Dandelion
Alright, so today we’re diving into a fun realism study, painting a soft, fluffy dandelion from scratch. No pre-made palette, just building colors as we go and focusing on capturing that delicate texture. It’s all about layering, subtle variation, and not overthinking the details, just observing and translating the feel of the subject.
Brushes used:
- Basic Sketcher
- Medium Airbrush
- Monoline
- Flotastic Brush
- Soft Short Fur
- Smudgy Hairbrush
- Shader
- Dark Shader
- Lighten Line
- Overlay
- Soft Airbrush
Canvas Size:
- 2300 x 3000 pixels
Key Skills Learned:
- Building a soft, blurred background
Uses airbrushes with opacity control and Gaussian blur to create depth and a smooth, out-of-focus backdrop. - Creating natural texture with specialty brushes
Applies fur and smudge brushes to mimic the soft, airy structure of dandelion seeds. - Using alpha lock for controlled shading
Shades the stem with precision, layering darker tones and subtle color variation without affecting edges. - Enhancing depth with blend modes
Uses Multiply and Overlay to darken areas and add warmth, helping the subject stand out from the background. - Constructing realism through layering details
Builds the dandelion in stages, base fluff first, then adds individual seed lines and dark centers for a believable finish.
Waterfall in Moonlight
This is such a fun and satisfying landscape to paint. You start with a really loose sketch just to figure out where everything goes, because there’s quite a lot happening in this scene. From there, you build it up step by step with simple shapes for the cliffs, waterfalls, trees, and foreground, and then slowly bring in all that lovely atmosphere with mist, moonlight, reflections, and those magical little fireflies. It ends up feeling like a secret place hidden deep inside a forest.
Brushes used:
- Basic Sketcher
- Forester
- Studio Pen
- Monoline
- Flat Painter
- Scattered Soft Bush
- Base Painter
- Flo Lighta Brush
- Flotastic Brush
- Lighten Line Brush
- Blender
- Overlay Brush
- Light Pen
- Soft Brush
Canvas Size:
- 2300 x 3000 pixels
Key Skills Learned:
- Keeping the sketch loose and useful
You use a very rough sketch as a guide so you know where all the main elements go without getting stuck in too much detail. - Building the scene in layers
You place the big shapes first, like the rock walls, water, trees, and foreground, so the painting stays organized and easy to adjust. - Using color to create moonlight
You shift the foliage, rocks, and clouds toward cool blue tones so the whole scene feels softly lit by the moon. - Making waterfalls feel soft and glowing
You layer lighter tones, darker streaks, bloom, blur, and smudging to give the water that dreamy, misty movement. - Adding atmosphere with finishing details
You use fog, reflections, grassy textures, rocks, flowers, and glowing fireflies to make the whole landscape feel magical and alive.
Floral Mandala
In this tutorial we’re creating a really fun and relaxing project, a colorful floral mandala. This is one of those drawings where you can just enjoy the process and let the symmetry do a lot of the work for you. You don’t need to copy everything exactly as I do. If you stick to similar shapes and use the same color palette, your mandala will still turn out beautiful. We start with a quick sketch to guide our composition, then slowly build up the design with simple floral shapes, petals, and little berry details. Once the base colors are in place, we add texture and tiny line details to give the whole mandala more depth and interest. It’s a lovely exercise in layering shapes and experimenting with texture while keeping everything nicely balanced thanks to radial symmetry.
Brushes used:
- Basic Sketcher
- Studio Pen
- Underwood
- Pipeline
Canvas Size:
- 3500 x 3500 pixels
Key Skills Learned:
- Using radial symmetry to build a mandala
The radial symmetry guide repeats your strokes around the canvas, making it easy to create a balanced floral mandala without worrying about perfect placement. - Sketching a simple guide for complex designs
A loose sketch with petals, leaves, and small decorative shapes helps map out the mandala before adding clean linework and color. - Organizing layers for cleaner textures
Placing different elements on separate layers keeps textures and shading controlled so details only affect the shapes you want. - Adding depth with Alpha Lock and texture brushes
Using Alpha Lock with the Underwood brush creates gentle gradients and texture inside shapes while keeping edges clean. - Enhancing shapes with fine line details
The Pipeline brush adds delicate lines, dashes, and small accents that give the flowers and leaves more character and visual interest.
