Ever scrolled past gorgeous digital lettering and thought, “How did they make that?”
Maybe you’ve seen custom illustrations on greeting cards. Or a hand-lettered design on a T-shirt. Maybe you already have Procreate on your iPad and it’s just sitting there, waiting for you.
Here’s the fun part. Procreate can do so much more than draw pretty pictures.
You can make gifts people keep for years. You can fill your home with art that feels like you. You can build products for your business and even turn your ideas into extra income.
And you don’t have to be a professional artist. You don’t even have to know how to draw.
I’ve used Procreate to make art prints, greeting cards, digital brushes, and color palettes. I’ve planned signage and window murals with it. I’ve even used it to prep for my in-person calligraphy workshops.
In this post, I’ll show you what a Procreate artist can create and why I think it’s the best creative tool for beginners.
What Is a Procreate Artist?
A Procreate artist is anyone who uses the Procreate app on an iPad to make digital art, lettering, illustrations, and designs.
Picture your whole art studio living in one app. No paper, no pens, no paint to clean up.
You can sketch an idea, play with color, add lettering, adjust your layout, and export the finished piece without leaving the app. And your art doesn’t have to stay on the screen. You can turn it into physical products, use it to plan big projects, or build it into a creative business.
I specialize in brush calligraphy, lettering, and teaching Procreate to beginners. I love how this app opens the door to creativity. You don’t need a fancy studio or years of experience to make something meaningful.
10 Things You Can Create With Procreate
One of my favorite things about Procreate is how many creative paths it supports. Love lettering? Doodling? Color? Design? There’s a place for you.
Here are 10 ideas to get you started.
1. Art Prints for Your Home
Want art on your walls that actually feels like you? Make it yourself.
Designs might include:
- Inspirational quotes and positive affirmations
- Bible verses and hand-lettered scripture
- Abstract artwork and colorful patterns
- Seasonal artwork for holidays
- Personalized pieces with names, dates, or meaningful phrases
Hand lettering is my favorite way to do this. Pick a quote you love or words that remind you what matters most. Then make them beautiful.
When your design is finished, export it and print at home or through a print shop.
No more hunting for art that almost fits your style. You get to make the thing that fits it exactly.
2. Greeting Cards and Personalized Gifts
Procreate is a gift-giver’s secret weapon.
Birthday cards. Thank-you cards. Holiday greetings. Just-because cards.
Hand-letter an encouraging note for a friend in a hard season. Design a card around an inside joke. Make a whole set of holiday cards with your own artwork. You can also create gift tags, bookmarks, and gift certificates.
Here’s my favorite part. You can duplicate your design, swap the wording, tweak the colors, and have a brand new card in minutes. No starting from scratch.
3. Invitations and Event Stationery
Planning a wedding, baby shower, or birthday party? Custom stationery makes the whole event feel special.
Ideas include:
- Wedding invitations and save-the-dates
- Birthday and baby shower invitations
- Welcome signs and menus
- Place cards and table numbers
- Thank-you notes and favor tags
Hand lettering adds a personal touch a ready-made template can’t match. Start from scratch, or mix your lettering with shapes, illustrations, and decorative details.
One quick tip. Procreate is a raster-based app, so set up your canvas at the right size and resolution for your printing method before you begin.
4. Digital Stickers
Love journaling, planning, or decorating digital notebooks? Make your own stickers.
You could design:
- Hand-lettered words and phrases
- Encouraging affirmations
- Decorative doodles
- Planner icons and labels
You can create them with transparent backgrounds so they work in compatible apps.
Stickers are a playful way to practice lettering and illustration. Nobody expects perfection from a sticker.
And if you fall in love with it, you can package your collection into a digital product to share or sell.
5. T-Shirt Designs and Print-on-Demand Products
Got a funny saying, a meaningful quote, or an original illustration that would look great on a shirt? Procreate can make it happen.
Imagine an encouraging phrase on a tee. A matching design for a family reunion. A custom gift for your best friend.
Once your artwork is ready, export the right file for your printer. You may need a transparent background, specific dimensions, or a certain file format.
Print-on-demand services make and ship products only when someone orders. That means you can test creative ideas without buying a pile of inventory first.
And shirts are just the beginning. Your artwork can also go on:
- Tote bags
- Mugs
- Phone cases
- Notebooks and journals
- Pillows and posters
Try a collection of affirmations in one lettering style across several products. One design can work hard for you.
If you plan to sell, make sure your files meet each platform’s specs. Also confirm you have the rights to any assets in your designs.
