Cat in a Garden
In this cozy little tutorial, we’re painting a chubby, super relaxed cat soaking up sunshine in a plant-filled garden. The whole process is meant to feel light and playful, no pressure to get everything perfect. We start with a super simple sketch and build things up layer by layer, adding color, texture, and just enough detail to bring it all to life. Think loose lines, happy accidents, and lots of plants. If you’ve been wanting to try a more painterly style without overthinking every brushstroke, this one’s for you.
Brushes used:
- Basic Sketcher
- Flotastic Brush
- Flat Painter
- Base Painter
- Foliage
- Syrup
- Dynamic Color
- Flotastic Inker
- Upward Plant
- Studio Pen
Canvas Size:
- 2300 x 3000 pixels
Key Skills Learned:
- Sketching loose but confident shapes
We keep it super simple with basic circles and ovals to build the cat and garden scene — no need for fancy anatomy here. - Layering up soft painterly textures
Using a mix of brushes, we build color in a way that feels relaxed and organic, perfect for capturing a sun-drenched garden vibe. - Playing with shadow and light for warmth
We use multiply layers and soft dabs of color to suggest where the sun hits and where the shadows fall, without overcomplicating it. - Painting leafy plants with depth and variety
From big leafy shapes to tiny floating leaves, you’ll learn how to build lush, natural-looking greenery in a fun and flexible way. - Finishing with sketchy line art for extra charm
At the end, we add just a few loose lines to pull it all together, enough to suggest detail, but still keep that playful feel.
Toadstools
Okay Flocreators, autumn is here, and that means it’s the perfect time for a cozy little realism project. In this one, we’re painting a group of toadstools, just following the process and seeing where it goes. I walk you through everything: starting with a loose sketch, laying down messy colors, adding texture and light, and just slowly building it all up. You’ll see how I make decisions on the fly, test things out, and trust the process even when it looks weird halfway through (because it always does). It’s not about making an exact copy, it’s about creating something that feels right. So grab your iPad, settle in, and let’s enjoy the magic of painting something just for the fun of it.
Brushes used:
- Basic Sketcher
- Flotastic
- Base Painter
- Standard Blender
- Flo Lighta
- Flo Darka
- Lighten Line
- Darken Line
- Overlay Brush
- Twisted Tree
- Heavy Metal
- Soft Brush
Canvas Size:
- 3000 x 2000 pixels
Key Skills Learned:
- Sketching loosely while observing proportions
We start by blocking in the overall shape of the toadstool group, focusing on alignment and spacing without worrying about details too early. - Building up color in an intuitive, painterly way
Laying in messy browns and greens, testing out what works, and trusting that it’ll come together as you go. It’s all part of the fun. - Creating depth with light and shadow
By layering tones and playing with alpha lock, the forms begin to pop and feel more 3D—especially once those warm and cool tones start mixing in. - Adding detail with a soft touch
We refine textures like the little skirts, stems, and spots using a mix of smudge and line brushes, always keeping things a little bit loose. - Using texture and layer masks to ground the piece
Textures from brushes like Twisted Tree help blend the toadstools into the scene, and masks make it easy to stay in control as you experiment.
Glowing Flower
In this fun and easy tutorial, we’re taking a simple flower photo and turning it into a dreamy, glowing illustration—step by step. I’m working on a nice square canvas, and I’ve got a handy little brush pack ready (linked for you, of course). We’ll be layering petals, playing with color, and using some of Procreate’s glow effects to really make this flower shine. Super relaxing, super satisfying. You can follow along with my photo or bring in your own favorite bloom!
Brushes used:
- Studio Pen
- Light Brush
- Glitter Streak Brush
- Confetti Brush
- Light Pen
- Soft Brush
Canvas Size:
- 3500 x 3500 pixels
Key Skills Learned:
- Outlining petals with smooth strokes
Using the Studio Pen, we gently trace the shape of each petal keeping the lines clean and flowy. - Building depth with layered colors
We stack soft color layers underneath our line work to build the flower from the inside out, one petal group at a time. - Creating that signature glow
By duplicating our layers and playing with Bloom and Gaussian Blur, we give the petals that dreamy, magical glow effect. - Adding soft highlights with the light brush
We gently brush the tips of the petals with soft highlights in matching tones to boost contrast and softness at the same time. - Finishing with sparkles and glowy touches
We sprinkle in some subtle sparkles and light dots, and even add a soft glow underneath for that final pop of magic.
Evening Beach
Summer may be fading, but that doesn’t mean we can’t squeeze out one last warm, relaxing memory. This tutorial is all about embracing those final summer vibes with a peaceful beach scene full of soft gradients, layered cliffs, and gentle waves. It’s light, easygoing, and perfect for anyone looking to unwind with some simple, satisfying steps. Grab your pen and let’s send off the season with one last golden sunset.
Brushes used:
- Soft Brush
- Studio Pen
- Monoline
Canvas Size:
- 3000 x 2000 pixels
Key Skills Learned:
- Creating a soft gradient sky
You’ll use the Soft Brush with varying opacities to build a glowing sunset with smooth transitions and gentle lighting. - Layering rock and cliff shapes
With the Studio Pen, you build depth by stacking jagged landforms in the foreground and background. - Shaping stylized waterlines with foam
Using the Studio Pen and Liquify tool, you form dynamic, wavy shoreline shapes and accent them with dashes and highlights to suggest foam. - Using layer masks for soft light fades
Learn to add subtle lighting effects by combining solid shapes with layer masks and soft brush fades, adding realism without harsh edges. - Drawing and detailing palm trees with freehand selections
You craft palm fronds using the freehand selection tool with color fill, giving you a quick and controlled way to draw detailed tree leaves.
