All About the Procreate 5 Brush Studio

I’m a self-taught artist who loves sharing tips and tutorials for painting with watercolor and gouache, and using the Procreate app on the iPad.

Get started making brushes with the Procreate 5 Brush Studio. Learn more about what each option in the menu does and how it works to create the perfect procreate brush for your art.

You might also like this post on how to import color palettes into Procreate.

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Procreate is a versatile drawing app for the iPad. Procreate comes with a ton of ready-made brushes, but one of the coolest features is that you can create your own brushes to simulate real art mediums.

Want to learn how to draw using Procreate? Learn more about the app interface.

You can make custom brushes from scratch or alter existing brushes to fit your drawing needs.

At the time of writing this, Procreate 5 is the latest update and the revamped Brush Studio to has even more capabilities than before.

Be sure to read about the new updates in Procreate 5X!

Table of Contents

Differences in the Brush Studio from Procreate 4 and Procreate 5

The user interface for the Brush Studio is completely new in Procreate 5. Instead of a partial screen, you get an entire window to create brushes. The preview panel is now called the drawing pad and it has added capabilities in addition to being much larger.

The “general” tab in the brush studio is now called properties.

When importing a shape, the button to invert the colors is gone. Instead, use a 2 finger tap to invert the colors.

You might be interested in learning how to make brushes in Procreate.

Procreate 5 Brush Studio: Settings Explained

There are so many settings in Procreate 5 Brush Studio that it can feel overwhelming. However, they’re easy to learn and you can create so many interesting brushes with just a little work. I’m obsessed with creating my own brushes!

You might be interested in learning how to make the very easy monoline brush!

The Brush Studio can be accessed by tapping on the + sign at the top of the menu for brushes or you can edit an existing brush.

I’m explaining the parts in order, but when you’re working on creating a brush, you will want to start with the shape and grain first, then alter the other attributes. I have a full tutorial coming for that.

Drawing Pad

The drawing pad is much larger now, which allows you to see how your brush works better.

It features a settings menu with a few new options.

Clear Drawing Pad

As the name implies, this allows you to easily clear the drawing pad so that you can see the changes as you make them.

Reset All Brush Settings

This resets the brush settings to the chosen brush. This is helpful if the brush you are making is not turning out and you want to start over.

Preview Size

This allows you to adjust the preview size of the brush. I’ve found this particularly handy in testing pencil brushes, which need to be pretty small.

Colors

White is the default testing color, but now you have more choices. Choose one of 8 other colors.

Import

This button is on the main screen and allows you to import free or paid-for brushes. This version of procreate also supports photoshop brushes.

Here are more detailed instructions for importing and exporting brushes.

Stroke Path

This option lets you adjust how your stroke will appear. It’s easy to make a stamp brush versus a drawing brush with this option.

Spacing

Each brush stroke is created by dragging a shape along a path. The spacing determines how smooth or jagged the stroke looks. Decreasing the spacing creates a smoother stroke. You can create a stamp brush by increasing the spacing.

stoke spacing close together to form smooth stroke — Less space results in a smooth stroke.

Streamline

Streamline controls how smooth the line is when writing. Hand letters love setting the streamline high to smooth their handwriting. Use less or no streamline for a realistic hand-drawn look.

Jitter

Jitter offsets each shape from the stroke path. I like it for creating a rough edge (like a pencil.)

Fall off

Fall off starts with full opacity and fades away with the stroke, like the brush is running out of paint or ink.

Taper

Taper refers to the thickness of your stroke’s beginnings and ends.

Pressure Taper

These settings are for the Apple pencil.

Pressure Taper Slider

This slider allows you to select how much taper your brush will have. You can choose beginning and end tapers independently of each other if desired.

Link Tip Sizes

This makes it where your beginning and end taper are even. Adjusting one end will adjust the other one.

Size

This option allows you to choose how thick and thin your tapers will be. You can choose 100% for a pointy taper.

