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Adding text to your digital artwork opens up a world of creative possibilities in Procreate. Whether you‘re designing book covers, creating event invitations, labeling diagrams, or experimenting with custom hand lettering, the powerful yet user-friendly text tools in this app make it easier than ever to incorporate typography into your designs.
As a graphic designer who frequently uses Procreate for client projects, I‘ve spent countless hours exploring all the ins and outs of its text features. In this comprehensive guide, I‘ll walk you through everything you need to know to start adding and editing text like a pro – no prior design experience required!
We‘ll cover all the basics of inserting text boxes and customizing fonts, as well as some more advanced techniques like filling letters with images and creating realistic shadow effects. I‘ll also share some of my favorite tips and resources I‘ve discovered over the years.
Whether you‘re just getting started with Procreate or looking to take your text game to the next level, this post will equip you with the tools and knowledge you need. So let‘s dive in!
Why Add Text in Procreate?
Before we get into the technical steps, let‘s talk about some of the many ways you can use text in your Procreate designs:
- Creating typography-based artwork like quotes, phrases, and hand lettering
- Designing book covers, album art, posters, and social media graphics
- Making invitations, cards, certificates, and announcements for events
- Labeling diagrams, charts, maps, and infographics
- Adding captions, titles, and headings to illustrations
- Laying out text for blogs, magazines, and other publications
The possibilities are endless! And unlike working with physical media, adding text digitally in Procreate gives you complete freedom to experiment with different fonts, colors, layouts, and effects without wasting any materials.
Plus, all the text you add in Procreate is fully editable at any time. So if you need to make changes or fix a typo, it‘s always quick and easy to do.
How to Insert Text in Procreate
Ready to start typing? Here‘s how to add a new text box to your canvas in Procreate:
- Open your canvas and tap the Actions menu (wrench icon) in the top left
- Tap Insert > Add Text
- A text box will appear on your canvas and your keyboard will pop up
- Type or paste in your desired text
That‘s it! The text will show up in a default font, but we‘ll go over how to customize that in the next section.
You can also tap and drag the bounding box handles to resize the text box, or tap and drag inside the box to move it around the canvas. If you need to rotate the text, just use two fingers to twist the box.
To edit the text itself at any time, simply double tap inside the text box. This will select the text and bring up the edit menu, where you can change font settings or type new text.
If you want to delete a text box, you can select it and tap the trash can icon in the Layers panel, just like you would with any other layer.
Customizing Fonts and Text Settings
Now that you‘ve got your text on the canvas, let‘s explore all the ways you can customize its appearance. With just a few taps, you can completely transform the look and feel of your typography.
To access the Text Settings menu, double tap on a text box to select it, then tap the blue Aa button that appears in the bottom right corner.
Choosing a Font
By default, Procreate comes loaded with a variety of fonts that are available on iOS/iPadOS. You can browse and preview these built-in fonts by tapping the font name at the top of the Text Settings menu.
Want to use your own fonts? No problem! You can install custom fonts on your iPad using a variety of methods (I recommend AnyFont) and they will automatically show up in Procreate. To use a new font, just tap Import in the top right of the font menu.
Adjusting Style and Design Settings
In addition to picking the perfect font, the Text Settings menu lets you fine-tune the style and appearance of your text. Here are a few key options to try:
Style: Tap the style buttons to apply bold, italic, or underline formatting to your selected text.
Size: Adjust the numerical size of your text or tap the Large, Medium, and Small buttons for preset sizes. You can also use the letter spacing slider to change how much space is between each character.
Opacity: Make your text transparent by lowering the opacity percentage. This is great for creating subtle watermarks or blending text with other layers.
Color: Tap the color circle to pick a new color for your text. You can choose from Procreate‘s built-in palettes or use the eyedropper to sample a color from your canvas.
Changing Text Attributes
The Attributes tab in the Text Settings menu gives you even more control over the layout and formatting of your text. Here you can:
Alignment: Choose whether your text is aligned to the left, center, or right of the text box. You can also tap the justify button to make the text fill the full width of the box.
Capitalization: Tap the format buttons to apply uppercase, lowercase, or sentence case to your text.
Superscript/Subscript: Create text that sits above or below the text baseline, which is useful for footnotes and mathematical formulas.
Line Height: Adjust the vertical space between lines of text in a paragraph using the line height percentage slider.
Advanced Text Effects and Techniques
Once you‘ve got a handle on the basic text controls in Procreate, you can start to get more creative with some fun and unique effects. Here are a few of my go-to techniques:
Creating Text Shadows
Adding a subtle shadow behind your text is a great way to add depth and dimension. Here‘s how to do it:
- Create your text and go to the Layers panel
- Swipe left on your text layer and tap Duplicate to create a copy of it
- Tap the N to open the layer settings, then lower the opacity to around 20-30%
- Tap the color circle and change the color of the shadow text to a darker shade
- Use the arrow tool to slightly nudge the shadow layer down and to the right
Play around with the shadow layer opacity and offset until you get a shadow effect you like. For a more realistic look, you can also apply a slight gaussian blur to the shadow layer.
Filling Text with Images
Did you know you can use an image as a fill pattern inside your text? It‘s a bit like using a clipping mask in Photoshop. Here‘s the process:
- Add your text to the canvas and make sure it has a white fill
- Find an image you want to use as the fill and add it to your canvas above the text layer
- Select the image layer and tap the clipping mask button at the bottom of the Layers panel
- Use the transform tool to reposition the image inside the text if needed
This is such a fun way to add visual interest and texture to your text designs. You can fill the text with photos, patterns, gradients, or even other layers of handwritten text.
Using Text Guides
If you want to create text that follows a specific path or fits inside a certain shape, you can use the Drawing Guides feature in Procreate to help you out. Here‘s how:
- Tap the wrench icon and turn on Drawing Guide
- Choose the Grid or Isometric guide options
- Use the guides to draw out the path or shape you want your text to fit inside
- Create a new text box and position it over the guides
- Resize the text box and adjust the text size until it fits the guide shape
- When you‘re done, turn off the Drawing Guide to remove the lines
You can also use this technique to create curved or circular text by drawing an arched path with the guides first. The possibilities are endless!
Final Tips and Resources
I hope this guide has given you a solid foundation for working with text in Procreate. The more you practice and experiment with these tools, the more comfortable and creative you‘ll become.
Remember, there‘s no right or wrong way to design with text. It‘s all about playing around and discovering what works best for your unique style and project needs.
If you get stuck or want to learn even more advanced techniques, there are plenty of online resources to help you level up your Procreate text skills. A few of my favorites:
- Procreate‘s official text documentation and tutorials
- Skillshare classes on hand lettering and typography in Procreate
- YouTube channels like Procreate Tutorials, Every-Tuesday, and Holly Pixels
- Online communities like the official Procreate Forum and r/Procreate on Reddit
I‘d love to see what text designs you come up with, so feel free to share your creations or any additional tips in the comments below. Happy designing!