Wondering how to blend in Procreate? This beautiful app allows you to paint or draw anything you can imagine with its helpful blending tools. But before using the blending tools that Procreate offers, you’ll want to understand how they work. This is important so that you can use them in the best way to achieve your desired design.
Blending is a common technique used in artwork, and there are various ways to achieve this effect in Procreate. You can use Procreate blending tools to experiment with the different effects mentioned and see which method best suits you, your art, and your creative goals.
If you’re new to the app, have a look at this guide on how to use Procreate.
Tip: Once you’ve gotten the hang of Procreate, check out our Pixelsmith Studios Marketplace. We provide a platform for artists to showcase their talent and make some money off their works.
Top Methods for Blending in Procreate
Below, we delve into the different ways to blend in Procreate to achieve various effects.
Blending Using the Smudge Tool In Procreate
Using the smudge tool is the easiest way to create a blend in Procreate. To use this tool, tap on the hand in the top right corner or tap and hold to smudge with the current brush in use. Blending with this tool will be the same no matter how you choose to use it.
Using it with your current brush makes the blend look smoother and better. Follow these steps for simple blending:
- Draw the design you wish to blend in one layer and lock it with an Alpha lock. This prevents blending outside your drawing allowing for precision.
- Select the smudge tool and start blending. Blend from darker to lighter colors or use analogous colors rather than complementary colors to achieve the best blend. You’ll achieve an even blend in the middle.
Tip: Brush up on your color theory to learn how to choose the best colors when blending.
Blending Using Gaussian Tool In Procreate
Another blending tool is the Gaussian blur tool. This tool allows you to blur entire layers or, alternatively, any areas you draw with your pencil. Follow these steps to use the Gaussian blur tool in Procreate.
- Tap the magic wand icon in the top-left corner of the screen and open the Adjustments window.
- Select Layer to blur an entire layer or Pencil under Gaussian blur to blend where you have drawn.
- Choosing a layer will ensure that you pick a specific layer to blend. With the pencil option, draw in an area that you want to blend.
- You can make the blur less or more noticeable by swiping up or down on the screen. This increases or decreases the visibility percentage of the blur accordingly.
Blending With Brushes
If you want more control over how your blend looks, brushes are your answer. This method is great for experimentation. Using brushes for blending prevents mistakes and allows you to be precise in how you want the blend to look. It allows you to focus on the detail you want to achieve in your artwork. You can change brush settings to achieve your desired effect.
Follow these steps.
- Select the brush you want to blend with.
- In the left hand bar, set the bottom opacity slider and change it to low.
- Choose the color you want to blend with and lightly draw from that color in your preferred direction.
Brush Size
Blends that look good will require varied brush sizes depending on what you blend. For larger areas that require smooth blends, you’ll need to use a larger brush. Smaller brush sizes work best for edges and more detailed blending.
The brush size can be changed by selecting the top slider in the left-hand sidebar and moving it up or down.
Brush Types
Brush types change the texture of your blend. Browse through various brush types in Procreate to decide on the type of blend texture you want. For soft shadow-like blends, use brushes under the Airbrushing section. For a more painterly effect, choose a harder brush with a more prominent texture.
You can create your own or add custom brushes in Procreate if you can’t find what you’re looking for. Discover more about how to make brushes in procreate too create the perfect brush for your creative needs.
Tips For Blending in Procreate
To get the most out of blending in Procreate and reduce the number of mistakes made, follow some of the tips mentioned below. Choose what works best for you and your artwork.
Use Pressure
When making use of an Apple Pencil to draw your design, the more you press down, the more pressure you’ll apply to the pencil strokes. The same principle goes for blending strokes. Try to use light strokes to start and build them up until you are happy with your design.
Use a Clipping Mask
Clipping masks help keep your original drawing untouched while your blending is taking place. Open the layers tab and add a layer above the one you wish to blend. Keep this top layer selected and continue blending.
A clipping mask affects the layer beneath it and only allows you to make changes to it without changing the original drawing. This helps in managing blending mistakes.
Final Thoughts on Using Blending Tool on Procreate
Blending is a necessary skill for any artist or creative to learn to elevate their work by giving their art more depth. You can use these blending tools and methods to create various effects, from shadows to gradients and even textures.
Find out more about what works for you and experiment with the methods mentioned above. If you are looking for more art apps to use, check out the best drawing and painting apps for digital artists.
Next Read: Find out how to add brushes to procreate to achieve your desired effect.
Written by Matthew, Zak Zikalala and Neal Strydom
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Matt is about 80% nerd, 10% writer, 10% animal lover. His love for PC’s started at the tender age of 4 and his love for animation and motion graphics fairly soon after. You can normally find him behind a computer screen or playing with his dog Rusty.
Zak Zikalala is a MC, broadcaster and seasoned voice over artist. His tone and voice is warm, bright, friendly and approachable.
Co-Owner of Pixelsmithstudios.
Specialising in creating content for digital platforms
Working fulltime in marketing & Advertising
Always meeting new talent