6. Signage and Window Mural Mockups
Here’s one most people never think of. You can plan large-scale lettering and art in Procreate.
I’ve made mockups for signage and window murals. A mockup lets you see how a design will look in a real space before you commit.
Letter a storefront window. Test a wall mural layout. Try a few color combinations for a hand-painted sign. You can make all your changes digitally before you buy a single can of paint.
A mockup also helps you share your vision with a client or collaborator.
For some projects, you can even use a projector to display your design on the actual surface. Then trace it as a guide for your final piece.
You still do the hands-on painting and lettering. Procreate just makes the planning so much easier.
7. Brush Calligraphy and Lettering Artwork
Brush calligraphy is my first love in Procreate.
If you enjoy hand lettering, you can create words, quotes, and full compositions with digital brushes that mimic traditional lettering tools. Practice single letters. Try different styles. Mix lettering with illustrations and patterns to find your own look.
My favorite thing about lettering in Procreate is how fast you can experiment. A stroke looks off? Undo it. A word sits wrong? Move it and try again.
That freedom is how I improved my own lettering. No endless paper. No wasted supplies. Just practice, tweaks, and repetition until it clicked.
You can even build your own practice sheets with guidelines and trace letterforms to learn them. It’s a great way to build confidence at your own pace.
8. Doodles and Illustrations
Think you have to know how to draw before you open Procreate? Not at all.
Start with simple doodles, basic shapes, and little illustrations. Try flowers, stars, hearts, smiley faces, snacks, or anything that makes you smile.
You don’t have to make a masterpiece. Doodling is how you explore ideas, build hand-eye coordination, and discover what you love to make.
As you get comfortable, your doodles can show up in greeting cards, stickers, prints, and journal pages.
9. Custom Brushes and Color Palettes
Brushes decide how your digital marks look and feel. Pencil, ink, paint, chalk, texture, and more.
And you can make your own.
Maybe you want a brush with a certain lettering texture. A repeating pattern. A decorative mark you use all the time. I’ve created my own Procreate brushes, and I love how they make the creative process smoother.
Color is just as fun. Procreate lets you build and save custom palettes inspired by a season, a favorite photo, a mood, or a project.
A warm autumn palette for fall lettering. Soft neutrals for home decor prints. Bright, happy colors for children’s illustrations.
Save them once and reuse them forever. No more trying to match that perfect shade from memory.
You can share compatible brush and palette files with other Procreate users or package them into digital products. Just make sure any resources you use are properly licensed.
10. Digital Products You Can Sell
This one is the most exciting to me.
Instead of making one item for yourself, you can create a resource that lots of people can buy and use.
Examples include:
- Digital art prints
- Lettering practice sheets
- Procreate brushes and color palettes
- Digital stickers
- Printable journals, planners, and coloring pages
I’ve created and sold digital resources, including brushes and color palettes. I’ve also built educational products to help beginners learn the app.
Here’s why digital products are so appealing. You make a file once and it can sell again and again. No manufacturing. No shipping.
Does it take work? Yes. You’ll need to create something useful, present it clearly, market it, and support your customers.
But Procreate gives you a real starting point for turning your creative skills into something you can sell.
Why Procreate Is Great for Beginners
Now that you’ve seen the possibilities, let’s talk about why this app is such a good fit when you’re just starting out. I created my Procreate 101 eBook specifically for beginners like you!
You Only Need a Few Supplies
All you need is an iPad, an Apple Pencil or compatible stylus, and the app. Procreate is a one-time purchase, not a monthly subscription.
Before Procreate, I spent hundreds of dollars on traditional art supplies I didn’t know how to use. More supplies didn’t make me a better letterer.
With Procreate, I practiced with what I already had. Once you are hooked there are accessories and tools to enhance you experience. I talked more about that here.
You Can Undo Mistakes and Experiment Freely
My favorite Procreate feature? Undo.
Don’t like that mark? Undo it. Want a different color? Change it. Wondering if your design needs another element? Try it on a new layer.
This freedom lets you play without fear that one wobbly line will ruin the whole piece.
You Don’t Have to Know How to Draw
I want every beginner to hear this. You don’t have to be naturally artistic to use Procreate.
Start with lettering, simple shapes, doodles, or small projects that interest you. Some techniques will take practice. That’s normal, and it’s part of the fun.
You Can Create Without Relying on AI
I love that Procreate lets me make original art with my own hands.
It’s a drawing and painting app, not an AI image generator. When I create lettering or artwork, I’m making the choices. I’m making the marks. The art comes from my ideas, my practice, and my heart...no AI!
