How to Do Animation in Procreate: A Comprehensive Guide

Animating in Procreate allows artists to bring their creations to life directly on their iPad, offering a portable and intuitive workflow. While Procreate isn’t a dedicated animation software like Toon Boom Harmony or Adobe Animate, its Animation Assist feature provides a robust set of tools for creating frame-by-frame animations, looping GIFs, and even short animated sequences. This guide will walk you through the entire process, from setting up your canvas to exporting your finished project.

Table of Contents

Setting Up Your Animation Project

Before you can start animating, you need to prepare your canvas and understand the basics of Animation Assist.

Creating a New Canvas

The canvas size you choose will depend on the intended use of your animation. For web animations, a smaller size like 1920×1080 pixels or even 1280×720 pixels is often sufficient. For print or higher resolution viewing, you might need to increase the size accordingly. Remember that larger canvas sizes can impact Procreate’s performance, especially on older iPad models.

Open Procreate and tap the “+” button in the top right corner to create a new canvas.
Choose a predefined canvas size or tap the “+” icon again to create a custom canvas.
Enter the desired width and height in pixels.
Set the DPI (dots per inch) to at least 300 for print, or 72 for web use.
Tap “Create.”

Activating Animation Assist

Animation Assist is Procreate’s dedicated animation tool. Enabling it unlocks the timeline at the bottom of the screen, giving you frame-by-frame control.

Open your canvas.
Tap on the “Actions” icon (the wrench icon) in the top left corner.
Go to the “Canvas” tab.
Toggle the “Animation Assist” option on.

Once activated, you’ll see the animation timeline appear at the bottom of your screen. This timeline displays each frame of your animation, allowing you to navigate between them and add new ones.

The Animation Assist Interface

Understanding the Animation Assist interface is crucial for efficient workflow.

The Timeline

The timeline is the heart of Animation Assist. Each layer in your Procreate canvas corresponds to a frame in the animation.

Frames: Represent individual drawings or images in your animation sequence.
Navigation Buttons: Allow you to move forward and backward through the frames.
Add Frame Button: Creates a new frame based on the current frame’s settings.
Frame Settings: Accessed by tapping on a frame, these settings allow you to adjust frame duration, visibility, and onion skin settings.

Onion Skinning

Onion skinning is a vital technique in animation that allows you to see faint outlines of the previous and next frames. This helps you create smooth transitions and maintain consistent character positioning.

Settings: Access the onion skin settings by tapping “Settings” in the Animation Assist toolbar.
Opacity: Adjust the opacity of the onion skin to make it more or less visible.
Number of Frames: Control the number of frames visible before and after the current frame.
Color Coding: Enable color coding to distinguish between previous and next frames (e.g., green for previous, red for next).

Playback Options

Procreate offers several playback options to preview your animation.

Play/Pause: Starts and stops the animation playback.
Looping: Choose between looping, ping-pong (playing forward then backward), and one-shot (playing once) modes.
Frames Per Second (FPS): Controls the speed of your animation. Higher FPS values result in smoother, faster animations.

Creating Your Animation: Techniques and Tips

Now that you understand the basics, let’s dive into the animation process itself.

Frame-by-Frame Animation

Frame-by-frame animation is the traditional method of animation, where each frame is drawn individually.

Start by drawing your first frame on a new layer.
Tap the “Add Frame” button in the timeline to create a new frame.
Using onion skinning as a guide, make slight changes to your drawing to create the illusion of movement.
Repeat steps 2 and 3 for each subsequent frame.

Tips for Smooth Animation

Start with Keyframes: Plan your animation by drawing the most important poses (keyframes) first. This helps establish the timing and overall flow.
Use Onion Skinning Effectively: Rely on onion skinning to ensure smooth transitions between frames and maintain consistent proportions.
Maintain Consistent Volume: Pay attention to the volume of your characters or objects throughout the animation to avoid jarring changes in size.
Practice and Experiment: Animation is a skill that requires practice. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different techniques and styles.

Looping Animations

Creating looping animations in Procreate is straightforward using the looping playback option.

