How To Draw Shapes in Procreate

Embark on a journey where the timeless essence of geometry blends seamlessly with the cutting-edge capabilities of digital artistry, right within the digital art dojo of Procreate brushes.

Mastering the craft of creating perfect shapes in Procreate lays the groundwork for elevating your digital art, from the simplest geometric patterns to the most intricate of designs.

This tutorial is designed to navigate you through the art of drawing impeccable shapes on your iPad, equipping you with the skills to excel in shape creation swiftly.

_{^{Step 1: Setting Up Your Canvas}}

Open Procreate and tap the “+” icon to create a new canvas. For practicing shapes, any size will do, but a medium canvas (e.g., 2000×2000 pixels) offers a good balance of space.

You’ll now see your blank canvas. Before drawing, think about the composition of your artwork and where the shapes will fit within it.

_{^{Step 2: Selecting the Drawing Tool}}

Tap on the Brush Library (the paintbrush icon) and select a brush under the “Inking” category for clean, precise lines. The “Studio Pen” is a great option.

Choose your color by tapping the Color Circle in the top-right corner and selecting a hue from the Color Disc, Classic, Harmony, or Value sliders.

_{^{Step 3: Drawing Basic Shapes Manually}}

For a Circle or Oval: Touch and hold the canvas to start drawing, then drag to create the oval shape. Don’t lift your stylus or finger yet.

After drawing the oval, hold still for a moment. Procreate will auto-correct the shape into a smoother oval. For a perfect circle, put another finger on the canvas as you hold it—the shape will snap to a circle.

For a Rectangle or Square: Use the same technique as the oval. Draw a rough rectangle, hold it, and let Procreate smooth it out. Touch the canvas with another finger to snap it into a perfect square.

For a Line: Draw a line and hold at the end. Procreate will straighten it. You can adjust its angle by moving your pencil/stylus while still holding it down.

_{^{Step 4: Using QuickShape for Perfect Shapes}}

Procreate’s QuickShape feature automatically corrects and perfects shapes as you draw them.

Draw your shape (circle, square, triangle, etc.) freely.

Hold your pencil down at the end of the stroke without lifting it. Procreate will recognize the shape and make it perfect. For straight lines, it will straighten them; for polygons, it will correct the angles.

While still holding, you can edit the shape further by dragging your pencil. Release when satisfied.

_{^{Step 5: Adjusting Your Shapes}}

After Procreate has auto-corrected your shape, you can adjust it further:

With the shape still active (before lifting your pencil), tap “Edit Shape” in the top menu. This allows you to adjust the points for polygons or the curvature for circles and ovals.

Drag the blue nodes to adjust the shape’s size, angle, or curvature.

Tap “Done” when you’re satisfied with your adjustments.

_{^{Step 6: Filling Shapes}}

To fill a shape with color, ensure the shape is closed (all sides are connected).

Drag the Color Circle from the top-right corner into the shape. This will fill the shape with the selected color.

_{^{Step 7: Experimenting with Shapes}}

Now that you know how to create basic shapes, experiment by combining them to create more complex illustrations. Use layers to organize different parts of your drawing and explore the effects of layering shapes over one another.

_{^{Step 8: Saving and Sharing Your Work}}

When you’re satisfied with your artwork, tap the wrench icon (Actions menu) in the top-left corner.

Select “Share” and choose your preferred file format (PNG, JPEG, etc.) to save or share your creation.

Drawing shapes in Procreate is a skill that serves as the building block for countless creative projects. 

With practice, you’ll find your workflow becoming smoother and your ability to create complex illustrations growing. 

Keep experimenting with different brushes, shapes, and compositions to discover your unique style. Happy drawing!