So you want to start making digital art, but don’t quite know where to begin? This checklist is for you. For me, Procreate on my iPad has been so easy to learn and use. Here are a few things you will want before you get started.
1) An iPad
Procreate is only compatible with iPads. Luckily, there are lots of makes and models that can fit every price range. I use an iPad Air 3rd gen. This one is cheaper than the iPad Pro, but it works really well and is just the right size for me to make art on. If you need to take a little bit of a cheaper approach, search for used iPad, and see if there is something good that is cheaper. You can also go to the Apple website to look at the different specs of the iPads and go from there. You just want to make sure that it can be used with an Apple Pencil.
2) An Apple Pencil
This is a game-changer. There are some third-party styluses that you can try to use, but nothing quite does the job like an Apple Pencil. It does cost a pretty penny, but since Procreate is designed to work with an iPad and Apple Pencil, it really makes a huge difference. You can also search around for used ones, you will just want to make sure that it works! You can also get cute covers like this for the pencil to make it your own.
3) Procreate App
The Procreate App is $9.99 in the App Store, but there is a pocket version for free. If you just want to test out the water and see how it feels, the pocket version is great. However, there are a lot of features missing, especially after the last update, which you can read about in my last blog post.
4) A Paper-Like Screen Cover
When I first started making art, I started on paper. Making the transition from paper to digital was really hard since screens are super smooth and don’t catch as paper does. Paper-like screen protectors help your screen feel like paper by putting a slightly textured film on top of your screen. I use one like this, and you can search your exact iPad type to find one to fit your screen. This isn't absolutely necessary, but it made a huge difference for me once I got it.
Hopefully, this starting list will help you make sure you have what you need to get started making art with your Procreate App and iPad. Once you get what you need, the real fun begins! If you found this helpful, make sure to share with your friends who might also want to get started.
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