Procreate iPad Training: digital cartooning for beginners (home-study)
Systematic, incremental Procreate iPad training to build your *skills*
(instead of just learning features)
Is the Procreate learning curve steeper and trickier than you expected?
Has Procreate iPad training become a combination of overwhelm and frustration, leading to crummy cartoons or (worse still) complete avoidance?
Normally, you enjoy pushing buttons and playing around, but not with this. It’s like one of those discount stores that has absolutely everything crammed into a tiny space. Shoes, clothes, dishwashers, toys… and you have to pick through it all section by section to find what you really want.
Basically, it’s Overload
All those useful tools are at your Pencil tip — but they can’t help if you don’t know what you don’t know.
What you DO know is that there are YouTube videos (and you haven’t watched them). And a manual and forums, (but you haven’t used those either).
You just want to find a Procreate iPad training course that’s systematic and shows you what you need
So you can follow an outline, do the work, get comfortable with the program, all the while not worrying about the outcome.
Ta-da! Introducing: The Procreate Parachute
Designed by a cartoonist for cartoonists — so you get the skills you need, not generic information
Because the Procreate Parachute course is specifically designed for cartoonists, it zeroes in on exactly the skills and tools needed for creating hand-drawn cartoons, so you won’t be wondering “Do I need to learn this? What am I going to use it for?”
Bite-sized videos so no overwhelm
Each video is designed to cover something specific, so they are short and to the point. No need to pause and scroll back and forth like crazy to find the information you need.
The essential brushes for cartooning — so that you save time instead of trying out brush after brush
Choosing and tweaking brushes as a beginner is time consuming and confusing. Instead you get exactly what you need for through downloading the “Ali’s Favourites” brush set (with full video instructions for how to install it).
Jumpstarting your digital colouring colour skills via two of Ali’s custom colour palettes
Ali’s personal palettes for skin tones and bright colour are included as downloadable files, with full instructions for installing and using the colour palettes, and painting demonstration videos incorporating the colours from those palettes.
Demystifying layers to reduce frustration (and speed up your work process)
Layers are a powerful feature of digital cartooning and they can save you a lot of time and frustration — if you get use them right. The number of layers you use and the way you order them makes all the difference. Ali shows you how many layers are enough, and how much to put on each one.
Starting with the right canvas sizes and brush settings to smooth your analogue-to-digital transition
Digital canvases and brushes are infinitely flexible, which is a mixed blessing when you are just starting out. Learn the tips and tricks that will help you to turn out quality cartoons again as soon as possible after going digital.
What else will you learn in this Procreate iPad training for digital cartooning?
- The right amount of iPad and Procreate ‘housekeeping’ to hit the ground running (but still keep your cartoons organised and safe)
- How to upload real photos and draw or trace over them to jumpstart a cartoon or improve your drawing skills
- How to combine several sketches or photos into a single picture,
- How to import pencil and paper work to get a professional finish in Procreate
- How to add text using the Procreate text editor instead of spending time hand lettering
- How to position your text for maximum impact
- Finding (or creating) new fonts and importing them so that your work has a unique look
- Creating animations – from simple expansion to bouncing and multiple moving parts
- What’s DPI and why should you care? Memorise one number so that you need never ask this again.
- Tips for keeping your Gallery in order
- Stacking and rearranging your images
- Learn why you should always rather open a reference in a custom canvas, not directly as a photo
- Master the back office of brushes Advanced Settings (using just 3 icons)
- Navigating the colour control panel + using Palettes view only, for now (and why);
- Learn to build a custom palette and save time accessing the colours you use over and over.
- How to change your background colour and flood fill an enclosed area
- Erasing (and how you can match erasers to brushes for consistency)
- How to harness the power of layers to avoid frustration (and save time)
- How to select/match an exact colour from an existing image or logo
I didn’t ever think I would want to go digital…
… but the potential is so much greater and the ability to adjust through the process is perfect for me.
I specifically bought an iPad and Apple pen for this course and use them multiple times daily. Going digital expanded everything for me! As well as not having to get watercolors out and having my cat sit on wet paint!
I found free videos [on YouTube] that were so fast that although I could duplicate the image, I didn't learn the fine points or the reasons for doing things.
The YouTube videos actually underlined the value of Alison's course by what they lacked... in the Procreate Parachute she has the whole package, with solid teaching and exercises.
I knew that I wanted to go digital at some stage, but wasn’t sure I could justify the cost
and delaying solved my husband's problem of what to buy me for Christmas!
Looking back, the early exercises I did to get going with cartooning would also have been a great way to practise with Procreate. Switching [from pencil and paper, later] did throw a huge learning curve-ball into an already-busy time.
This course won’t save you time — because you will have higher expectations of yourself ????
And you will also have a quite precise idea on how to get there! In a week you can get a more systematic approach to your drawings.
It’s many little things, but all together they put you on a right track to plan better layers and colours.
So for the “professional” look of my drawings, I strongly suggest Ali’s course on Procreate.
Procreate is full of wonderful features — which can be daunting at first
I worked through the course a few weeks ago and was astounded at what I learned in a short amount of time; Alison expertly walks you through the essentials you need for cartooning.
And even though I’m not ‘there’ yet with coloring, I loved the watercolor sections.
Anyway, if you want to use Procreate for cartooning (and it is the best app) then I heartily recommend Alison’s course, it will save you loads of time and trouble.
I really enjoy structured learning when I am picking up a new skill — Alison’s videos have been very useful in learning Procreate
She totally demystifies the software, especially given that I’ve never used Photoshop. I love it that these videos are bite sized and very clear. The video about how many layers to use was really a winner for me, as it has made quite a few things "uncomplicated"
The new brushset from Alison makes a huge difference compared with what I was working with…
The color palette from a reference is also a huge eyeopener. I'm doing this by eye all the time. And I can see in the video with the choosing that a human eye is not very accurate. This helps A LOT!!
I can’t believe how fast it’s becoming to do something digitally already
There’s a big difference in what I produced on my own just playing around compared to what I’ve learned and created with this in a short period of time. Major improvements! The videos were extraordinarily helpful in understanding the basics and making getting started painless. I appreciate that the videos are short...no overwhelm ????
What’s unique about this course?
Where other courses delve exhaustively into everything Procreate can do for any digital artist the Procreate Parachute is focused on cartoonists so it zones in on the skills that will get you cartooning digitally as fast as possible. It saves you time and avoids overwhelm.
Ali’s No-Questions-Asked Guarantee
If for any reason you don’t like this course, email me within 30 days and I’ll refund you in full — no questions asked.
Procreate Parachute Course
| ✓ | 43 Bite-sized videos, easy to follow |
|---|---|
| ✓ | Cartoon-specific instruction on workflow |
| ✓ | “Ali’s Favourites” Brushset (with video download & install instructions |
| ✓ | Ali’s Custom Skin Tones Palette + one other (with video download & install instructions) |
|
$119
|
|
P.S. This self-study course was developed as a result of ongoing requests from Da Vinci cartoonists, then tested and honed with a live group of participants. It is updated on an ongoing basis on feedback from clients.
You’ll find it contains straightforward teaching on how to smooth the digital learning curve so that you don’t feel your drawing skills are going backwards as a result of the learning curve of a new medium. It is particularly helpful if you have no Photoshop experience.
If you have questions, please email me directly using the link below at the bottom of the page, and let me know how I can help.