Opacity

Opacity lets your tapers fade.

Pressure

This setting works with the Apple pencil.

Tip

This varies from a blunt end on high to a sharp end on low.

brush taper tip settings in Procreate 5 — Tip set to high – blunt.

brush taper tip set to sharp — Tip set to low – Sharp.

Tip Animation

With this option, you can see the animation as Procreate changes the tip.

Touch Taper

This setting works with your finger. The options are the same as above, but test them out using your finger instead of the Apple pencil.

Taper Properties: Classic Taper

This option allows you to use the taper feature as it was in previous versions of Procreate.

Shape (Start Here)

The shape is the basis of the whole brush, so although it’s not at the top of the menu, it’s where I always start.

By default, a hard circle is chosen.

Shape Source

Click edit to change the shape source. There you have many import options.

You can use a twisting motion with your fingers to turn the image. To invert the colors on the image, use a 2 finger tap.

Don’t forget to click DONE when you have selected your image.

Import a photo

This allows you to use a photo to create a brush. You can either take an actual photo of something like a watercolor swatch or you can use a saved image that you created in procreate.

Pro Tip: Start with a square image.

Import a file

This works in the same way that the photos work, except you can access your files instead of your photo app.

Source Library

Procreate comes with an extensive source library to use. You can scroll and browse or you can search for a certain term.

Paste

If you’ve created an image in procreate, you can “Copy canvas” in the Actions panel, then paste the image into place.

Use a 2 finger tap to invert the colors. You can also use a twisting motion to rotate the image.

I’ve found that this option works sporadically for me. It could be user error, but sometimes I just can’t get it to work.

Shape Behavior

These options allow you to change how each shape of the stroke behaves.

Scatter

This option changes the rotation of each shape along the stroke. (This is a nice option to vary a stamp direction.)

Rotation

This option sounds a lot like the previous option, but it affects the shape rotation according to the direction of the stroke.

If set in the middle, the shape will stay the same along the stroke. If set to 100%, the shape will follow the stroke direction. If set to -100%, it will go in the opposite direction.

Count

This allows you to add more than 1 shape at once (up to 16.)

Count Jitter

This varies the point at which the shape stamps when used with multiples.

Randomized

This toggle randomizes the shape at the START of the stroke.

Azimuth

Azimuth is made to create a feeling similar to calligraphy. It detects the tilt of the Apple pencil and changes in relation to the direction.

Flip X/ Flip Y

This option flips the shape horizontally or vertically.

Brush Roundness Graph

Drag the green node around the circle to change the orientation of your shape. The blue node is used to alter your shape.

using the roundness graph to alter shape in procreate 5 brush studio

Pressure Roundness

Use the Apple pencil to alter your shape when using pressure.

Tilt Roundness

This option uses the tilt of the Apple pencil alter the shape.

Shape Filtering

These options adjust how the graphics program handles the edges of the shape.

No Filtering

This option keeps all the details without softening the edges.

Classic Filtering

Classic works similar to previous versions of Procreate to soften the edges.

Improved Filtering

This option uses the improved options for softening the edges.

Grain

Grain is the texture of the brush. (It can also be used to create pattern brushes.)

Grain Source Editor

Changing the grain source can change the texture of the brush. Be sure to hit DONE when you are happy with your changes.

Import Settings

The grain editor offers the same import settings as the shape. If you use the source library, you can also use the shape options for the grain and vice versa.

grain settings in brush studio — I chose the Square Dots grain to show these changes.

Auto Repeat

This option in the grain source editor allows you to make a seamless pattern. IT has many options to perfect your pattern.

Grain Scale

This option allows you to resize your texture. This is helpful if your shape isn’t a perfect square. You can increase the scale to fill the entire tile.

Rotate

You can rotate the texture in the tile to get a better fit or pattern.

Border Overlap

This option adjusts the border overlap between each tile.

Mask Hardness

Mask hardness controls the blending between each tile.

