How to Animate in Procreate

Final product image — What You'll Be Creating

Learn how to animate in Procreate. In this tutorial, I'll show you the step-by-step process of creating a vibrant text animation. You'll also learn how to make a GIF in Procreate and how to mask in Procreate to achieve a cool animation.

Download as many Procreate brushes as you wish with your Envato Elements subscription.

But if you're looking to grow your Procreate toolbox, visit Envato Elements. This unique subscription-based marketplace offers you unlimited Procreate brushes, palettes, and all the add-ons you'll need! Scroll down after this Procreate animation tutorial to find our selection of Procreate brush packs.

What You'll Learn in This Procreate Animation Tutorial

How to create a custom canvas in Procreate
How to use a font in text animation in Procreate
How to create and use a layer mask in Procreate
How to use a clipping mask in Procreate
How to add accents to an animation in Procreate

Tutorial Assets

The following asset was used during this Procreate animation tutorial:

Nala Junior

1. How to Start a New Document in Procreate

Step 1

Go to Procreate > + and you'll get a drop-down menu. Click on the Custom Canvas icon at the top.

How to start a new document in Procreate

Step 2

Create a Custom Canvas with these dimensions:

Artwork Name: Procreate Animation
Width: 1700 px
Height: 1000 px
DPI: 300

Step 3

Under Color Profile, make the following changes:

Color Profile: sRGB

2. How to Add Text to Procreate

Step 1

Go to Layers, choose the background layer, and enter the following hexadecimal code:

Color: Dark Blue #002039

Step 2

Ensure you have a pink color selected and then pick the Text Tool.

Color: Pink #ff4797

Step 3

Under the Text Tool, type a word with these settings:

Font: Nala Junior
Size: 200 pt
Tracking: 3.2%

3. How to Prepare the Text for Animation in Procreate

Step 1

Turn on Snapping.

Step 2

When you move the text with Snapping on, yellow guidelines will appear on-screen, and this shows that the text is centered.

Snapping guide centers the text in Procreate

Step 3

Rasterize the text layer.

Step 4

Duplicate the rasterized layer.

4. How to Create the First Frame for Animation in Procreate

Step 1

On the bottom-most Hi layer, turn on the layer mask.

Step 2

Create another layer on top of the layer mask.

Step 3

Clip that layer to the bottom-most Hi layer.

Step 4

Rename the layer "Yellow".

Step 5

Group these layers (bottom-most Hi layer, Layer Mask, Yellow clipped layer) and rename it "1". This will be our first frame in the animation.

Step 6

Lower the Opacity of the topmost layer, which will act as a guide for now.

Opacity: 40%

Step 7

On the bottom-most Hi Layer, go to the layer mask and fill it with black.

Color: Black #000000

Step 8

Turn on Animation Assist.

5. How to Use a Layer Mask in Text Animation

Step 1

The first group will stay as it is. We will duplicate the first group in the Layers panel. In the second group, go to Layer Mask and make sure you have a white color selected.

Color: White #ffffff

Step 2

In the second group layer mask, start revealing the letter with the brush.

Brush: Monoline under Calligraphy

Step 3

Duplicate the second group and rename it "3".

Step 4

Go to Layer Mask in the third group and start revealing the letter further.

We have to repeat the process until the entire letter becomes visible.

6. How to Use a Clipping Mask in Procreate

Step 1

In the Animation panel settings, make the following changes:

Onion skin frames: 7
Onion skin opacity: 32%

Step 2

Go to the "Yellow" layer in the second group, and ensure that you have the yellow color selected.

Color: Yellow #f6be0b

Step 3

On the same layer, create a few small dots wherever you revealed the word earlier.

Step 4

Go to the third group and make sure that you are on the Yellow layer.

Step 5

Create a few bigger dots on the same layer.

Step 6

Similarly, do this for all the groups, making sure that the yellow dots increase and then decrease, as shown below.