Cute Hamster
In this tutorial, we bring a fluffy little hamster to life: round, soft, and irresistibly cute. You’ll learn how to sketch, paint, texture, and shade in a loose, painterly style that’s both easy to follow and fun to adapt for other animals.
Brushes used:
- Basic Sketcher
- Soft Brush
- Studio Pen
- Base Painter
Canvas Size:
- 3500 x 3500 pixels
Key Skills Learned:
- Creating a loose, organic sketch: Building up rounded shapes, simple features, and a sense of cuteness through proportions.
- Building fur texture: Using tapered strokes and layering to create fluffiness while keeping edges painterly.
- Layer-based coloring and shading: Organizing ears, paws, and seed on separate layers for precise shading and color adjustments.
- Adding depth and personality: Using light direction, painterly color transitions, soft shadows, and highlights in the eyes to make the hamster feel alive.
Paper Boat
In this cozy realism project, we’re painting a little paper boat floating on the water. We start with a loose sketch, then slowly build up the water using layers of shapes, colors, and textures until it feels believable. No need for a pre-made palette, we’ll pick colors as we go and just have fun experimenting. But of course you can also download the color palette I created along the way.
Brushes used:
- Basic Sketcher
- Soft Brush
- Base Painter
- StandardBlender
- Flo Darka
- Flow Lighta
- Darken Line
- Lighten Line
- Overlay Brush
- Multiply Brush
- Studio Pen
- Soft Light Brush
Canvas Size:
- 2300 x 3000 pixels
Key Skills Learned:
- Building a base sketch: Start with loose lines to find the angles and shapes before refining.
- Layering water textures: Stack darker and lighter strokes to create ripples and depth.
- Blending and blurring for realism: Use smudge, Gaussian blur, and bloom to soften and add atmosphere.
- Crisp-edged object painting: Lock alpha and work with precise brushes for neat, clean boat edges.
- Creating reflections and ripples: Combine multiply layers and light strokes for believable water movement.
Pastel Paper Landscape
This is such a fun and super easy paper cutout project in Procreate. We’re making a dreamy layered landscape and this time we’re adding a lovely little frame around it too. The steps are simple, but the result has so much depth and charm. You can follow along with my colors or mix things up for your own unique piece.
Brushes used:
- Soft Brush
- Studio Pen
- Monoline
Canvas Size:
- 2500 x 2500 pixels
Key Skills Learned:
- Creating a layered paper cutout effect: Stack shapes on separate layers, then add shadows and light edges so it looks like real paper.
- Designing a custom frame: Use selection, transforms, and color fills to make a border with realistic inner shadows and highlights.
- Adding dimensional shadows: Apply Gaussian blur, multiply blending mode, and subtle offsets for that “lifted” paper look.
- Placing light edges for realism: Add highlights with the Studio Pen on the opposite side of your shadows to make the layers pop.
- Stylized tree creation: Use the freehand selection tool with color fill to create crisp, geometric trees that fit perfectly into your scene.
Blue House
Today we’re keeping it simple and super fun, we’re painting a sweet little blue house with fluffy clouds, fresh greenery, and all those tiny details that make it feel alive. We’ll start with a nice symmetrical sketch, use a bit of perspective magic for the fences, and then bring it all together with soft shadows, crisp highlights, and lots of playful texture.
Brushes used:
- Basic Sketcher
- Soft Brush
- Studio Pen
- Adjusted Soft Airbrush
- Aurora Brush
- Soft Rounded Mossy Grass Brush
- Dry Ink Brush
Canvas Size:
- 2300 x 3000 pixels
Key Skills Learned:
- Making symmetry and perspective work for you: use the symmetry guide for a perfectly balanced sketch and the perspective guide to nail those fences and tiles so everything sits just right in the scene.
- Laying down flat colors in neat layers: build the sky, house, roof, plants, and details each on their own layer so it’s easy to tweak colors or fix shapes later.
- Bringing surfaces to life with texture: from the soft, fluffy feel of clouds to the grain in wooden fences and stairs, different brushes add personality to each part of the illustration.
- Adding depth with shadows that feel natural: multiply layers and a soft brush help you place gentle shadows in just the right spots to give the house a cozy, three-dimensional look.
- Using light and reflections to add charm: soft highlights on the windows, little glints on the door, and sun-kissed edges on bushes make the whole piece pop.
Bear with Coffee
In this cozy little painting session, we’re creating something super cute, super chill, a sleepy bear on a tree stump, sipping on coffee (or tea, or cocoa, totally up to you), all wrapped in a calm, foresty vibe. It’s loose, painterly, and just really fun to do. We start with a soft sketch, build up those lovely background layers, and then slowly bring our bear and the world around him to life, one gentle brushstroke at a time. Nothing too precise, just relaxing and going with the flow.
Brushes used:
- Basic Sketcher
- Jagged
- Wet Acrylic
- Dry Mixer
- Tapered
- Impressionistic
- Soft Brush
Canvas Size:
- 2300 x 3000 pixels
Key Skills Learned:
- Sketching a peaceful scene with simple shapes
We start loose and light, a bean shape here, a soft circle there, just enough to map things out without overthinking it. - Layering painterly textures for atmosphere
Using big, soft strokes and playing with color gives us that dreamy, almost storybook forest look. - Using color to create calm and depth
We mix warm tones and soft shadows to gently lead the eye, with no harsh lines or loud spots, it’s all about the mood. - Adding soft texture and detail with purpose
Fur, bark, foliage, it’s all about little touches that keep things feeling fluffy, natural, and handmade. - Framing your subject to guide the viewer
We gently surround our bear with leaves, bushes, and soft shadows to keep him cozy and right at the heart of the scene.