Characters

Building a Snowman

With winter creeping in, I thought it’d be fun to cozy up with a winter-themed illustration. We’re drawing a super cute scene, a happy little snowman built by a sweet stylized family. The whole vibe is very gentle and simple, perfect if you’re looking for a relaxed drawing session. We start with a loose sketch, build up our flat colors, and then gently layer in texture using some of my favorite charcoal brushes. The color palette? Soft oranges and greens, very cozy, very calm. Just like a warm cup of tea on a chilly day.

Brushes used:

  • Basic Sketcher
  • Studio Pen
  • Underwood
  • Florentine
  • Nut Grove

Canvas Size:

  • 2300 x 3000 pixels

Key Skills Learned:

  • Building stylized characters with simple shapes
    We use ovals, cones, and rectangles to sketch charming little figures, each with their own personality, without overcomplicating things.
  • Keeping your layers tidy (and your sanity intact)
    By grouping elements cleverly and reusing layers where it makes sense, you save layer space and keep things nice and organized.
  • Flat coloring with intention
    Using reference sketch layers and drag-and-drop fills, we lay down our base colors carefully, always thinking ahead for textures later.
  • Adding soft texture with charcoal brushes
    We alpha lock everything and use the Underwood and Florentine brushes to add that lovely, grainy feel that makes everything warm and handmade.
  • Using an analogous palette for a calm feel
    All our colors sit close together on the wheel: greens, soft browns, oranges. So nothing feels too loud. It keeps the whole piece really serene and soothing.
Characters

Christmas Elf

Let’s create this adorable little Christmas elf together in Procreate! In this cozy and beginner-friendly tutorial, I’ll walk you through every step, from the first sketch to adding texture and even turning your elf into a cute sticker. You’ll learn some handy tricks along the way and, of course, we’ll have lots of fun doing it. So let’s get started!

Brushes used:

  • Bruny
  • Studio Pen
  • Nut Grove
  • Molesworth
  • Dusky

Canvas Size:

  • 2500 x 2500 pixels

Skills Learned:

  • How to sketch with symmetry for easier character building
    We use the Drawing Guide with Symmetry turned on so that whatever you draw on one side, magically appears on the other, so helpful for keeping things neat!
  • Adding clean flat colors with layer control
    You’ll learn how to work with clipping masks, drawing assist, and a tidy layer structure so your colors stay right where they should be.
  • Creating soft shadows and textured highlights
    Using the Nut Grove brush and alpha lock, we add shading and light that brings our little elf to life, all while keeping that nice soft, textured look.
  • Finishing touches that make everything pop
    We add in sweet details like stitches, little lines, and pattern accents using the Dusky pencil brush, these tiny things make a big difference!
  • A fun sticker effect using blur and layers
    I’ll show you how to make that lovely glow and drop shadow behind your elf so it looks like a real sticker—great for printing or sharing online.


Creatures

Realistic Hawk Portrait

In this tutorial, we’re diving into another chill realism project, this time, painting a bird of prey in grayscale. It’s such a great way to take a break from colors and really train your eyes to see values clearly. We’ll start off super rough with a basic sketch, then slowly build things up with layered brush strokes, no blending, just painting. It’s all about taking it step by step, keeping it loose, and trusting the process. You don’t need a perfect match, if it looks like a bird of prey, you nailed it. Let’s have fun and make those artistic brains happy!

Brushes used:

  • Basic Sketcher
  • Soft Brush
  • Basic Flo Brush
  • Darken Line Brush
  • Flo Darka Brush
  • Lighten Line Brush
  • Flo Lighta Brush
  • Multiply Brush

Canvas Size:

  • 2300 x 3000 pixels

Key Skills Learned:

  • Focuses fully on values
    By skipping color, we stay laser-focused on lights and darks, perfect for training your eye and creating depth.
  • Starts with a rough sketch, no pressure
    Just block in shapes, angles, and proportions. It doesn’t have to be perfect, it’s just a start.
  • Paints without blending
    We’re layering strokes instead of blending, like a traditional painting, it keeps things painterly and expressive.
  • Builds detail slowly, eyes first
    We start blurry and go smaller step by step. The eyes get most of the attention, everything else stays nice and loose.
  • Uses edge control for realism
    Constantly checking, is this edge soft or crisp? That’s how we guide the viewer’s eye and keep it feeling real.
Creatures

Cute Polar Bear

In this super easy, step-by-step Procreate tutorial, you’ll learn how to draw your very own cute little polar bear, perfect for beginners or anyone who just wants to relax and create something fluffy. We start with a soft wintery background, then build up our bear layer by layer, adding texture, shading, and those tiny details that bring it all to life. Along the way, I’ll share tips on fur, light, and how to keep your snow looking magical (hint: skip the pure white!). Let’s jump in and have some fun together!

