How I Edit my photos with Procreate (My OC Character!)
I have fallen in love with editing my photos on procreate. You can also effectively edit and enhance your photos in Procreate, integrating your hand-drawn sketches and adding your personal artistic touch to make your images stand out.
Preparation
I start with a traditional sketch in my sketchbook. This could be a character, object, or any element you want to integrate into your photo. Take a clear photograph of your sketch using your phone and open the Procreate app on your iPad.
Tap the ‘+’ icon on the top right corner to open a new canvas. Choose a canvas size that suits your photo size and editing needs, then select ‘Add’ and ‘Insert a photo’. Choose your photo from your library. You’re going to turn the opacity down to about 50 % just for now. Tap ‘Insert a photo’ again to bring in the photo of your sketch. Make sure this sketch is on a new layer.
Using an Apple Pencil, start sketching the character or element over your initial photo in a new sketch layer in Procreate. Refine the details until you’re satisfied and add color. If needed, adjust the opacity of the sketch layer to make it semi-transparent for better blending.
Basic Adjustments
Use the ‘Adjustments’ menu (magic wand icon) to tweak the brightness, contrast, and saturation of the photo. If necessary, use the ‘Crop and Resize’ tool under the ‘Actions’ menu to adjust the photo’s composition. Apply color corrections or add color overlays using different blend modes and opacity settings.
Adding and Blending the Character
Place the character sketch layer over the main photo. Adjust its position and size as needed. Adjust the blend modes of the character layer to create unique effects and harmonize it with the photo. You can also add shadows behind the character and smudge it to make it look a bit more realistic. Experiment with filters like Gaussian Blur, Motion Blur, or Noise to add depth and texture. Make any final tweaks to ensure the photo looks polished. This could include minor adjustments to colors, shadows, or highlights.
Exporting
Once your editing is complete, tap the ‘Actions’ menu, select ‘Share’, and choose your preferred file format (JPEG, PNG, etc.). You can now save the edited photo to your device or share it directly to social media or other platforms. Always save a backup copy of your Procreate file (.procreate format) to ensure you can revisit and re-edit the project if needed.