Mirror Overlap

Hide the edges of the tile by flipping each tile pattern.

Pyramid Blending

Pyramid blending is an advanced blending technique, best used for complex, organic patterns.

Grain Behavior

These settings change how your grain behaves. You have two options to choose from: Moving or Texturized.

Moving Settings

Moving changes the way your grain moves with the stroke. It can vary from showing the texture clearly to blurring it as the stroke moves.

Movement

A low setting (stamp) gives you a blurred effect of the texture. A high setting (rolling) shows more details of the texture.

movement set to rolling shows whole texture — How the grain looks at high, with a rolling movement

Scale

Scale changes the size of the texture inside the shape.

scaled down texture in brush — Scaled smaller

Zoom

This changes the texture size in relation to your brush size. Cropped will maintain the same size, even when you change your brush size. Follow size will adjust the texture size in relation to your brush.

Rotation

Rotation changes the direction of the texture depending on your brush stroke direction.

Depth

Depth controls how strong the texture shows through the brush.

Depth Minimum

This option sets a minimum threshold for depth contrast.

Depth Jitter

Depth jitter randomly changes the depth setting from the shape to the texture.

Offset Jitter

This setting changes where the brush stroke is first laid. (This is an option that is important for pattern-making brushes.)

Blend Mode

Blend mode controls how the color reacts to the colors beneath it. These settings are similar to blend modes in photoshop.

Brightness

Control how bright or dark the texture is with this setting.

Contrast

Contrast controls the difference between light and dark in the texture.

Grain Filtering

These settings are the same as in the shape section. The filtering applies to how soft the edges become.

Texturized

The texture behind the brush doesn’t move in this option.

Texturized Options

These options are similar to the movement options, but only include scale, depth, blend mode, brightness and contrast, plus the grain filtering options.

Rendering

Rendering adjusts how the brush reacts to the canvas on the screen.

Rendering Mode

Change how the brush reacts to previous strokes and the canvas. These attributes work well with paint-type brushes. The options range from diluted paint to thick paint.

Light Glaze

This is Procreate’s standard blending. It is similar to paint that is diluted.

Uniformed Glaze

This option is similar to Photoshop.

Heavy Glaze

The heavy glaze is a stronger blending mode.

Uniform Blending

Use this setting with the Wet Mix options for more intense effects.

Intense Blending

This is similar to painting with thick paint. Use this with wet brushes. Make it more intense with the Wet Mix options.

Blending

These blending options affect how the paint interacts with other colors, how diluted it is, and how the edges look.

Flow

Change how the paint flows on the paper to get a heavier or lighter look.

Wet Edges

Wet edges give you the look of paint bleeding into the paper and soften the edges.

Burnt Edges

This darkens the edges of the paint stroke where it overlaps other colors.

Burnt Edges Mode

Changing this option allows you to change the blend mode for the burnt edges effect.

Blend Mode

Adjust the blend mode for the entire paint stroke (not just the edges.)

Luminance Blending

Turning this option on will blend the lightness values of the brushstroke (vs the color values in the above options.)

Wet Mix

These options change the way the paint works with the canvas and other colors. Play with these options for wet brushes like paints.

Dilution

Dilution refers to how much water is mixed in with the color. Use a higher setting for more diluted paint.

Charge

This option applies more paint at the beginning of a paint stroke and lessens until you lift your brush. Think of it like a paintbrush loaded with paint and running out of paint.

Attack

This refers to how much paint sticks to the canvas.

Pull

The pull is great for mixing colors previously painted on the canvas.

Grade

This setting changes the thickness and contrast of the brush texture.

Wetness Jitter

Wetness jitter randomly changes the amount of water in a brushstroke.

Color Dynamics

These settings work with the Apple pencil to change the color of a brushstroke.

See my full tutorial for using color dynamics to make color-changing brushes!

Stamp Color Jitter

These settings can be seen best when the stroke spacing is set to high. Change these settings to alter color attributes for each specific color stamp in a stroke.

