Kawaii Christmas Tree
In this tutorial, we’re going to create the cutest kawaii-style Christmas tree ever, chunky, cheerful, and full of festive charm. We’ll keep things playful and relaxed while using some of Procreate’s lovely new brushes from the latest update. Whether you’re drawing to unwind or just in the mood for something joyful, this is going to be such a fun one to follow along with!
Brushes used:
- Velleia
- Night Heron
- Wapping
- Goshawk
- Shearwater
- Philosopher Falls
Canvas Size:
- 3500 x 3500 pixels
Key Skills Learned:
- How to use symmetry for quick and balanced shapes
We’ll turn on vertical symmetry right at the start to make shaping the tree super easy. One side draws the other, such a satisfying shortcut! - How to add soft texture with alpha lock
You’ll use alpha lock with textured brushes to paint light and shadow, giving your tree that lovely chunky depth without messing up the shape. - How to make your lights glow with Bloom and blur
We’ll layer on string lights and sparkles, then use Bloom and Gaussian Blur to make them pop with a soft magical glow. - How to build up simple details for a rich look
From mossy ground to leafy shapes, you’ll layer in fun little elements that bring charm to the scene without overwhelming your tree.
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.
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.
Deer in a Forest
In this cozy little tutorial, we’re creating a whimsical fall forest with a sweet stylized deer tucked right in the spotlight. This isn’t about getting everything perfect, it’s all about relaxing, playing with color and texture, and just having fun with your brushes. We start with a loose sketch to set the mood, layer in colorful tree shapes, add some playful patterns, and then bring in our little deer to complete the scene. It’s a gentle, creative process, so no pressure, just enjoy painting something a little magical.
Brushes used:
- Basic Sketcher
- Gatsby
- Lily
- Sanderling
- Soft Brush
Canvas Size:
- 2300 x 3000 pixels
Key Skills Learned:
- Sketching a loose and playful composition
Start off with a light sketch, trees, bushes, and a little deer. Keep it loose and fun, no need for precision here. - Building soft, stylized tree shapes with color harmony
Layer trees from back to front using gentle, matching colors that flow nicely together. Each tree gets its own space and vibe. - Adding textures with clipping masks and hand-drawn patterns
Use light hatching, dots, leafy shapes and lines to give each tree its own personality. It’s all about those small, simple details. - Painting tree trunks and softly fading them into snow
Draw simple, natural trunks and fade the bottoms with the soft brush to make it feel like they’re gently sitting in snow. - Bringing the deer to life with just a few shapes and accents
Keep the deer nice and simple, add soft shadows, a little eye, some dots on the back, and you’re done! Super sweet and easy.
Isometric Cozy Burrow
In this tutorial, we’re diving into a brand new isometric project, a snug little burrow with a sweet girl reading her book, a cat curled up nearby, and piles of books tucked into earthy walls. It’s all about combining structure with soft, organic shapes to build a dreamy little hideout. I’ll walk you through setting up your isometric guide, sketching the base shapes, and layering in personality with soft line art, cozy lighting, and simple, playful details. Grab the brush pack and palette, and let’s build this peaceful little world together.
Brushes used:
- Basic Sketcher
- Scattery Bush
- Snow Gum
- Base Painter
- Studio Pen
- Darken Line
- Lighten Line
- Flo Lighta
- Soft Brush
Canvas Size:
- 3500 x 3500 pixels
Key Skills Learned:
- Using the isometric guide for structured sketching
Start by turning on Procreate’s isometric grid with drawing assist to help keep your base nice and tidy while you work out the scene’s layout. - Layering rough and organic sketches
Begin with angular blocky shapes, then soften everything up with gentle curves, especially when sketching cozy furniture, books, and your little characters. - Coloring with clean layers and alpha lock
We’ll organize our layers so we can color freely underneath the line art, and use alpha lock to add shading and texture without coloring outside the lines. - Building up soft, glowy shading
With the dark and light brushes, plus a bit of glow using blend modes, we’ll create subtle shadows and soft ambient light to give everything that magical, cozy feel. - Color-tinting your line art to soften the look
Instead of keeping harsh black outlines, we’ll go in and gently recolor the line art so it blends in with the scene, just a little finishing touch that makes a big difference.
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.
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.
Paper Cutout Mandala
Okay, so today we’re mixing two things I love — a paper cutout look and a mandala vibe. And oh my gosh, this project is SO fun. It’s one of those where you just go with the flow, let your shapes happen, and end up with something super delicate and beautiful. You’re not aiming for perfection here, we’re layering, carving, erasing, and creating something totally unique and totally you. Just trust the process, okay? It’s gonna be magical.
Brushes used:
- Monoline
- Studio Pen
Canvas Size:
- 2500 x 2500 pixels
Key Skills Learned:
- Setting up radial symmetry for perfect mandala balance
We use Procreate’s radial symmetry guide to get those lovely balanced shapes without stressing, it’s like drawing one petal and getting eight for free! - Adding soft, layered shadows for a paper cutout feel
By duplicating layers, using alpha lock, Gaussian blur, and multiply mode, we make those layers pop with depth. Hello, dreamy shadow magic. - Carving details with the eraser like real paper art
The eraser isn’t just for fixing, we use it like a blade to “cut” our shapes and make things look super delicate and detailed, just like real cut paper. - Keeping things tidy with grouped layers
We keep things organized by grouping each shape layer with its shadow, so your canvas doesn’t turn into chaos while you’re layering away. - Letting go and designing from instinct
Honestly? The best part is just trusting your gut. No need to copy anything exactly, your mandala will be unique, and that’s exactly the point.
Cute Witch
It’s spooky season, so what better time to draw a super cute little witch? This tutorial is all about keeping things simple and fun, with soft textures, bold outlines, and lots of charm. We go from a basic sketch all the way to a textured, shaded final piece, complete with a stack of magical books and a sweet little cat friend. No need to stress, just follow along, layer by layer, and I promise it’ll all come together beautifully.
Brushes used:
- Basic Sketcher
- Fine Charcoal Pencil
- Studio Pen
- Fuzzy Charcoal
Canvas Size:
- 3500 x 3500 pixels
Key Skills Learned:
- Building up a sketch with simple shapes
We start with loose circles, sausages, and rectangles, keeping it light and easy before tightening up the details. - Adding personality with textured line art
Using the fine charcoal pencil, we keep things loose and varied, a little messiness is totally okay and adds character. - Organizing your layers for easier coloring
You’ll see how I break everything down, clothing, hair, cat, books, into separate layers so it’s all nice and clean. - Using layer masks to add subtle texture
We give those flat colors some lovely texture with layer masks and the fuzzy charcoal brush, super simple, but makes a big difference. - Soft shading to bring everything together
From rosy cheeks to a glowing moon and sparkly stars, we add soft shadows and gentle highlights to make everything feel warm and cozy.