Brushes used:

  • Wakame
  • Fortesque
  • Bruny
  • Bronzewing
  • Nowhere Else
  • Smudgy Hairbrush

Canvas Size:

  • 2500 x 2500 pixels

Skills Learned:

  • Adding soft, painterly gradients
    Using alpha lock and gentle strokes, we create subtle transitions in both the sky and snowy ground, no harsh whites here!
  • Sketching characters from simple shapes
    We start with blobs and bumps and build a full little polar bear, all while keeping things loose and fun.
  • Layering light and shadows for depth
    We use textured brushes to softly build up our lights and darks, giving the bear a lovely sense of form and fluffiness.
  • Pulling out fur with smudge magic
    Learn how to use the Smudgy Hairbrush to “pull out” the fur and give your bear that fuzzy, snuggly texture, without overdoing it.
  • Finishing touches that make it pop
    From rosy cheeks and tiny claws to snowy specks in the background, we add those final details that bring your scene to life.


Creatures

Panther Tattoo

Alright, are you ready to create your own Flotastic Black Panther tattoo in Procreate? In this step-by-step tutorial, we go from the very first circle to a full-blown fierce feline with clean line art, rich textures, and some seriously cool shading tricks. Everything is done using just the built-in Procreate brushes, and I’ve even got a custom color palette ready for you. So grab your iPad, open up that canvas, and let’s make something awesome together!

Brushes used:

  • Bruny
  • Alpine
  • Nutgrove
  • Molesworth

Canvas Size:

  • 2500 x 2500 pixels

Skills Learned:

  • Using symmetry to build a balanced base
    You’ll set up the drawing guide and activate symmetry to make sure everything stays nice and even from the very start.
  • Sketching with confidence from simple shapes
    We break the panther down into easy-to-follow forms, using liquify and assist to guide the sketch into something way more dynamic.
  • Creating line art with bold character
    With the Alpine brush, you’ll add those crisp, pressure-sensitive lines that give your design a pro tattoo feel—clean, sharp, and full of flair.
  • Texturing and shading with built-in brushes
    You’ll use layer selections and brushes like Nutgrove to add gritty textures and build up shadows, all while staying inside the lines.
  • Adding soft highlights with masks
    We use layer masks and the Molesworth brush to give edges a soft glow and pull focus to the right spots—without messing up the layer underneath.


Plants/Flowers

Botanical Drawing of a Tulip

In this tulip tutorial, we’re keeping things super simple and fun. I’ll guide you step-by-step through drawing this beautiful, classic Dutch tulip using easy shapes, lovely soft textures, and a relaxed, layered workflow in Procreate. You don’t need to be perfect, just enjoy the process and have fun with your colors and strokes. Let’s create something pretty together!

Brushes used:

  • Bruny
  • Alpine
  • Dusky

Canvas Size:

  • 2300 x 3000 pixels

Skills Learned:

  • Sketching with confidence
    We start with simple shapes, think triangles, diamonds, and a couple of wiggly lines. This makes building the tulip super easy and not overwhelming at all.
  • Layering for flexibility
    I’ll show you how to use layers in a way that keeps things organized, so you can change colors or adjust shapes without messing up your whole drawing.
  • Flat color fun
    We block in each petal, stem, and leaf with flat colors. It doesn’t have to be perfect! A little wobble in your lines gives it that charming, hand-drawn look.
  • Pencil texture magic
    The Dusky brush gives us that lovely colored pencil feel. I’ll show you how to use the side of your Apple Pencil for soft strokes and the tip for sharper detail.
  • Soft light and shadows
    We build up gentle highlights and shading using fan-like strokes, giving your tulip shape and volume while keeping everything light and playful.

