The Beginner’s Guide to Procreate: 7 Courses to Master Digital Art + 200+ Free Brushes to Kickstart Your Creativity

Unleash your imagination with Procreate: learn, explore, and create stunning digital artwork

Procreate has revolutionized the way artists bring their visions to life. Whether you're a budding illustrator or a seasoned creative exploring new tools, this all-in-one app offers boundless opportunities. But where to begin in the sea of brushes, layers, and design techniques? This guide simplifies your journey, featuring 7 curated courses and 200+ free Procreate brushes to get you started.

Learning Procreate isn’t just about mastering an app — it’s about opening doors to new artistic possibilities. Each course listed below is designed to build your skills step-by-step, from foundational techniques to advanced illustration workflows. With instructors who are working professionals, these lessons are both inspiring and practical.

These online courses are tailored to fit every learning style, whether you're exploring stylized characters, realistic painting, or manga aesthetics. And the bonus? Many of them include exclusive brush packs and downloadable assets to help you grow your toolkit as you learn.

Dive in, explore diverse illustration styles, experiment with new techniques, and let your creativity evolve. Below are 7 top-tier Domestika courses to help you master Procreate from scratch and enhance your digital artistry.

1. Drawing Appealing Characters with Personality – Course Review

📝 Course Summary:

→ Course Title: Drawing Appealing Characters with Personality
→ Instructor: Magdalina Dianova
→ Language: English (Subtitles in 8 languages)
→ Level: Beginner to Intermediate
→ Lessons: 18
→ Downloads: 12
→ Students Enrolled: 44,374+
→ Rating: ⭐ 96% positive (662 reviews)
→ Tools: Any drawing method (Procreate used in course)

Ever wanted to breathe life into your drawings and make characters that people instantly connect with? Taught by DreamWorks collaborator Magdalina Dianova, this top-rated Domestika course is a masterclass in storytelling through design. With over 44,000 students and a 96% satisfaction rate, it’s already a community favorite—and it’s easy to see why. Whether you're sketching with a pencil or on a tablet, you'll learn how to express personality through anatomy, pose, color, and wardrobe.

This course isn’t just about drawing—it’s about crafting believable, story-rich characters. Magdalina shares a clear, structured path from concept to final sheet, blending traditional and digital techniques with tips from her real-world animation experience. Perfect for beginners and intermediate creatives alike, it’s a hands-on journey to mastering expressive character design. Don’t miss this opportunity to level up your art!

👉 Start now and bring your characters to life: Click here to access the course

2. Digital Illustration: Create Manga Characters – Course Review

📝 Course Summary:

→ Course Title: Digital Illustration: Create Manga Characters
→ Instructor: Catalina Carlesi (Alpaca)
→ Language: Spanish, English (Subtitles in 8 languages)
→ Level: Intermediate (basic digital illustration skills recommended)
→ Lessons: 15
→ Downloads: 25
→ Students Enrolled: 26,462+
→ Rating: ⭐ 98% positive (402 reviews)
→ Tools: Photoshop & Procreate

If you've ever dreamed of creating characters as compelling as those in your favorite anime or JRPGs, this course by Catalina Carlesi is your next step. Known in the art world as "Alpaca," Catalina blends her graphic design roots with a deep love for Japanese pop culture, delivering a comprehensive guide to drawing expressive manga characters that tell a visual story. With over 26,000 students and a glowing 98% approval rating, it's a must for manga enthusiasts looking to level up their digital art.

You’ll learn to craft richly detailed scenes that go beyond simple portraits—combining light, shadow, and emotional nuance to breathe life into your characters. From sketch to render, Catalina walks you through every step using Procreate and Photoshop. If you’ve got the basics of digital illustration down, this course will help you evolve your style and storytelling with confidence.

👉 Level up your manga art today: Click here to access the course

3. Concept Art: Character Design & Worldbuilding – Course Review

📝 Course Summary:

→ Course Title: Concept Art: Character Design & Worldbuilding
→ Instructor: Even Amundsen
→ Language: English, Spanish (Subtitles in 8 languages)
→ Level: All levels (no prior experience required)
→ Lessons: 19
→ Downloads: 25
→ Students Enrolled: 26,487+
→ Rating: ⭐ 98% positive (354 reviews)
→ Tools: Traditional or digital drawing materials

What makes a character unforgettable? According to concept artist Even Amundsen—who's worked on Assassin’s Creed Valhalla and at Blizzard—it’s all about the world they inhabit. This Domestika course dives deep into the art of storytelling through design, guiding you to build rich, believable characters rooted in culture, history, and environment. With 26,000+ students and near-perfect reviews, it’s a masterclass in narrative art.

Even’s structured approach covers everything from linework and lighting to the philosophy behind design. You’ll learn to sketch, color, and render your own original characters using intuitive techniques that work with any medium. Whether you're a hobbyist or aspiring professional, this course is your gateway to creating worlds that resonate beyond the canvas.

👉 Start designing unforgettable worlds today: Click here to access the course

4. Children’s Illustration with Procreate: Paint Magical Scenes – Course Review

📝 Course Summary:

→ Course Title: Children’s Illustration with Procreate: Paint Magical Scenes
→ Instructor: Lucy Fleming
→ Language: English, Spanish (Subtitles in 8 languages)
→ Level: Intermediate (basic digital painting recommended)
→ Lessons: 16
→ Downloads: 15
→ Students Enrolled: 31,875+
→ Rating: ⭐ 99% positive (516 reviews)
→ Tools: iPad with Procreate + stylus

Step into a world of wonder with Lucy Fleming, a celebrated illustrator behind books for Penguin Random House and HarperCollins. In this enchanting Domestika course, you'll learn to create magical children’s illustrations using Procreate—transforming simple sketches into vibrant scenes filled with warmth and charm. With over 31,000 students and a 99% approval rating, it’s one of the most beloved courses on the platform.

