Procreate Pixel Brush Tutorial

Procreate, as many of you know, is a fantastic tool for digital art, paving the way for all artists to explore different styles over the years. Today, we will be talking about one of the most popular styles out there-- pixel art! To make pixel art, however, it’s much easier to use a specific type of brush, and pixel brushes stand out as a versatile option for artists aiming to do this. Now, for those not too familiar, pixel brushes work to make really specific marks, most typically a square to mimic pixels you see in a computer screen. This might not be too important in a very small canvas where you can actually see individual pixels up close (and hence, mark them out individually), but pixel brushes can be very useful when working on a large scale canvas. This art style offers a unique aesthetic and that good ol’ nostalgia from retro games we all used to love. 

In this guide, we'll show you how to take a basic brush in Procreate and turn it into a pixel brush. We'll also explore how you can customize these brushes to suit your style and even create your own from scratch. Follow along to add a pixel-perfect touch to your canvas!

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Understanding Pixel Brushes

Pixel brushes are a special kind of brush in Procreate that create sharp, blocky strokes reminiscent of classic pixel art. Think of them as Lego bricks, you basically build up your artwork with precision and layers. Here's what you need to know about these handy tools:

Distinctive Style: It might be quite jarring to start using pixel brushes as opposed to normal brushes because it can feel very restrictive, but that’s just part of its charm! As with everything else, skill comes with repeated practice. Pixel brushes offer a unique aesthetic, perfect for creating retro-inspired artwork or adding a playful touch and precision to your art. 

Precision Drawing: Unlike traditional brushes that create smooth lines, pixel brushes work on a grid, allowing for precise placement of individual pixels. This level of control makes them ideal for detailed work, such as creating intricate patterns or refining small elements in your artwork. Whether you're working on a large canvas or zoomed in for fine details, pixel brushes ensure every pixel counts.

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Converting Basic Brushes to Pixel Brushes

Making your own pixel brush in Procreate is easier than you might think. With just a few adjustments to the brush settings, you can transform any brush into a pixel-perfect tool for your artwork.

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Making the Brush: The first thing you need to do is to open your brush panel and select a brush, we recommend choosing the basic Hard Airbrush in the Airbrushing Brush Set. Slide it to the left and select “Duplicate”. This will ensure you keep the original brush as well as your soon-to-be new brush. This way, you can always go back and make more brushes with different settings!

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Adjusting Brush Settings: With the duplicated brush selected, open up the brush settings and adjust the settings to the following:

Because Procreate has such extensive brush settings, we will be breezing through them. Any setting not included in this should be left at default for now.

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One of the key settings to modify is the minimum/maximum brush size and opacity. Decrease the size to create smaller, more defined pixels, or increase it for larger, blockier pixels. Experiment with different settings to find the right balance for you.

Another important setting to consider is the brush texture. Pixel brushes typically have a smooth, solid texture to mimic the appearance of individual pixels. You can adjust the texture slider to increase or decrease the level of texture in your brush strokes, depending on the look you're going for.

While we recommend these settings, these are by no means a one size fits all situation. Once you get the hang of it, try to tweak some settings and see what new things you come up with.

As an additional feature, you may also experiment with different stabilizations depending on your preference,

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Ta da!! Your new brush works best on a small scale, try testing it out in a 100px x 100px canvas or even smaller!

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Practical Applications of Pixel Brushes

Now that you have your very own Procreate pixel brush,. here are some ways you can put them to use:

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Pixel Art: Of course, the most obvious use for pixel brushes is creating pixel art. Whether you're designing characters, environments, or animations, pixel brushes allow you to work with the precision and style reminiscent of classic video game graphics.

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Icon Design: Pixel brushes are perfect for designing icons and symbols, especially those intended for small sizes or limited color palettes. Their blocky nature ensures that icons remain clear and recognizable, even at low resolutions.

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Texturing: Pixel brushes can add texture and depth to your artwork, giving it a tactile quality that's hard to achieve with smooth brushes alone. You can add a weathered look to a digital painting or create a gritty background for a comic panel.

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Additional Pro Tip: Now, you didn’t think this blog would end without at least one pro tip now, did you? For today’s tip, we present you Assisted Drawing! 

Yeah alright, now this isn’t exactly a novel revelation but a lot of artists dismiss the other types of guides since most artists use Procreate for painting but pixel art makes them shine. Because pixel art requires precision in mark making, guides like the 2D Grid or the Isometric Guide will be your best friend. 

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To enable these settings, first you tap on the wrench icon and toggle Drawing Guide and then proceed to Edit Drawing Guide. In this mode, you will see the guides, choose which one you’d like to try and tap Done on the upper right corner. You also need to enable the actual Assist for your layer of choice. To do this, open up your layers panel and select the layer you want. Tap on it once and select Drawing Assist from the list, it should have a check mark when you’re done. 

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And there you have it! With pixel brushes in your digital toolbox, the possibilities are endless. Experiment with different styles and techniques to discover how they can enhance your artwork and bring your pixel visions to life!  

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