Summer Picnic
Let’s create a vibrant, expressive picnic scene bursting with color and charm—no perfectionism required! This Procreate tutorial guides you through crafting an illustrative picnic composition filled with summery delights like melons, lemonade, pie, and more. With a playful, abstract style and intuitive brushwork, you’ll have fun layering textures, sketching bold shapes, and experimenting with colors. The focus is on creativity and letting go, perfect for a relaxed art session.
Brushes used:
- Basic Sketcher
- Flotastic
- Quoll
- Larapuna
- Rake
- Exprezzit
- Chalkie Liner
- Snow Gum
- Paper Daisy
- Da Cookie
Canvas Size:
- 2500 x 3000 pixels
Key Skills Learned:
- Sketches with expressive layout: Build a playful scene with overlapping elements and bold composition, using rough sketching and freeform shapes.
- Layered texture techniques: Use alpha lock, multiply layers, and a mix of textured brushes to add depth and visual interest to backgrounds and objects.
- Abstract foliage and tree detailing: Explore a range of foliage brushes and selection-based painting to build rich, stylized environments.
- Creating food illustrations with flair: Paint delicious, vibrant picnic items like melons, bread, and pie with multiple layers of color, shading, and pattern.
- Foreground and background integration: Frame the scene using plants in the foreground, and blend elements through strategic masking, shadows, and texture.
Tree with Lights
This tutorial was such a cozy one—I’m bringing you a peaceful, slightly magical tree painting filled with whimsical branches, soft clouds, glowing lanterns, and sparkly evening vibes. There’s something so calming about building a tree from sketch to fully lit centerpiece, and I loved showing you all the little tricks to make it feel balanced and alive. Let’s break it down.
Brushes used:
- Basic Sketcher
- Soft Mossy Grass
- Soft Brush
- Studio Pen
- Smudgy Leaves
- Scattered Leaves
- Flotastic Brush
- Bark Brush
- Simple Grass
- Flowers Brush
- Mercury Brush
- Lighten Line
- Darken Line
- Shiny Particles
- Overlay Brush
Canvas Size:
- 3000 x 2000 pixels
Key Skills Learned:
- Building a balanced tree composition: Learn to loosely sketch and plan dynamic curves in branches, giving the tree a sense of flow and personality.
- Layering foliage with variation and depth: Use a combination of smudgy and scattered leaf brushes in layered shades to create believable light and form in the tree’s canopy.
- Using layer masks for natural overlaps: Mask grass over rocks and trunk bases for realism without messy erasing; this keeps things non-destructive and clean.
- Adding glowing effects and magical touches: Create realistic lantern glows using bloom and Gaussian blur, then finish with sparkles for a dreamy final atmosphere.
Realistic Sunflowers
In this sun-drenched realism project, we’re diving into painting vibrant sunflowers, starting from a clever sketching method that eases you into observational drawing and ending with expressive, layered brushwork. This process isn’t about perfection—it’s about gradually building up a piece that feels alive, full of movement, warmth, and your own style. Whether you’re tracing to learn structure or sketching freehand to challenge your skills, this tutorial offers a flexible path forward. Along the way, there are happy accidents, smart layer organization (or fixing it when it goes wrong!), and a fun mix of soft blending and bold stylization. Let’s get to it.
Brushes used:
- Basic Sketcher
- Flotastic Brush
- Base Painter
- Standard Blender
- Soft Brush
- Darken Line
- Lighten Line
- Flo Darka Brush
Canvas Size:
- 4000 x 3000 pixels
Key Skills Learned:
- Using photo references to guide sketching: practice creating simplified abstract shapes from reference photos.
- Layer organization for efficient painting: The tutorial stresses thoughtful layer use to separate background and foreground elements, making editing and detailing more manageable.
- Selective detail and focal points: Detail is concentrated in the foreground sunflower while the background stays soft and blurry, teaching visual hierarchy and emphasis.
Balcony House part 1
In this first part of a two-part tutorial, we’re diving into a beautiful and ambitious project: sketching a cozy balcony house inspired by charming German towns, all in 3D perspective. I’ll show you how you can build a playful, storybook-style house from rough shapes to refined sketch, laying the groundwork for the detailed coloring in the next session.
Brushes used:
- Basic Sketcher
Canvas Size:
- 3500 x 3500 pixels
Key Skills Learned:
- Using a two-point perspective grid: Learn to set up and manipulate vanishing points to construct a believable 3D house structure.
- Switching between assisted and freehand drawing: Master toggling Drawing Assist to combine precise architectural lines with freeform, curved sketching.
- Designing storybook architectural elements: Create charming features like rounded doors, arched windows, wooden beams, and hanging flower beds.
- Customizing workflow with QuickMenu: Set up and use Procreate’s QuickMenu for faster access to tools like Drawing Assist during complex projects.
Girl with Flowers
In this tutorial, we’re creating a sweet, spring-inspired girl surrounded by loads of flowers. I’ll walk you through my full process — starting with a super rough sketch to figure out the pose and composition, then building it up with cleaner lines, soft colors, and all the finishing details. You’ll see how I like to plan things out, experiment with color (lots of flower power!), and bring everything together in a relaxed, playful way. Nothing too polished or perfect here — just a fun, creative flow. Feel free to follow along, tweak things, and make it your own!
Brushes used:
- Basic Sketcher
- Flotastic Brush
- Studio Pen
- Shader
Canvas Size:
- 3000 x 4000 pixels
Key Skills Learned:
- Planning a composition using the rule of thirds: Positioning the main subject and elements thoughtfully for balance and flow.