Plants/Flowers

Botanical Drawing of a Daffodil

I’ve been wanting to try a botanical-style drawing for a while now. You know, that vintage look with soft pencil textures and lovely muted tones. And even though it’s winter, I thought, let’s draw a daffodil and bring a bit of spring into our sketchbook. We’re keeping things slow and gentle today: starting with a loose sketch, layering soft flat colors, and then building up all that nice, detailed pencil texture. It’s really about enjoying the process, letting the texture do the talking, and not stressing too much about perfection. Just have fun with it and take your time.

Brushes used:

  • Basic Sketcher
  • Alpine
  • Dusky

Canvas Size:

  • 2000 x 3000 pixels

Key Skills Learned:

  • Starting with soft, organic shapes
    The flower begins as a few loose ovals to block in the main parts, making it super easy to build from without worrying about being too precise.
  • Organizing your layers for ease
    Flat colors are split across five layers, petals, trumpet, stem, and leaves — so everything stays nice and tidy.
  • Locking in color with Alpha Lock
    Once flat colors are in, Alpha Lock keeps things clean while you layer all that pencil texture right inside each shape.
  • Using pressure for pencil texture
    Playing with the side vs. tip of your pencil gives you that soft, real-pencil vibe, wider strokes for shadow, finer ones for detail.
  • Building up vintage color tones
    Muted yellows and greens layered with pencil strokes give you that beautiful, old-school botanical illustration feel. Just like those pages from antique books.
Landscapes

Watercolor Fall Landscape

In this cozy little tutorial, we’re painting a beautiful fall landscape in Procreate using some of my favorite watercolor brushes. It’s super simple, super relaxing, and you don’t need to stress about things being perfect. I’ll walk you through all the steps, from building soft, overlapping hills to adding trees, leaves, grass, and even some birds flying off into a stormy sky. You can totally follow along with the free color palette I’ve left for you or mix things up with your own favorite colors. Just have fun with it!

Brushes used:

  • Winkleigh
  • Cascade
  • Nowhere Else
  • Bronzewing

Canvas Size:

  • 2300 x 3000 pixels

Skills Learned:

  • Layering hills with painterly texture
    We build our landscape with soft watercolor strokes, stacking hill shapes in separate layers to create that dreamy, moody depth.
  • Using Alpha Lock to add color variation
    With Alpha Lock on, we gently brush in lighter and darker tones to give our hills more texture, super quick and it looks so good.
  • Creating trees with freehand selections
    Trees are made with wobbly, hand-drawn shapes, no need for precision! Then we fill them in with watercolor for that nice, loose look.
  • Drawing trunks and branches with pressure control
    The tree trunks are drawn using pressure-sensitive strokes, so the branches naturally taper off. Super satisfying and very fun.
  • Finishing touches with grass and birds
    A few strokes of grass here and there, plus some little V-shaped birds in the sky, and boom—your scene comes to life!

Seasonal

Icicles

Hey lovely people! Since winter’s around the corner, I thought it would be fun to cozy up with a chilly little project: painting some realistic icicles! ❄️ This one’s pretty beginner-friendly and super satisfying, just a few easy steps and you’ll end up with something that looks really polished. Plus, it’s a great confidence booster if you’re still getting comfy with realism.

Brushes used:

  • Studio Pen
  • Basic Flo Brush
  • Standard Blender
  • Soft Brush
  • Lighten Line Brush
  • Heavy Metal
  • Spires

Canvas Size:

  • 2000 x 3000 pixels

Key Skills Learned:

  • Sketching loosely for a clean foundation
    We start off by sketching wobbly, imperfect icicles, nothing too precise! Just enough to guide our painting later on.
  • Building base shapes with solid layer structure
    Each icicle gets its own layer so we can paint and adjust them independently. Super handy for control and flexibility.
  • Working with alpha lock and clipping masks
    We use alpha lock for easy shading inside shapes, and clipping masks to gently build up textures and light effects without messing anything up.
  • Using blending and smudging for soft transitions
    The smudge tool helps us soften things where needed and keeps everything looking smooth and icy, perfect for capturing that frozen feel.
  • Adding finishing touches with texture and bloom
    Textures like Heavy Metal and Spires add subtle detail, and the bloom effect at the end really brings that icy glow to life.