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.
Watercolor Cactus
In this tutorial, I’ll show you how you can create a super cute watercolor cactus in Procreate. We’ll go step by step, from sketching a simple pot to adding soft watercolor textures and tiny details that bring everything to life. It’s a fun, relaxed project that’ll help you get comfortable with watercolor painting on your iPad. No pressure, just play!
Brushes used:
- Round Watery Brush
- Fineliner Brush
Canvas Size:
- 2500 x 2500 pixels
Skills Learned:
- Building watercolor texture with pressure and layering
By keeping your pen on the screen, you blend naturally and recharge pigment with every lift, just like real watercolor. - Creating dimensional shapes using color layering
Layering multiple shades of green and red adds depth and realism to both the cactus and the pot. - Using layer masks for subtle highlights
Layer masks allow for non-destructive edits that bring volume and realistic lighting to your piece. - Detailing with fine lines and brush variation
Switching to the fine liner brush introduces fine textures like cactus needles and salt-like specks. - Smudging techniques for watercolor blending
The smudge tool with the round watery brush helps soften edges and enhance the natural flow of pigment.
Watercolor Girl
I’ve got another lovely watercolor project lined up for you – this time, we’re painting a graceful lady with a flowy dress and soft, dreamy textures. We’ll start with a simple sketch, build up soft watercolor layers, and finish with some playful butterflies and splatters to give it that extra bit of magic. It’s a gentle, relaxing process – perfect if you’re in the mood for something elegant and a little whimsical. Let’s get into it and enjoy the flow together.
Brushes used:
- Basic sketcher
- Round watery
- Water bleed
- Water flicka
- Blotch
- Big splatter
- Small brush
- Fineliner
Canvas Size:
- 2300 x 3000 pixels
Key Skills Learned:
- Building a loose, confident sketch
Start with simple shapes to block out the pose, giving your figure structure and flow before refining into something more elegant. - Layering soft watercolor tones
Work in delicate passes with the round watery brush, letting colors blend naturally for that light, painterly feel. - Adding warmth and depth with color variation
Introduce pinks, blues, and yellows to create rich skin tones and subtle shadows – don’t be afraid to be bold with it! - Creating flow with splatters and smudging
Use expressive splatters and gentle smudging to bring the dress to life and add some lovely, organic texture. - Finishing with whimsical details
Add butterflies, little flicks, and soft white highlights to pull everything together and give it that dreamy, magical finish.
Colorful Houses
In this fun and super chill tutorial, we’re creating a stylized city scene using a photo reference, inky lines, and loose, painterly colors. This one’s perfect for any skill level—no pressure, just a relaxed way to boost your line confidence and practice simplifying shapes. We’ll keep things light and expressive, and by the end, you’ll have a vibrant little painting full of character.
Brushes used:
- Inka
- Gouache
- Pandani
Canvas Size:
- 3000 x 2000 pixels
Key Skills Learned:
- Building line confidence by tracing over a photo reference using a loose, expressive inking style.
- Simplifying complex scenes through selective detailing, omitting elements to focus the viewer’s attention.
- Layering with Multiply mode to add subtle shadows and depth using both gouache and inking brushes.
- Creating texture and visual interest by mixing dabs, strokes, and patterns to imply bricks and tiles.
- Balancing color and shape by contrasting the rigid geometry of buildings with the soft curves of trees.
Painterly Portrait
This was such a fun one—first tutorial at the new desk, and we’re diving into a super expressive, painterly portrait! It’s all about loose brush strokes, bold colors, and embracing imperfection to create something full of life and character. We walked through sketching a stylized head, adding color with confidence, and finished with some of my favorite Procreate tricks to bring it all together.
Brushes used:
- Basic Sketcher
- Old Brush
- Chalk Blocker
- Round Smeary
- Opaque Thin
- Rake Brush
- Overlay Brush
Canvas Size:
- 3500 x 3500 pixels
Key Skills Learned:
- Sketching expressive facial proportions: Start with circles and guidelines to create a stylized but balanced head shape with facial feature placements.
- Layer-based coloring workflow: Separate layers for background, face, hair, neck, and clothing keep things clean and make adjustments easier.
- Brush blending for painterly effects: Use the Round Smeary and Chalk Blocker to create expressive color variation and texture without losing structure.
- Smudging with the Rake brush: Bring it all together with the Rake brush set to Smudge—perfect for soft painterly effects and stylized textures.
- Finishing touches with light and overlays: Use Overlay brush and Chromatic Aberration to fine-tune highlights, warmth, and depth for a professional polish.
Happy Avocados
Ready for some serious cuteness? In this cozy, beginner-friendly Procreate tutorial, we create an adorable avocado couple – perfect as a sweet gift or just for fun. The steps are super chill and easy to follow, and there’s plenty of room to play with expressions, colors, and little touches like rosy cheeks or textures. You’ll leave with a finished illustration full of charm and personality!
