Welcome back to my tutorial on the Procreate 4.2 app! We are almost done with all the basic parts of the app! In this post, I will be going through the Action tab. You will be able to share and save your work, edit your canvas or application settings to cater them more to your personal needs and help improve your workflow. The actions option contains 6 sub-options: add, canvas, share, video, prefs and help. Each of them has further actions you can take. These 6 options can be seen in a row on the top of the actions interface after you’ve tapped on the action icon in the main menu.
Some of the features I’ve mentioned below may have been changed or disabled due to the recent update to Procreate 4.3. I will address them where applicable. For more updated features, read my post on new features in Procreate 4.3.
Add
Add text
Procreate 4.2 allows you to add text however, they weren’t very customisable. The new version 4.3 contains a whole interface for you to edit your text. Read about it in my update post on Procreate 4.3.
Insert a file
This option lets you add an image file into the canvas. The files app will show up and you can browse around and choose your file. Incompatible files look slightly faded and will not be able to be added into the canvas.
Insert a photo
This option brings up your photos app for you to choose a photo to be added into your canvas.
Take a photo
This option brings up your camera app for you to take a photo which will then be added into your canvas.
Cut
This option copies and then deletes your current layer or selection
Copy
This option copies your current layer or selection.
Copy canvas
This option copies all layers that are currently visible as a single image. So when you paste after that it will only be one layer that’s added.
Paste
Pastes and copies content to your layers. This option is only available when an image/ layer/ selection is copied to the clipboard.
It will remain greyed out if there is nothing copied to the clipboard.
Canvas
Crop and resize
If you are unhappy about your canvas size after you’ve done some artwork on it, this lets you change the size of your canvas to your liking.
Drawing guide
the drawing guide provides guides such as guidelines to help you draw in perspective, symmetry, etc. When the drawing guide option is turned on, the edit drawing guide option just below it will be activated.
There are quite a lot to talk about in this function and I will be writing a future post all about it.
Flip canvas horizontally
Flips your canvas horizontally
Flipping your canvas can help you look at your artwork with a fresher point of view and lets you spot areas for improvement easier.
Flip canvas vertically
Flips your canvas vertically
Canvas information
This shows information about your canvas such as date created, last edited, dimensions, layers used, maximum layers allowed, resolution, video quality, length, file size etc.
Share
You are able to share your artwork in various different types of files: Procreate, PSD, PDF, JPEG, PNG and TIFF. Some ways to share your artwork is to save images to your Photos app, save to files, messaging, printing etc.
Video
Time-lapse replay
This function shows you a sped up video replay of the process of your artwork. By sliding a finger to the left or right on the screen, you can speed up the video even more or reverse and go back to the beginning of the video.
Time-lapse recording
Turn this option on to allow time-lapse to be recorded. Turn this off and your drawing process will not be recorded.
Start live broadcast
This allows you to live stream your screen on social media like Facebook.
Since the Procreate update to version 4.3, this option has been deleted. You can find an alternative way to stream your work process here: https://procreate.art/faq
Export time-lapse video
Allows you to save the time-lapse video to your photos app or share/ save it on available apps.
You will be given the choice of exporting the full-length video or 30 seconds sped up version of the video.
Prefs
Light interface
Turn this on or off for a light or dark interface. Personally, I prefer and use the dark interface.
Right-hand interface
This changes the side which the sidebar sliders are on depending on your preference.
Brush cursor
Shows you where your brush is so you can see where you’re painting, how big the brush is etc.
Project Canvas
You can connect your iPad with another display. the second display will only show the artwork in full-screen mode.
Rapid undo delay
Double tapping with 2 fingers gives you one undo. If you hold your fingers on the screen on the second tap and wait for a while, you are able to undo multiple actions until your fingers leave the screen. This function allows you to change the amount of time you need to hold on the screen or rapid undo to start. Slide the slider left or right to decrease or increase the time.
Selection mask visibility
When you make a selection, the unselected areas are shaded and masked. This function allows you to change how visible the masked unselected areas are. Slide the sliders left or right to increase or decrease the visibility of the unselected areas.
Connect third-party stylus
If you are not using an apple pencil and are using another pressure sensitive stylus, you can connect them there.
Edit pressure curve
If you have a naturally soft or hard pressing pressure, you can adjust the pressure curve for your stylus to fit your preference. This changes the amount of pressure you need to put on the canvas to achieve certain brush thickness.
Gesture controls
I’ve made a post on gesture controls here.
Help
What’s new?
Shows you the new features in the latest update.
Restore Purchases
Procreate used to have in-app purchases. If you’ve lost them or changed an iPad, you can restore your past purchases here.
Advanced settings
This brings you to your device’s settings app where you can adjust even more settings relating to your Procreate App. You can change things like time-lapse video quality, palm support levels, preferred file and image support when exporting etc.
Learn to Procreate
Brings you to youtube with a list of video tutorial on how to use the Procreate app.
Customer support
Brings you to the procreate website where you can have access to the procreate artist’s handbook or look through their FAQs. Can find what you’re looking for? You can always ask on the community or email support.
Procreate portfolio
This brings you to the procreate showcase page where amazing artworks from different artists are showcased there. You can also sign up and show your artworks, like or comment on other people’s artworks.
I have now covered all the main functions of the procreate app! In future posts, I will be explaining how to use more advanced functions in detail. For example, how do curves work, how to use drawing guides etc. Now that you’ve learnt how to use the majority of the Procreate app, you should be able to easily create artworks with it!
I hope you’ve enjoyed reading this post and has learnt something new from it.
Try out the Apple Pencil to bring your creative process to the next level on the Procreate App!
These artist gloves for digital painting are a must for me when I paint on the iPad, when I don’t wear the gloves, sometimes the Procreate app sense my palm resting on the screen as 2 fingers tapping and holding and start undoing! Or sometimes it starts colour picking. I’ve tried the different palm support options but I still get the problem sometimes. If you’re having these kinds of problems as well, the gloves may be your solution, it makes you feel and look more professional too!
You may also be interested in:
- Procreate 4.2 Tutorial – Introduction
- Procreate 4.2 Tutorial – Gallery Interface
- Procreate 4.2 Tutorial – Gestures and Customisation
- Procreate 4.2 Tutorial – Colour Interface
- Procreate 4.2 Tutorial – Layers Interface
- Procreate 4.2 Tutorial – Brush, Smudge and Erase Tools
- Procreate 4.2 Tutorial – Selection Tools
- Procreate 4.2 Tutorial – Transform Tools
- Procreate 4.2 Tutorial – Adjustment Tools
One Response
Hello Mary li from Stan Doran Liverpool england
I registered with procreate about 4 months ago, and uploaded some of my images to the showcase, however i have found it impossible to find my artwork when viewing the showcase.
i would love to see my artwork on the showcase page, can you advise how i do this.
Regards Stan
stan.doran@talktalk.net