Procreate Calligraphy : Fun n' Easy Exercise + Freebies!

Ever heard of the phrase "digital calligraphy"? It's kind of like regular calligraphy, but with less ink stains on your fingers. And let me tell you, it's a hot topic among digital artists these days, I mean, that’s what you’re here for, right? Don’t worry, we got you!

Procreate calligraphy has taken the digital art world by storm, and for good reason. It's like having a magical pen that never runs out of ink and can create any type of lettering you desire. Whether you're a seasoned pro or just starting out, there's something about Procreate calligraphy that really draws people in (aside from the fact that it's way easier to clean up than traditional calligraphy). Maybe it's the endless possibilities for customization? Or perhaps the convenience of being able to create beautiful lettering on-the-go? Well, whatever the reason, there's no denying that Procreate calligraphy is having its moment in the spotlight right now. And we love her for that! In this blog, you and I will be doing a quick and easy exercise. It’s time we say goodbye to ink-stained fingers and hello to a world of Procreate calligraphy brushes!

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Procreate Calligraphy

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Listen, I know, I know. "Practice exercise? Ain't nobody got time for that!" But trust me,, when it comes to Procreate calligraphy, practice makes perfect. And besides, who doesn't love an excuse to doodle on their iPad? Taking just a few minutes each day to practice your calligraphy skills on Procreate can and will make a huge difference! Plus, you'll get to show off your new skills to all your digital art freinds and impress them with your fancy lettering. So put on your favorite tunes, grab a cup of coffee (or tea, or water…? we don't discriminate), and get ready to make some beautiful calligraphy. Who knows, you might just surprise yourself with how quickly you improve.

Now, I know what you really came here for. You want the goods. The juicy deets. The freebies. Well, I'm happy to report that this is your lucky read. In just a few short paragraphs, we’ll be going through a simple and fun exercise that will help you get started with your Procreate calligraphy game. Easy, ain’t it?

In a previous blog, we talked about the Anatomy of Procreate Lettering Guides. This is the perfect place to get you started if you want to know the technical terms for the stuff that might help you in this exercise. Once you know all about the anatomy of those fancy lettering guides, it's time to put that knowledge to use with some good old-fashioned practice. Think of it like working out - you may have seen all the fitness tiktoks and drank all the protein shakes, but if you never actually go to the gym, you're not gonna get those gains. Same goes for calligraphy (and any other craft for that matter). You can know all the terms and techniques and even imagine how you’d personally do it, but if you never actually put pen to paper (or in this case, stylus to screen), you're not gonna see any improvement.

One last thing before we get to the actual exercise, remember that blog we wrote about the Do's and Don'ts of Procreate Lettering? Of course you do, you're a loyal reader (or at least, you will be after this). If not, you might want to go back and check out our previous blog post before you accidentally commit a lettering faux pas. Okay, maybe that's a bit of an exaggeration, but it's definitely a must-read if you want to avoid making some easy to make (but easily spottable) mistakes. Trust me, we've all been there. No worries though! We've all had those moments when we're feeling extra confident and decide to go rogue with our craft, only to end up with a hot mess of a design. It’s frustrating but it happens to the best of us. That's why it's super important to remember these tips and that practice makes progress (I refuse to say "perfect," because of course, we're all a little imperfect, and that’s okay!). So don't be too hard on yourself if your Procreate calligraphy doesn't turn out exactly as planned.

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Practice Makes Progress

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With all that said, let’s get on it, shall we?

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Before anything else, are you ready for a special treat? I'm giving away not one, not two, but THREE free Procreate calligraphy brushes! That's right, three whole brushes from our Artistic Lettering Sampler Brushes to add to your collection and up your calligraphy game. And let me tell you, these aren't just any old brushes. These babies are top-of-the-line, premium quality, guaranteed to make your letters look fancy AF.

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Step 1: Create a new canvas in Procreate and set up blobs, lines, or shapes. It can be any color you like!

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Step 2: In the Adjustments panel, use Gaussian Blur.

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Step 3. Make a new layer on top of everything and fill it with a light color. Click on that layer and select Mask. Choose a calligraphy brush. For this exercise, I’ll be using Freya Marker Lettering 5 and Freya Oil Lettering 10 and in that new Mask layer, we’ll be using black to do our lettering.

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Step 4: Make a new layer again and fill it with a paper texture.

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Step 5: Duplicate the layer with the mask and merge it to a single layer. Move that below the original and make it slightly darker. Move it diagonally downwards to create a shadow effect.

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Step 6: Add simple highlights to the letters and add some simple designs. I picked birds for this exercise but you’re free to use any theme. There you have it!

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So, you've completed the Procreate calligraphy exercise and you're feeling pretty good about your digital penmanship. But let me ask you this: are you satisfied with just these freebies? I mean, sure, they're free and all, but what if I told you there's a whole set of Procreate calligraphy brushes out there, just waiting for you to add them to your collection? Introducing our amazing Artistic Lettering Brush Set! With over 140 brushes, just imagine all the mix and matching you can do! This also includes BONUS lettering templates and texture brushes similar to what we’ve used in this exercise.

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Hey, you did it! You just finished a fun exercise and created some seriously cool Procreate calligraphy art (and got some freebies with it too!). Now, don't be shy – it's time to show off your skills to the world! Post your artwork on social media andsend it to your friends! We'd love to see your work!

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