Brushes used:
- Inka
- Shale
- Copperhead
- Quoll
Canvas Size:
- 2300 x 3000 pixels
Skills Learned:
- Building layered base shapes: Start with rough, egg-like shapes and build up complexity by stacking colored layers for depth and dimension.
- Using Alpha Lock for clean shading: Apply Alpha Lock to shapes like the pit or avocado body to shade without spilling over edges.
- Mixing brushes for detail work: Switch between expressive and tidy brushes—like the Copperhead and Shale—to balance sketchy charm with clean outlines.
- Adding personality with minimal facial features: Use just a few lines for eyes, mouths, and limbs to give the characters playful expressions and gestures.
- Enhancing illustrations with subtle texturesL Use texture brushes and layer masks to softly distress or enrich the drawing, especially on the background and outer edges.
Watercolor Love Jars
In this cheerful little tutorial, we’re making a super sweet Mother’s Day-themed illustration—but honestly, this one’s perfect for anyone you love (including yourself!). We’re keeping things loose, playful, and a little bit messy, just how we like it. You’ll sketch some cute jars, add inky outlines with character, and finish it off with soft watercolor vibes. Whether you’re brand new or a seasoned doodler, it’s all about having fun and making something from the heart. Let’s dive in!
Brushes used:
- Basic Sketcher
- Flotastic Inker
- Watery Dual Color Brush
- Splatter Brush
- Ultra Soft Mixer
Canvas Size:
- 2300 x 3000 pixels
Key Skills Learned:
- Using Symmetry for Balanced Sketching: Quickly block out the jar shape and maintain proportion while allowing for playful imperfections.
- Loose Inking for Expressive Texture: Incorporate wobbliness, broken lines, and hatching for a charming, handmade feel without pressure for perfection.
- Layering Watercolor with Dual Colors: Apply rich, blended washes using Procreate’s dual color functionality to create a vibrant, blotchy background and object fills.
- Non-destructive Painting on Separate Layers: Preserve ink lines while experimenting with color options and maintaining flexibility throughout the process.
- Adding Final Touches with Splatter and Blender: Finish the piece with textured splatter and softened edges using the ultra soft mixer, enhancing the watercolor look.
Watercolor Lemon
Want to create a fresh, watercolor-style lemon slice in Procreate? This tutorial breaks it down into approachable, mess-friendly steps that feel just like painting with real watercolors—minus the cleanup. Using free brushes and a vibrant color palette, you’ll be working with symmetry, blending techniques, and subtle highlights to bring your digital citrus to life.
Brushes used:
- Round Watery Brush
- Fineliner Brush
Canvas Size:
- 2500 x 2500 pixels
Skills Learned:
- Using Procreate’s radial symmetry tool: Helps easily create balanced shapes like citrus slices by auto-mirroring brush strokes across radial segments.
- Mastering watercolor-style blending: The Round Watery brush allows seamless color blending by keeping your Apple Pencil pressed to the screen—just like layering wet paint.
- Layer masking for highlights: Non-destructive layer masks are used to mimic moisture and shine with soft white highlights painted using black on the mask layer.
- Adding texture and contrast with multiple colors: By layering from light to dark yellows and oranges, the lemon slice gains dimension and realism while still keeping that painterly looseness.
- Combining line work with painterly strokes: A fineliner adds just a touch of crispness to select edges without making the artwork feel too perfect or rigid.
Golden Berries
This tutorial is all about keeping it loose and painterly with a still life inspired by golden berries. No sketching—just diving straight in with expressive brush strokes, exploring texture, color, and light. It’s more about the feeling and less about the details, making this a perfect exercise to let go and loosen up. Grab your brushes and let’s make something beautiful together!
Brushes used:
- Round Smeary
- Smeary Damp
- Basic Sketcher
- Overlay
- Opaque Thin
- Painterly Mixer
- Flo Darka
- Flo Lighta
Canvas Size:
- 3000 x 2000 pixels
Key Skills Learned:
- Blocking in without sketching: Jump straight into painting by laying down big, expressive shapes, skipping the traditional sketch phase to keep things fluid and intuitive.
- Using painterly brushes for texture: Learn to blend and layer using textured brushes like Round Smeary and Smeary Damp, building depth while maintaining looseness.
- Manual brush tracking and labeling: Smart tip: jot down the brushes you use on a dedicated layer with a writing brush to keep track for future projects or tutorials.
- Photo editing tricks for painterly contrast: Use duplicated layers with Multiply and Screen blend modes plus layer masks to add contrast, depth, and light, borrowing techniques from photography.