Symmetrical blackleaf / iPad Pro

This could be the greatest digital drawing tool I've ever used. I've had Wacom tablets and Cintiqs since they first came out, and nothing compares to the the drawing experience I get from the iPad and Procreate app.

Yes, It certainly is an awesome piece of kit alright.

The drawing looks fantastic!!!

Cheers
Andrew

that does look amazing Sam, your getting better at it every time

These drawings all look SO amazing! I bit the bullet and ordered an iPad Pro and pencil. I spend a fair amount of time on airplanes each year, and the pencils, erasing, sharpening etc. are really not conducive to sketching on a plane... I think this may be just the ticket!

Stunning as usual Sam.

Sam;
You are always inspirational. I have a question on this one. To get the symmetry do you have to draw both sides , or only draw one side and does Procreate reproduce the mirror image?
Cheers
Don

don hicks said:

Sam;
You are always inspirational. I have a question on this one. To get the symmetry do you have to draw both sides , or only draw one side and does Procreate reproduce the mirror image?
Cheers
Don

Click to expand...

Thanks Don. The good thing about digital is being able to draw half and mirror a copy so you don't have to draw each side of a symmetrical design.

I was wondering if that's what you did Sam. The symmetry was perfect so I was wondering if software did something.

Marcus Hunt said:

I was wondering if that's what you did Sam. The symmetry was perfect so I was wondering if software did something.

Click to expand...

You work in layers, so you draw half of the design on a layer, duplicate that layer, then flip the layer to create the mirror. I've also done it with engraving, by laying out and engraving half, then doing the transfer wax mirroring to engrave the opposite side.

Sam, after you mirror the side and merge the images do you then create another layer to do the bits of work that are asymmetrical?
Your skill is mind boggling!
Jerry

" I've also done it with engraving, by laying out and engraving half, then doing the transfer wax mirroring to engrave the opposite side. "

That is the way I have always done mirror halves cutting a design.

Your drawing, especially with the background is awesome to be sure!!

I really like the "fade-out" background you did on this one.
Soft edges. Just so right for the design.

These drawings all look SO amazing! I bit the bullet and ordered an iPad Pro and pencil. I spend a fair amount of time on airplanes each year, and the pencils, erasing, sharpening etc. are really not conducive to sketching on a plane... I think this may be just the ticket!

Click to expand...

Mike.......You will love it!!!

A couple of suggestions........Take your charging plug and cable with you wherever you go. The Bluetooth connection is brutal on battery power in the iPad. The pencil charge lasts for ages but there is no way of knowing how low the battery is. So turn on the widgets on the iPad and that will let you know how much battery power is left in the pencil. And make sure you take the extra charging jack bit for the pencil with you.

Also, you can download the Procreate instruction manual onto Ibooks on your iPad..........it's worth it's weight in gold and gets you up and running very quickly in the first few chapters. Unlike most instruction manuals, the Procreate one is easy to read and absorb.

I brought the Speck iPad case that holds the pencil inside the case so you can't lose it when travelling. The case is a bit bulky but you get used to it in a few minutes and I don't have a problem with it.

Have fun

Cheers
Andrew

I ordered this from Amazon for $12. Looks like a great solution to charging the pencil and the iPad simultaneously. I'll let you know how it works.

I use the Speck cases on iPhones and for the iPad I got the STM case which also holds the pencil. Kind of bulky but seems like reasonably good protection.

Andrew Biggs said:

Mike.......You will love it!!!

A couple of suggestions........Take your charging plug and cable with you wherever you go. The Bluetooth connection is brutal on battery power in the iPad. The pencil charge lasts for ages but there is no way of knowing how low the battery is. So turn on the widgets on the iPad and that will let you know how much battery power is left in the pencil. And make sure you take the extra charging jack bit for the pencil with you.

Also, you can download the Procreate instruction manual onto Ibooks on your iPad..........it's worth it's weight in gold and gets you up and running very quickly in the first few chapters. Unlike most instruction manuals, the Procreate one is easy to read and absorb.

I brought the Speck iPad case that holds the pencil inside the case so you can't lose it when travelling. The case is a bit bulky but you get used to it in a few minutes and I don't have a problem with it.

Have fun

Cheers
Andrew

Click to expand...

Well, It arrived today, actually a day early... and I can do kindergarten style drawing on it so far... basically, I'm completely lost. This is going to have a learning curve as steep as a brick wall. I'm looking forward to the challenge. You guys make it look SO EASY!

