This start-to-finish class will teach you the essentials of hand lettering on the iPad with Procreate, plus provide in-depth lessons about popular effects (like ombré lettering) and challenging skills (like lettering in layer masks). I show you my favorite techniques for some of the most popular and fun hand lettering effects, and I share tips and shortcuts for a smooth workflow.
Are you a total beginner? Fear not! This class starts at the very beginning with an introductory exploration of Procreate’s interface and the cool new ways it interacts with the iPad operating system. I even give you free guide sheets so you can practice your letters.
➤ Topics covered include:
- Procreate 4 interface and the Files app
- Lettering basics from drawing letters and baselines to selecting and resizing
- Brush tutorials on importing, editing, and designing them from scratch
- Adjustments for recoloring and adding texture
- Effects like ombré and watercolor brush lettering
- Dimension, drop shadows, and shading
- Highlights and simple text decoration
- Alpha Lock for recoloring and erasing with precision
- Masking for layered effects and nondestructive erasing
- Copy/paste tricks to divide up layers and combine files
- Color palette customization and shortcuts
I've included 56 MB of free downloads to help you follow along: Procreate lettering practice sheets, calligraphy guideline sheets, and a variety of textured and watercolor backgrounds. These are available in the Project & Resources section.
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➤ Useful links:
+ Articles:
- My Favorite iPad Tools & Apps
- Procreate Support Forum for general questions about the app
+ Procreate brushes & add-ons:
- My own Procreate brush packs (discounted when you buy more than one)
- Free brushes and lettering practice sheets at Molly’s Lettering Toolkit
- My favorite Procreate brush packs for lettering and illustration
+ iPad Accessories:
- SmudgeGuard Touchscreen Gloves (not an affiliate link; I just love these gloves!)
- My iPad Smart Cover
- The most popular screen protector among iPad artists
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My Lettering Toolkit is a library of free downloads – from calligraphy practice sheets to Procreate brushes – that expands every month. Subscribe to my mailing list to get lifetime access, plus updates to your inbox about my live events, new classes, and products every Saturday.
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➤ More tutorials:
+ My calligraphy books offer more lessons and inspiration
+ My YouTube channel is full of free, bite-sized tutorials and demonstrations, and I post a new video every Friday!
+ My other Skillshare classes are all about hand lettering, from how to digitize calligraphy and make flourished layouts, to learning Procreate for absolute beginners.
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+ Tag me in your projects on Instagram: @mollysuberthorpe. I'd love to have a peek at your work!
+ Sign up for my Workshop News Bulletin to stay informed about my upcoming, in-person classes.
+ Visit Calligrafile.com, my massive online resource guide for lettering artists and creative freelancers, with 1,000+ recommended supplies, books, online classes, and helpful links.
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➤ Video outline with time stamps:
- Tech & Hardware Specs
- Intro to iOS11: 0:18
- Download Procreate 4: 1:56
- My tablet drawing glove: 2:55
- Clean your screen!: 4:05
- Gallery Interface
- Rename and reorder files: 0:30
- Stacks: 1:13
- Share/duplicate/delete functions: 1:36
- Import images from the cloud or camera roll: 2:00
- Create a new file/canvas from preset: 2:26
- Create custom canvas and save as new preset: 2:52
- Canvas Interface
- Basics of the design interface: 0:00
- Image settings menu: 0:56
- Canvas settings menu: 2:24
- Sharing and exporting: 3:14
- Time-lapse videos: 3:51
- Preferences menu: 4:29
- Help menu: 4:52
- Magic wand menu: 5:36
- Making selections: 6:00
- Smudge tool: 7:24
- Eraser tool: 7:51
- Layers palette: 8:07
- Layer groups: 8:25
- Delete/duplicate/lock: 9:07
- Other layer options: 9:15
- Alpha lock: 9:51
- Merging layers: 10:57
- Opacity and blending modes: 11:30
- Color palette: 12:46
- Letter Guide Sheets
- Install my free letter guide sheets: 0:18
- Brushes!
- Brush menu overview: 0:18
- Brush settings and adjustments: 1:45
- Importing Brushes
- Split screen with Files app: 0:40
- Make new brush set: 2:46
- Install brushes: 2:56
- Lettering Essentials – Getting Started
- Background color: 0:32
- Draw baselines: 1:42
- Starting to write: 3:12
- Move and rearrange words: 4:17
- Recolor letters: 5:12
- Alpha Lock: 9:50
- Importing Backgrounds
- Place using Files app: 0:30
- Positioning and adjusting background image: 1:31
- Insert photo from camera roll: 4:28
- Ombré Effect
- Set up lettering for ombré coloring: 0:20
- Bright rainbow effect: 1:19
- Subtle ombré: 2:56
- Ombré backgrounds: 5:29
- Watercolor Effect
- Customize watercolor brush: 1:00
- Writing in watercolor: 3:22
- Finishing touches: 4:16
- Bleeding edges: 6:50
- Shading & Drop Shadows
- 3D dimension: 0:52
- Hand drawn drop shadow: 3:37
- Internal shading: 6:24
- Adding Highlights
- Bright dimension: 0:35
- Hand drawn highlights: 1:26
- Highlights as decoration: 3:04
- White outline trick: 4:14
- Effects: Blur, Color & Noise
- Recolor with Hue, Saturation, Brightness: 1:04
- Recolor with Color Balance: 2:22
- Add noise for texture: 3:19
- Blur: 4:50
- OMG Masking!
- Basics of masking: 0:35
- Masked watercolor wash effect: 6:45
- Masking placed images: 8:24
- Bonus 1 – Make Your Own Brushes
- Make a semi-custom brush: 1:18
- Make a fully custom brush: 6:20
- Bonus 2 – Custom Color Palettes
- Import inspiraton image: 0:20
- Make custom palette: 0:42
- Picking colors: 1:06
- Set default palettes: 1:55
- A nifty shortcut: 2:15
- Bonus 3 – The Power of Copy/Paste
- Double borders: 0:39
- Divide up layers: 1:47
- Paste into new file: 2:57
Some of the links above are affiliate links.
