Procreate
Outstanding art tool supports the workflow of seasoned digital painters
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Procreate
Pros: Highly-responsive brush technology, intuitive interface with customizable tools and canvas sizes; video recording.
Cons: Steep learning curve for students lacking digital drawing experience; optimized features for Apple Pencil and iPad Pro only.
Bottom Line: For iPads, this is a best-in-class tool with enough pro-level features and technology, and some nice support resources.
Procreate’s best for older students and those with prior digital drawing experience, either in direct, whole-class instruction or for self-directed, individualized learning. For beginners, learning in tandem will help establish a common understanding of Procreate’s powerful toolbox and digital drawing vocabulary. Then, unleash students to run with their own creative flair. Consider lessons that focus both on elements of design and Procreate’s signature strengths. Explore Space using the Layers tool to bring perspective and depth to superimposed objects; study Line and Form using dozens of customizable brush and pencil strokes and textures. Use it to design posters for school events, yearbook, or class websites. Teaching Art History? Imagine layering painting techniques that have evolved over time and record/share designs using Procreate’s impressive video features. Students can easily share work with each other and showcase examples within Procreate’s gallery or online.
Procreate is an impressive, pro-level drawing app designed around a digital artist’s workflow. It's a stand-alone drawing tool for the iPad (there's a separate Procreate Pocket app for smaller devices) that untethers artists from laptops and desktops, freeing them up with liberating, mobile creativity. Optimized for the iPad Pro and Apple Pencil, Procreate is loaded with powerful features including custom brushes and pencils, advanced layering options, canvas sizes up to Ultra HD 4K, live and time-lapsed video recording, and more. Especially helpful are the customizable undo/redo, an interface showing number of available layers relative to canvas size, and the ability to assign certain functions to the stylus/Apple Pencil and finger separately. It’s highly-responsive, lag-free, and every tool can be customized with fine precision. Tap the + to begin a new project. Start with a blank canvas, import an image, or take a photo with the in-app camera. Export options include PDF, PSD, JPG, and PNG. Time-lapsed video can be shared via email and SMS, across social media, and to iMovie and iTunes U.
Procreate’s powerful and impressive enough to replace most desktop art apps, plus its mobility makes it ideal to sketch, draw, and paint anywhere. As a pro-level tool, it’s best for older and/or experienced digital artists in high school (or some students in middle school); younger or beginning students just getting the basics down would benefit from a more focused experience. Procreate excels due to its advanced customization, unique brush system, high-resolution/multi-touch interface, and support. Power-users might lament the absence of a dodge/burn technique feature, however. Online support is robust, including forums and many how-to YouTube videos. Artist’s Books and Procreate Pocket (official user guides) and are available for free at iBooks. Now optimized for the iPad Pro and Apple Pencil, this particular pairing (tough for schools to implement, of course) creates unparalleled performance and results for the price.
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Great digital art project for advanced users
This is probably one of the best (if not THE best) art app available right now for the iPad and iPhone. It has the potential for creating detailed, high end digital art. There are a LOT of YouTube videos on how to use Procreate from beginner to advanced. There are also a lot of fantastic examples of artwork created by professional artists using this app to show your students the true power and what can be done with Procreate. To truly take full advantage of Procreate, students will want to be able to use a stylus as the finger can only do so much, and having the 'feel' of a device in the hand helps students make that 'jump' from traditional materials to digital tools.
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