- Layer management for efficient workflow: Using multiple layers and clipping masks to keep elements organized and editable.
- Sketching and refining stylized anatomy: Breaking down the face, hands, and body into simplified forms, then cleaning them up.
- Color blocking and building palettes: Laying down rough color shapes to test compositions, with tips for palette inspiration.
- Adding texture and detail with brush variety: Bringing life to flowers, fabric, and skin with sketchy lines, shading, and subtle gradients.
House with a Garden
This tutorial is pure springtime joy. We’re painting a cheerful, impressionistic house nestled in a colorful, blooming garden, and you’ll only need two brushes to make it happen. No need for perfection—this style thrives on loose, expressive strokes. It’s such a fun, forgiving process, perfect for getting into that warm-weather creative vibe. Let’s dive in!
Brushes used:
- Basic Sketcher
- Flotastic Brush
Canvas Size:
- 2300 x 3000 pixels
Key Skills Learned:
- Layering for texture and depth: You learn how to gradually build up detail by layering shapes and brushstrokes from background to foreground, using size and opacity variations.
- Color mixing through brushwork: Instead of blending, you apply a variety of shades with deliberate dabs and strokes to create depth and vibrancy, especially in the foliage and flowers.
- Adding detail through controlled brush size: By gradually decreasing brush size and switching colors, you create the illusion of detailed flowers, windows, and textures without overworking.
- Using Alpha Lock for clean shading and accents: Alpha Lock becomes essential in keeping your textures and highlights inside the shapes—especially on elements like the roof, windows, and clouds.
Realistic Milk
Time for another realism challenge—this time, we’re painting a bottle, a glass of milk, and a can. The key to realism here is mastering reflections, lighting, and crisp edges. I’ll walk you through my process, from sketching and blocking in colors to refining highlights and shadows. Let’s dive in!
Brushes used:
- Basic Sketcher
- Soft Brush
- Studio Pen
- Basic Flo Brush
- Standard Blender
- Flo Lighta
- Flo Darka
- Lighten Line
- Darken Line
- Overlay Brush
Canvas Size:
- 3000 x 4000 pixels
Key Skills Learned:
- Sketching with Proportions & Symmetry
Start with a rough sketch, thinking of the overall shapes and relationships between objects. Use the symmetry tool for precision but rely on observation for accuracy. - Creating Crisp Base Shapes
For sharp-edged subjects like glass, block in flat colors with the Studio Pen before refining details. Use separate layers for easier adjustments. - Building Realistic Lighting & Reflections
Glass relies on accurate light and shadow. Use the Flo Darka and Flo Lighta brushes to gradually build depth, blending carefully for soft transitions. - Adding Highlights & Shadows for Dimension
The key to making objects look reflective is crisp highlights. Use the Lighten Line and Darken Line brushes for thin, precise reflections and edges. - Refining with the Smudge Tool
Blend edges strategically—soften transitions in smooth areas while keeping crisp lines where reflections or material changes occur.
Dream House Landscape
Let’s dive into this fun and easy Procreate tutorial to create a charming Studio Ghibli-inspired landscape. We’ll use a loose, painterly style to build depth with a mix of simple shapes, textured brushes, and soft colors. From sketching the scene to refining the final details, I’ll guide you through every step to make this painting process both relaxing and enjoyable.
Brushes used:
- Basic Sketcher
- Flotastic
- The Surface
- Aurora
- Smudgy Foliage
- Dynamic Color
- Soft Mossy Grass
- Soft Brush
- Overlay
- Stipple 2.0
- Spackles
- Flowers 2
Canvas Size:
- 3000 x 2000 pixels
Key Skills Learned:
- Creating Depth with Foreground, Middle Ground, and Background: Sketch out the landscape with a clear distinction between the three layers—foreground (trees and grass), middle ground (house and bushes), and background (mountains and sky).
- Using Textured Brushes for a Painterly Effect: Employ brushes like Flotastic and Smudgy Foliage to create organic edges, blending colors naturally while maintaining a soft, illustrative feel.
- Building a House with Proper Perspective: Use a perspective grid to construct the cabin, ensuring accurate angles for the roof, windows, and doors. Keep the lines loose and playful to match the overall aesthetic.
- Adding Atmospheric Details like Clouds and Shadows: Sketch fluffy, dramatic clouds with rounded strokes and enhance depth by placing soft shadows under the roof, around bushes, and along the mountains.
Cute Giraffe
Let’s paint something challenging! I think this poké bowl is perfect, there are lots of different shapes and textures, making it a nice ‘puzzle’. In this video I will take you through my process of figuring this ‘puzzle’ out and building a color palette along the way.
Brushes used:
- Basic Sketcher
- Studio Pen
- Flotastic Brush
- Round Chalk Pencil
- Paper Mixer Brush
- Scratchy Chalk Brush
- Smudgy Hair Brush
- Soft Edge Faded
- Light Pen
Canvas Size:
- 3500 x 3500 pixels
Key Skills Learned:
- Applying base colors and building texture: Learn to use layers for each element, flat color application, and brushes like the Flotastic Brush and Round Chalk Pencil to add texture and detail to the illustration
- Adding depth with Multiply layers: Use layers set to Multiply mode for subtle shadowing and use tools like the Soft Edge Faded brush to create 3D effects
- Enhancing highlights with Add layers: Add light effects to edges and features, making the character pop by blending highlights with tools like the Paper Mixer Brush
- Creating a dreamy background and starry atmosphere: Create a complementary background using brushes, smudge tools, and adding stars and sparkles for a whimsical look