Red Panda
In this tutorial we’re drawing something ridiculously cute, a happy little red panda holding a cupcake (because honestly, who doesn’t love cupcakes… or red pandas?). This project is all about clean line art, playful colors, and simple, cartoony shading. We start with a loose sketch, refine it thoughtfully (making intentional line breaks and decisions), then build confident line art with varied line weight. After that, we layer in flat colors, add soft multiply shadows, pop in highlights, and finish everything off with an easy sticker effect for that extra polished touch. Super fun, super sweet, and totally share-worthy.
Brushes used:
- Basic Sketcher
- Studio Pe
Canvas Size:
- 3500 x 3500 pixels
Key Skills Learned:
- Intentional Line Art Decisions
You refine your sketch with purpose, choosing where lines stop, where color replaces outlines, and varying line weight for a more dynamic, polished look. - Using Reference Layers for Easy Coloring
You speed up flat coloring by setting the line art to Reference and using drag-and-drop with Continue Filling for clean results. - Clipping Masks for Clean Color Patterns
You build facial markings, muzzle, ears, and cupcake details using clipping masks, keeping every shape neatly contained. - Simple Multiply Shading
You apply soft, cartoony shadows using Multiply layers at reduced opacity to create depth without overcomplicating the lighting. - Creating a Sticker Effect
You duplicate, alpha lock, blur, and offset layers to create a clean white outline and soft drop shadow for a professional sticker-style finish.
Strawberry
For this realism project, we’re painting a strawberry. It’s been a long time since I painted one, and honestly they’re always a bit of a challenge with all those tiny seeds. But don’t worry. We’re going to approach this in a logical, layered way. No unnecessary struggle. Just smart steps, soft shadows first, bright highlights later and suddenly it all starts looking delicious.
Brushes used:
- Basic Sketcher
- Studio Pen
- Shader
- Flo Darka
- Flo Lighta
- Lighten Line
- Darken Line
- Overlay
- Standard Blender
- Basic Flo
- Multiply
- Forrester
Canvas Size:
- 2300 x 3000 pixels
Key Skills Learned:
- Thinking in 3D from the start
You don’t just copy a photo, you look at the strawberry as a rounded form. By squinting your eyes and focusing on big light and shadow shapes first, you instantly create depth. - Using layers in a smart, simple way
You separate the base, seeds, leaves, and background so everything stays flexible. With alpha lock, you shade safely without ruining your clean edges. - Letting shadows do the heavy lifting
You begin with soft, darker tones to define the dimples around the seeds. This makes the surface feel textured before you even add highlights. - Making seeds feel embedded, not pasted on
You shade mostly on one side of each seed and add tiny highlights on the opposite side. Just a few strokes and suddenly they sit inside the strawberry. - Building shine step by step
You add soft highlights first, then sharper, brighter ones on top. That layering of light is what makes the strawberry look glossy and juicy instead of flat.
Cheerful Room
I found this super interesting reference photo on Unsplash and thought… why not turn this into a playful, stylized room illustration? I didn’t plan anything beforehand because I really wanted to show you how I explore and figure things out along the way. It gets a bit messy, I test things, change my mind, but that’s honestly part of the fun. And hopefully it gives you tools and confidence to do this with your own photos too.
Brushes used:
- Basic Sketcher
- Dry Ink
- Studio Pen
- Soft Brush
Canvas Size:
- 2300 x 3000 pixels
Key Skills Learned:
- Building perspective without overthinking it
You set up a simple perspective grid, roughly place your horizon and vanishing points, and use assisted drawing as a guide, not a rulebook. - Turning a photo into a stylized scene
You simplify shapes, round forms, exaggerate curves, and redesign elements like plants and decor instead of copying everything exactly. - Distributing bold colors intentionally
You spread purples and greens across the composition first, then balance the intensity with sandy neutrals and small pink accents. - Using clipping masks for flexible shading
You add shadows with Multiply layers and highlights with Screen/Add layers, keeping everything editable and easy to tweak. - Softening line art for atmosphere
You alpha lock the line art and experiment with warm and cool tones to shift the mood and make the illustration feel softer and more cohesive.