You’ll master digital brushes, layers, and textures to paint stories that captivate young readers. Lucy’s gentle guidance makes it easy to follow, whether you’re designing your first character or enhancing your portfolio. This course is a dream come true for illustrators ready to turn imagination into storytelling magic.

👉 Paint your own magical world today: Click here to access the course

5. Introduction to Procreate – Course Review

📝 Course Summary:

→ Course Title: Introduction to Procreate
→ Instructor: Román García Mora
→ Language: Spanish, English (Subtitles in 8 languages)
→ Level: Beginner (no prior experience required)
→ Lessons: 7-course Domestika Basics bundle
→ Downloads: Numerous support files
→ Students Enrolled: 71,665+
→ Rating: ⭐ 98% positive (1.5K reviews)
→ Tools: iPad + Apple Pencil + Procreate app

If you're starting your digital illustration journey or switching to iPad, this comprehensive Domestika Basics course with Román García Mora is the perfect guide.With over 70,000 students and an impressive 98% approval rate, it's one of the most trusted resources to learn Procreate from scratch. Román—who’s worked with National Geographic—explains every tool with clarity, from brush customization to advanced layer management.

Across seven mini-courses, you’ll gain hands-on experience with Procreate's full potential: creating sketches, manipulating layers, using masks, editing with filters, and even designing custom brushes. Whether you're an aspiring artist or creative professional looking to sharpen your workflow, this course ensures you’ll master Procreate efficiently and creatively.

👉 Master Procreate from the ground up: Click here to access the course

6. Designing Kawaii Worlds: Spread Joy Through Illustration – Course Review

📝 Course Summary:

→ Course Title: Designing Kawaii Worlds: Spread Joy Through Illustration
→ Instructor: Becky Cas
→ Language: English (Subtitles in 8 languages)
→ Level: All levels (no prior experience needed)
→ Lessons: 18
→ Downloads: 21
→ Students Enrolled: 22,985+
→ Rating: ⭐ 99% positive (433 reviews)
→ Tools: Procreate + iPad + Apple Pencil (or alternative drawing tools)

If your heart beats for all things cute and joyful, this delightful course by Becky Cas is a perfect fit. An Instagram-favorite illustrator with clients like Snapchat, Becky shows you how to turn everyday inspiration into heartwarming kawaii scenes using Procreate. With nearly 23,000 students and glowing reviews, this course is a colorful escape into the world of charming characters and imaginative, cozy universes.

You’ll explore proportions, expressions, palettes, and scene design—from sketch to finished piece—and even get tips on how to prep your work for merchandise. Becky’s gentle approach, paired with Procreate’s intuitive tools, makes this a stress-free yet creatively rich experience. Whether you’re creating for fun or building a brand, this course will fill your art with personality and joy.

👉 Start spreading joy through kawaii illustration: Click here to access the course

7. Atmospheric Painting in Procreate: From Concept to Color – Course Review

📝 Course Summary:

→ Course Title: Atmospheric Painting in Procreate: From Concept to Color
→ Instructor: Deb JJ Lee
→ Language: English (Subtitles in 8 languages)
→ Level: All levels (basic skills recommended)
→ Lessons: 16
→ Downloads: 16
→ Students Enrolled: 10,845+
→ Rating: ⭐ 97% positive (87 reviews)
→ Tools: iPad + Procreate + stylus

Bring emotion to the forefront of your art with Deb JJ Lee’s stunning course on atmospheric illustration. With experience collaborating with brands like Adobe and The Washington Post, Deb blends technical expertise with artistic instinct to help you create deeply expressive scenes. This Domestika course teaches how to interpret a story visually—through mood, color, and composition—while embracing your own creative intuition.

Perfect for both aspiring illustrators and professionals looking to deepen their emotional impact, this course guides you from concept development to final export. You’ll paint an illustration inspired by a book or film, learning how to shape atmosphere that resonates with your audience on a personal level.

👉 Start painting emotion-driven illustrations now: Click here to access the course

『 Blog Content Creator | Rod Lovell 』

Mastering Procreate is not just about becoming fluent with a digital tool — it’s about cultivating a mindset that embraces exploration, iteration, and play. These courses don’t just teach technique; they encourage you to discover your unique voice as an artist, equipped with the right digital brushes and creative confidence.

Whether you’re sketching your first character or refining a detailed scene, the journey through these 19 courses provides a strong and inspiring foundation. Let these expert-led lessons open the doors to vibrant compositions, compelling storytelling, and visual styles you never thought possible.

Ready to begin your creative journey? Explore the full selection of courses above and start building your Procreate skills today!

🔥 Bonus - 200+ Free Best Procreate and Photoshop Brushes- Download Now

More Courses You Might Like:

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2. Cartoon-Style Character Portraits with Procreate (Cristina Gómez)
3. Traditional Drawing Techniques with Procreate (Laura Pérez)
4. Illustrated Portraits with Procreate (Elena Garnu)
5. Illustrating Fantastical Animals with Procreate (Julia Körner)
6. Painting in Procreate: Reimagine Your Surroundings (Mikko Eerola)
7. Realistic Painting and Illustration with Procreate (Jaime Sanjuan Ocabo)
8. Fantasy Portraits in Procreate (Camila Castro Yong)
9. Female Character Portraits in Procreate (Natália Dias)
10. Female Cartoon Character Design with Procreate (Isabella Agosti)
11. Stylized Character Illustration: From Reference to Drawing (Tasia M S)
12. Procreate for Beginners: Digital Illustration 101 (Brad Woodard)