Yellow variation to jazz up the effect in Procreate animation

Step 7

The last group, which happens to be 10 here, will have no yellow dots. Click on the 10th group in the Animation panel. Set the Hold duration to 6 frames.

Last group containing yellow layer in Procreate

7. How to Add Accents to an Animation in Procreate

Step 1

Let's see how to mask in Procreate. Go to the topmost guide layer and ensure that the Opacity is turned back to 100%. Then duplicate the layer.

Step 2

Create a small, equally spaced dash around the word in the second-last layer, with the following settings:

Brush: Monoline
Brush Size: 1 px
Color: Cream #fdf0d8

Step 3

Duplicate the 12th layer and rename it "13".

Step 4

On the 12th layer, create dashes in continuation to our earlier accent.

Step 5

The process needs to be repeated for 13 odd layers.

Accent continuation in text animation on Procreate

Step 6

Change the settings of the Animation panel as shown below:

Loop: Ping-Pong
Frames per second: 15

8. How to Save the File for Animation in Procreate

Step 1

Finally, we'll see how to make a GIF in Procreate. Go to Actions > Share > Animated gif.

Animated gif sharing option in Procreate

Step 2

Click on Export and save to the desired location. And your Procreate GIF is now ready!

Save Animated gif to your desired location

Congratulations, You're Now Done!

In this Procreate animation tutorial, you learned how to animate in Procreate. We started by creating a rasterized layer from our Nala Junior Font, and then we added a layer mask to reveal the letters in this animation with Procreate. We also learned how to use a clipping mask in Procreate and added a clipping mask on top of that to complement the effect. Lastly, we added a few accents to jazz up the text animation. And now you know how to animate text in Procreate!

5 Top Procreate Brushes From Envato Elements to Use in 2022

Now you know how to animate on Procreate and how to make cool Procreate GIFs. If you'd like to expand your Procreate skills and tools, why don't you try Procreate brushes?

Envato Elements is the place to go if you're an avid design software user. For a flat monthly fee, you get unlimited Procreate brushes, Photoshop and Illustrator add-ons, fonts, graphic templates, and more!

Here are just five top Procreate brush packs you can use to make even cooler Procreate GIFs and Procreate animations.

1. Northern Lights Procreate Brushes (ABR, PROCREATE)

Fan of the Northern Lights? You can easily recreate them in your digital artwork with this Procreate brush pack. Just imagine how beautiful these will look if you use animation with Procreate! The download includes ten brushes, and as a bonus, you'll get Photoshop brush files as well!

2. Manga Procreate Brushes & Anime Pens (PROCREATE)

Take your Manga designs to the next level with this cool Procreate brush pack. The kit includes:

eight custom brushes, designed to create the exact manga style
four half-tone brushes and four G-pen brushes
four anime color palettes
detailed installation instructions
unlimited support and future updates

3. Golden Glitter Procreate Brushes (BRUSHSET, SWATCHES, PNG)

Put this Procreate animation tutorial into practice with this brilliant Procreate brush pack. The kit includes five glitter brushes, ten black textured backgrounds, and a palette with five golden colors.

4. Procreate Liquid Brushes (BRUSHSET)

If you like abstract, modern designs, these Procreate brushes are for you. Easily make unique designs with these brushes made from real liquid images. And then you can make Procreate GIFs! The download includes ten Procreate brushes that work on the iOS app.

5. Rainbow Metallic Graffiti Procreate Brushes (BRUSHSET)

Graffiti brushes come in handy for a multitude of projects. Try this professional Procreate brush pack for your next Procreate animation. You'll get ten brushes that are perfect for lettering and illustrations.

Discover More Procreate Tutorials

If you liked this tutorial on how to animate on Procreate and how to make a GIF in Procreate, you might be interested in more. Luckily, here on Envato Tuts+ you can learn even more about this cool design software:

Editorial Note: This post has been updated with contributions from Maria Villanueva. Maria is the Associate Editor of the Tuts+ Design channel.