Mike_Morgan said:

Well, It arrived today, actually a day early... and I can do kindergarten style drawing on it so far... basically, I'm completely lost. This is going to have a learning curve as steep as a brick wall. I'm looking forward to the challenge. You guys make it look SO EASY!

Click to expand...

They make it look easy with a normal pencil and paper too
it is.... for some.... after zillions of drawings...

I see it s a real great tool, and a real timer saver...
will definitivly get me one too...

Mike_Morgan said:

Well, It arrived today, actually a day early... and I can do kindergarten style drawing on it so far... basically, I'm completely lost. This is going to have a learning curve as steep as a brick wall. I'm looking forward to the challenge. You guys make it look SO EASY!

Click to expand...

If you can draw with a pencil you can draw with an iPad. You just have to learn a few basic tools in Procreate and you're off and running. It's really not that complicated.

i am glad you guys are enjoying your new toys .... LoL
wishing you all the best
i have to many things going on right now otherwise i would get one as well.
let me get the hang of photoshop and my wacom since i already have those.

one step at a time...

~Omar

sam said:

If you can draw with a pencil you can draw with an iPad. You just have to learn a few basic tools in Procreate and you're off and running. It's really not that complicated.

Click to expand...

I'm OK with a pencil... I'm struggling with the iPad... the surface is way too "slick" so I grabbed a matte screen protector and that feels a wee bit better. My problem is understanding the software. I've not found brushes that seem to do what you guys are doing, and when I see you guys go from the "pencil" to the bolder inked in lines, I can't really understand what exactly you're doing. I see you making moves and deletions and have no idea how it's happening.

Any pointers for brushes, resolutions, setups, etc.?

Hi Mike

I tried the screen protector and hated it and much preferred the smooth screen. It takes a bit of getting used to but worth the effort and it looks better. Different strokes for different folks

Download the Procreate manual in IBooks. It’s free. That will get you up and running for the basics of where everything is, what it does and what the gestures are etc etc

This is I have set my Procreate app up. Others will think differently but it'll give you a start till you figure out what works best for you.

Settings

1. The spanner symbol on the top left corner is your settings………..tap it
2. Prefs (preferences)……..tap
3. Advanced gesture controls….…tap
4. Apple pencil……select Selected tool…………..Touch select Gestures only (these two should highlight in blue. Make sure everything uelse in those two headings is deselected.

What this does is stops you from getting palm prints on the drawing and keeps your colour wheel from changing to white all the time.

5. Close screen

Brushes and drawing

Pencil brush symbol at top of screen

1. Select technical or HB pencil

2. start drawing same as you would normally. Draw lightly. The harder you press down the darker the pencil becomes

3. Slide bars on side are brush size and opacity….alter these till you are feeling comfortable with the pencil size

4. Undo arrow at bottom of opacity slide bar to take out practice strokes

5. Start drawing a scroll lightly and keep rubbing out and refining as you go same as you would with a pencil.

6. As you refine more the darker the lines become because you are drawing over the top of them.

Rubber brush

Works the same as a pencil except it rubs out.

Layers

1. Work in layers and create a layer for each phase of your drawing. Scrolls, leaves, shading etc etc etc….and a seperate layer for you pen work


Importing a photo or canvas outlines

1. The spanner symbol on the top left corner is your settings………..tap it
2. Insert…….tap
3. Insert flat image…tap
4. Import from (or photos.itunes)……tap
5. Locations on top left of box…..…tap
6. Choose from Icloud or drop box if you have those accounts (and I suggest you get one or the other as you will need it)

Pen Brush

Same principal as the pencil brush. Start very lightly and press harder toward the end of the stroke…..Use in another layer.

This is what Sam gave to me to experiment with and try out. It works perfectly. Go slowly with this brush as it smoothes curves so you don’t get the jitters

1. Brushes….tap
2. Inking….tap
3. Studio Pen…….tap
4. Stroke (bottom left of box)…….tap
5. All slide bars at zero……….except streamline which is set to max

Again, alter size and opacity from slide bars on side of screen

And that’s it…………one you have that it’s just a matter of advancing your knowledge with the instruction manual. I’m not doing anything fancy.

Draw, correct, rub out, draw, correct, rub out, refine, refine, refine........same as you would with pencil and paper. It's not really that different

And my last bit of advise........Relax!!!! the more you relax the better it works!!!

Cheers
Andrew