Do You Have to Be a Professional Artist to Use Procreate?
Nope. Not even close.
You can use Procreate just because creating makes you happy. Maybe you want handmade-style cards for your family, meaningful art in your home, or a calm creative outlet that fits into real life.
You don’t have to turn your creativity into a business to justify learning the app. Making something for yourself or someone you love is reason enough.
And if one day you want to sell your art, teach others, or build a creative career, that door is open as your skills grow.
My Personal Journey With Procreate
Before I became a full-time artist and educator, I spent 11 years as an elementary school teacher.
I loved my students. But I reached a point where I felt drained. I wanted a creative outlet that was mine, and I didn’t want it to be one more complicated thing on my plate.
I started experimenting with art and brush calligraphy. The supplies got expensive fast, and I was still learning the basics.
Then I discovered Procreate. Something clicked.
I could sit down in the morning before work and create without hauling out a mountain of supplies. I could practice lettering, try new styles, and fix things in a snap. I created more often, and my skills grew faster.
Over time, Procreate became more than a hobby. I made art prints, greeting cards, brushes, color palettes, and other digital resources. I used it for lettering projects and workshops. Eventually, that creative journey helped me leave teaching and become an artist and educator full-time.
I’m not sharing this to say everyone who learns Procreate will quit their job or build a business. Everyone’s goals are different.
I’m sharing it because I know firsthand how a creative tool can open doors you never expected.
It started as a way to make time for creativity. It became a skill, a set of products, a way to teach others, and a whole new career.
How to Get Started With Procreate
Feeling a little overwhelmed by all the possibilities? Totally normal. Start small.
You don’t have to learn every feature or know what you’ll eventually create. Pick one project that sounds fun and let it be your teacher.
Here are a few beginner-friendly ideas:
- Create a simple art print. Choose an encouraging quote and play with lettering, colors, and layout.
- Design a greeting card. Make something personal for a friend or family member.
- Practice lettering. Start with a few letters or a short word and try out digital brushes.
- Make a page of doodles. Try simple shapes, stars, hearts, and flowers.
- Create a color palette. Choose five colors you love and save them together.
- Experiment with layers. Build a simple design with separate elements so you can move and recolor them on their own.
That’s exactly why I love teaching Procreate. I want to simplify the process so you spend less time feeling confused and more time creating.
Frequently Asked Questions About Creating With Procreate
What is Procreate best used for?
Procreate is best known for digital illustration, drawing, painting, and lettering. It’s also great for art prints, greeting cards, stickers, apparel designs, custom brushes, and color palettes.
The best use depends on what you love and what you want to make.
Can I use Procreate if I can’t draw?
Yes! Start with lettering, simple shapes, doodles, and beginner-friendly projects. Layers and drawing assistance features can help you practice certain techniques.
Can I make things to sell with Procreate?
Yes. You can create original artwork, digital downloads, brushes, color palettes, stickers, and designs for physical products.
Just check the licensing requirements for any third-party assets and the specs for the platform where you plan to sell.
Can I print my Procreate artwork?
Yes. You can export in formats like PNG, JPEG, and PDF. For the best results, plan your canvas size and resolution around your final print size.
Do I need an Apple Pencil to use Procreate?
An Apple Pencil is a popular choice because of its pressure sensitivity. Compatible styluses can work too, though features may differ. Check compatibility before you buy.
Can Procreate help me start a creative business?
It can be a great tool for developing digital downloads, design assets, and print-on-demand products.
Learning the app is only one piece of the puzzle. You’ll also think about your audience, pricing, marketing, and sales process.
Ready to Start Creating With Procreate?
Procreate is so much more than an app for drawing pictures. It’s a flexible creative tool that helps you practice lettering, design meaningful gifts, fill your home with art you love, plan big projects, and explore ways to sell your creations.
For me, it became a way to reconnect with my creativity, grow my lettering skills, and build a career around something I love.
You don’t need to know how to draw. You don’t need hundreds of dollars in supplies. You don’t need your whole creative journey mapped out.
You just need a starting point and a willingness to play.
So pick one small project and see what you can make. Learn a few tools. Try something new. Give yourself permission to make mistakes along the way.
And if you want help getting started, that’s what I do! I create beginner-friendly Procreate tutorials and resources to cut through the confusion so you can spend more time creating. My Procreate 101 eBook is a perfect place to start if you're a beginner.
Because creativity doesn’t have to be complicated.
Let me know! What are you trying first?!
xo, meg