Create your animation as described above.
Ensure that the first and last frames are similar or identical to create a seamless loop.
Set the playback mode to “Loop” in the Animation Assist toolbar.
Preview your animation to ensure the loop is smooth.

Exporting Your Animation

Once you’re satisfied with your animation, you can export it in various formats.

Export Options

Animated GIF: Ideal for sharing on social media and websites.
Animated PNG: Offers better image quality than GIF but results in larger file sizes.
MP4: Suitable for video platforms like YouTube and Vimeo.
Procreate File: Saves your animation as a Procreate file (.procreate), allowing you to edit it later.

Exporting as an Animated GIF

Tap on the “Actions” icon (the wrench icon).
Go to the “Share” tab.
Select “Animated GIF.”
Adjust the settings, such as FPS and resolution.
Tap “Export” and choose a location to save your GIF.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are some frequently asked questions about animation in Procreate:

FAQ 1: What’s the best frame rate (FPS) for animation in Procreate?

The ideal frame rate depends on the style of animation and the desired level of smoothness. 12 FPS is often used for a more traditional, slightly choppy look, while 24 FPS provides a smoother, more fluid animation. 30 FPS is typically used for video-like animations. Experiment to find what works best for your project.

FAQ 2: Can I import video into Procreate for rotoscoping?

Yes, you can import video into Procreate to use as a reference for rotoscoping, a technique where you trace over video frames. Import the video as a single frame, then duplicate the frame and advance the video for each subsequent frame you want to trace.

FAQ 3: How do I add sound to my Procreate animations?

Procreate doesn’t have built-in sound editing capabilities. You’ll need to export your animation and import it into a video editing software like iMovie or LumaFusion to add sound effects or music.

FAQ 4: Is Procreate good for professional animation?

While Procreate is a powerful tool, it’s generally not considered a replacement for dedicated animation software for large-scale professional projects. However, it’s excellent for creating smaller animations, storyboarding, and prototyping ideas.

FAQ 5: How can I reduce lag when animating in Procreate?

Lag can be caused by large canvas sizes, complex brushes, or a large number of layers. Try reducing the canvas size, simplifying your brush strokes, merging layers, and clearing your iPad’s RAM.

FAQ 6: Can I animate in Procreate Pocket on my iPhone?

Yes, Procreate Pocket also includes the Animation Assist feature, allowing you to animate on your iPhone. However, the smaller screen size can make detailed animation more challenging.

FAQ 7: How do I create a perfect loop in Procreate?

To create a seamless loop, carefully match the first and last frames of your animation. You can also use techniques like easing in and easing out to create smoother transitions. Consider creating the loop in reverse and adding it to the end.

FAQ 8: What is the difference between frames per second (FPS) and frame duration?

FPS refers to the number of frames displayed per second, controlling the overall speed of the animation. Frame duration refers to how long each individual frame is displayed for, usually measured in fractions of a second.

FAQ 9: How do I fix a shaky line in my animation?

If you’re experiencing shaky lines, try using Procreate’s StreamLine feature. It smooths out your strokes, making them appear cleaner and more consistent. You can also adjust the stabilization settings in the brush settings.

FAQ 10: Can I export my animation as a video with a transparent background?

Yes, you can export your animation as an Animated PNG with a transparent background. Make sure that the background layer is turned off before exporting. This allows you to overlay your animation onto other videos or images.

FAQ 11: How do I animate text in Procreate?

You can animate text by creating separate layers for each letter or word, and then animating them individually using frame-by-frame techniques. You can also use the Transform tool to scale, rotate, or skew the text for different effects.

FAQ 12: Where can I find inspiration and tutorials for Procreate animation?

YouTube is an excellent resource for Procreate animation tutorials. Search for terms like “Procreate Animation Tutorial,” “Procreate Animation Assist,” or “Procreate Frame-by-Frame Animation.” You can also find inspiration on platforms like Behance and Dribbble.

By mastering these techniques and understanding the nuances of Animation Assist, you can unlock the full potential of Procreate for creating captivating animations on your iPad. Happy animating!