Library
- Procreate comes with over 150 customizable brushes built-in, allowing you to emulate real artistic mediums like oils, watercolors, pencil, ink, chalk, and more
- The brush engine is extremely advanced, with options like tilt, pressure, texture, smudge, etc. You can customize every aspect of the brushes to get them just right
- New brush packs are released frequently to expand the brush library even further
Advanced Layer System
- Procreate has a robust layer system that lets you composite images and apply adjustments non-destructively
- Layer blending modes like screen, overlay, etc. allow you to blend layers like you would in Photoshop
- You can group layers, clone them, and make adjustments on a per-layer basis
Pencil and Text Tools
- Procreate includes versatile vector drawing tools for clean lines and shapes
- The text tool has advanced typography features like line spacing, font selection, alignment, etc.
- You can convert text and vector shapes into raster layers to paint on top of them
Transformations
- Objects, layers, and groups can be scaled, rotated, skewed, duplicated, and more
- Perspective transform tool lets you apply 1, 2, or 3-point perspective on layers
- Non-destructive transformations mean you can go back and edit at any time
And much more! Procreate also has clipping masks, alpha locks, selection tools, animation assistance, ruler/grid tools, and a massive canvas size up to 16K resolution.
Why Procreate is the Best iPad Illustration App
Here are some of the key reasons why Procreate stands out as the premier digital illustration app on the iPad:
Unparalleled Support for Apple Pencil
- Procreate is designed for Apple Pencil from the ground up, with full support for pressure, tilt, and other Pencil features
- The Apple Pencil combined with Procreate’s brush engine provides an incredibly natural and responsive drawing experience
Powerful on Minimal Hardware
- Procreate is optimized to run smoothly on all models of iPad – no need for the latest hardware
- Large and complex illustrations with lots of layers do not slow Procreate down
- Makes the iPad a capable digital art machine even with minimal hardware
Intuitive and Easy Workflow
- The Procreate interface is clean, simple, and designed specifically for touch and Apple Pencil
- Gestures and shortcuts make accessing tools and functions fast and natural
- Easy to navigate even for beginners while providing all the power pros need
Continuous Improvements and New Features
- The Procreate developers consistently release major feature updates
- New brush packs, tools, and capabilities are added frequently
- Procreate has grown by leaps and bounds since it first launched
In summary, Procreate combines an unmatched brush system, Apple Pencil integration, lag-free performance, and continuous improvements to offer the best professional-grade digital illustration experience on the iPad.
My Personal Experience Using Procreate
As an illustrator myself, I rely heavily on Procreate for both professional and personal work. Here is a bit about my experience:
Flexible and Fast Workflow
- I can quickly sketch anywhere with just my iPad and Apple Pencil – no need to boot up a computer or connect a tablet
- Procreate’s tools allow me to take an idea from rough sketch to finished illustration incredibly fast
- Makes me much more productive and flexible than traditional mediums
Intuitive Experience
- Procreate truly feels natural to draw and paint in, thanks to the Apple Pencil integration
- I can focus on the art rather than fighting against the software
- The app gets out of the way so I can focus on being creative
Powerful Capabilities
- I am constantly impressed by how much I can do with just an iPad app
- Procreate has all the selection, masking, and compositing capabilities I need for complex illustrations
- My finished illustrations are indistinguishable from work created on desktop apps
While traditional mediums still have their place in my heart, Procreate has become an indispensable creative tool that gives me capabilities far beyond what I could do with just pencil and paper.
Procreate Continues to Lead the Way
With its unmatched Apple Pencil integration, powerful brush engine, intuitive interface, and constant improvements, Procreate has clearly established itself as the premier professional illustration app on the iPad. While other apps like Clip Studio Paint and Adobe Fresco offer stiff competition, Procreate continues to lead the way in digitizing the art creation process on the tablet. For anyone serious about digital illustration on the iPad, Procreate is hands-down the app to get.