City Street in the Morning
Today we’re doing a fun little “photo-to-art” shortcut (and no, it’s not cheating). I shot this street photo myself in Ghent super early in the morning and it just had that magical color vibe, so we’re turning it into a playful, expressive painting in Procreate. We keep it simple: sketch only what you actually need, block in flat shapes on separate layers, then build up texture with a small brush set and a limited palette so it feels bold and painterly. The final “wow” comes from pushing contrast and light—Screen and Multiply masks like you’d do in photo editing—plus some lantern glow to sell that fairy-tale mood.
Brushes used:
- Basic Sketcher
- Pipeline
- Sierra
- Molesworth
- Forrester
- On the Flo
- Florentine
Canvas Size:
- 2300 x 3000 pixels
Key Skills Learned:
- Use a photo as a guide without getting stuck to it: You duplicate the photo, lower opacity, and sketch only the important structure so the result stays simplified and artistic, not stiff.
- Block in clean flats fast: You use the Selection tool (Freehand + Color Fill) to carve big building shapes on separate layers, working front-to-back so everything stays organized.
- Texture first, detail later: You lay down big charcoal strokes for color variety, then slowly tighten things up with smaller brushes and saved window selections for crisp edges where it matters.
- Control detail with distance :You keep the foreground richer and the background quieter (less texture, fewer marks), so the perspective reads without you doing a million tiny things.
- Push contrast with masks: You copy/paste a merged version, use Screen + a black mask to paint in extra light, Multiply + a black mask to deepen shadows, then finish with Curves (Gamma) and a gentle saturation bump.
Cozy Mugs
I’ve got a super cozy project for you that’s just perfect for Valentine’s Day, or honestly, any rainy afternoon. We’re drawing two adorable mugs sharing a warm moment indoors while it’s raining outside. From sketch to final lighting touches, I’ll walk you through the full process, layering in cozy details like heart-shaped leaves, a glowing candle, and even a love letter on the table. Don’t worry, we’ll keep things playful and light, with lots of room for your own little creative touches.
Brushes used:
- Basic Sketcher
- Studio Pen
- Soft Brush
Canvas Size:
- 2300 x 3000 pixels
Key Skills Learned:
- Building cozy compositions with simple shapes
Start with basic ovals and lines to lay out your scene, then gently build in cozy elements like curtains, windows, and table legs. - Layering your sketch for easy line art
Lower the sketch opacity and add clean lines on top, making decisions early keeps the line art phase fun and relaxing. - Adding dreamy lighting with Bloom and Blur
Create glowing hearts in the sky, cozy steam swirls, and a flickering candle using Bloom, Gaussian Blur, and a touch of color layering. - Using Alpha Lock for shading and texture
Add soft gradients and shadows with the soft brush to create a gentle, lo-fi vibe across your curtains, mugs, and cozy corners. - Finishing with raindrops and texture for atmosphere
Top it all off with stylized raindrops, bloom effects, and a final overlay of noise for that perfect soft, rainy-day feel.
Realistic Pear
In this cozy realism tutorial, we’re painting a simple but beautiful still life: a juicy pear sitting on an upside-down cup. It’s all about taking your time, not stressing perfection, and just enjoying the process. We start with a loose sketch, work through clean shapes and color blocking, and then build up soft lighting, shadow, and texture with loads of helpful techniques along the way. Don’t worry if your pear isn’t identical to the reference, this is your artwork, and it’s totally fine to make it your own. Let’s keep it relaxed, fun, and full of color.
Brushes used:
- Basic Sketcher
- Studio Pen
- Standard Blender
- Base Painter
- Basic Flo Brush
- Lighten Line Brush
- Darken Line Brush
- Dark Shader
- Overlay Brush
- Light Shader
- Forrester Brush
Canvas Size:
- 2300 x 3000 pixels
Key Skills Learned:
- Starting with a loose sketch – Get the shapes down quickly by measuring roughly and looking at negative space. No need to get it perfect!
- Using symmetry for clean shapes – Great for structured objects like cups, the symmetry guide helps keep everything neat and centered.
- Building your painting in layers – Alpha lock and clipping masks make it easy to add shadows and highlights without going outside the lines.
- Adding light, shadow, and texture – Learn how to create soft, realistic lighting and some fun pear skin texture with just a few brush tweaks.
- Refining with smudge and detail brushes – Blend where needed, but keep those crisp edges where it counts. It’s all about balance!