Change the color in the drawing pad from white to see these effects.

Hue

Hue randomly changes the color of the stamp. When set to low, the color variation will stick to a few colors (like yellow, yellow-green, and green).

When set to high, it will go through all the colors.

Saturation

This setting randomly changes the saturation of the color. When set to low the effects are more subtle. A high setting will have a higher range and change the color from white to bright blue for instance.

Lightness

This setting randomly changes the lightness for each stamp.

Darkness

Darkness randomly changes the darkness of each stamp.

Secondary Color

A 2nd color can be chosen in the color panel. This will randomly change the stamp color from the first color to the 2nd color.

Stroke Color Jitter

These settings change each new stroke. It has the same settings as the stamp color jitter. They vary from stroke to stroke instead of affecting each stamp.

hue settings in color dynamics procreate 5 — Hue changes for the stroke, set low for a smaller range of colors.

hue set to max for stroke jitter — Hue changes, set at max for a higher range of colors.

saturation in color dynamics — Saturation changes for each stroke.

darkness for color stroke jitter — Darkness changes for color stroke.

Color Pressure

These settings change with the pressure of the Apple pencil.

saturation set to max equals bright rainbow variation of stroke — Hue and saturation set at max in color pressure.

Brightness

This option hasn’t been seen in the other sections. Brightness changes with the pressure of the Apple pencil.

Color Tilt

These options change depending on how the Apple pencil is tilted.

Dynamics

These settings allow you to control how much your brush changes depending on how fast you draw or write. Plus, it adds randomness with jitter.

(These settings do not depend on an Apple pencil, so they can be great for people drawing with their fingers.)

Speed

Change your brush depending on how fast you write.

Size

Change the size of your brush depending on the speed. Slow = thin, fast = thick.

Opacity

Change how opaque or transparent your brush is depending on your speed. Slow = transparent, fast = opaque.

Jitter

This setting changes how your shape appears in each stroke. (Not affected by speed.)

Size

The size is randomly altered with this option.

Opacity

Opacity in the stroke is randomly altered with this option.

Apple Pencil

These settings change how the Apple pencil interacts with the canvas.

Pressure

Change the way the Apple pencil responds to pressure.

Size

Change the brush tip size when using pressure. (This is a great setting for brush calligraphy.)

Opacity

Change the opacity of the brush when using pressure. When set to max, the transparency will vary. When set to none, it stays opaque.

Pro Tip: This is set to the max by default, which is annoying. If you’re having trouble with your brushes being transparent at the beginning, this is where you change that setting.

Flow

Change how much paint gets used when using pressure.

Bleed

Change how much the paint bleeds into the canvas when using pressure.

Smoothing

This setting changes how the brush reacts during transitions from low to high pressure. When set to high, it smooths the transition for a cleaner look.

Response

This changes how fast the brush reacts to changes in pressure variation.

Tilt

Change how the Apple pencil responds to being tilted.

Tilt Graph

The tilt graph ranges between 0 and 90º, but works best between 30º and 90º. Below 15º, the pencil doesn’t touch the screen.

The graph can be changed by pulling the blue node.

Opacity

This setting changes the opacity when a tilted pencil is used.

Gradation

Gradation changes how soft the brush gets when used at a tilt.

Bleed

This setting changes how much the paint bleeds into the canvas when used at a tilt.

Size

Size allows you to change the brushstroke thickness.

Size Compression

Turn this on to prevent the size of the texture from changing with the tilt settings.

Properties

Properties used to be called General. These are overall settings for the brush.

Brush Properties

Use these settings to change how the brushes show up in the brush library and react to smudging.

Use Stamp Preview

Use this setting for stamp brushes to show the shape accurately. Strokes are shown by default.

Orient to Screen

Turn this on if it the brush will react to the screen orientation. For instance, a stamp brush may need this turned on so that it faces the right way.