What You Want to Know About New Features in Procreate 5.2

The latest Procreate release, Procreate 5.2 (released on November 1st) has many key creative and accessibility changes that will make creating digital art much easier than it was before. This short guide to the new release lists the new features and gives you an easy understanding of what they are and how you would use them in your real-life drawing experiences.

This update is really all making Procreate easier to use and expanding the possibilities of who can use it. If you had your doubts (I did!) don’t worry, you’re going to LOVE it!

The Key New Features of Procreate 5.2

• Stroke Stabilization
• 3D Modeling (download the 3D models from Procreate- Actions>Help>What’s New>Model Pack)
• Material Options in the Brush Studio
• More Accessibility Features: New Touch Gestures, Color Descriptions, and Feedback Sounds
• iPadOS Accessibility Integration
• Page Assist
• Quick Menu for Page Assist
• PDF Import
• Recent Brushes
• New Languages

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Stroke Stabilization

With Procreate 5.2, you now have the option of adjusting the stabilization and adding motion-filtering to each brush you have in your Brush Library.

Stroke Stabilization is both a creative and accessibility feature that means anyone can make long smooth and controlled marks on their Procreate canvas.

The Stabilization part of the option in the Brush Studio builds on Streamline; an option I’ve used in the past to give a fluidness to my strokes. (There is more on this below.)

Motion filtering has two sliders, one for the amount and another for expression. I’ll play with these and add more here once I understand how they work and their application uses. (More on motor filtering below)

Note: One Procreate 5.2 change is that Streamline is now under Stabilization along with stabilization and motion filtering. 

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Procreate Opens Up a New Dimention with 3D Model Painting

This was the flashy new addition in the Procreate 5.2 release announcement. Although accessibility will give everyone a much better digital art experience, 3D Modeling takes us beyond 2D for an incredible iPad drawing experience.

Procreate’s website says, “Finishing 3D Models has never been this intuitive or this fun. With all the power of Procreate’s brush engine, you can create truly gorgeous textures. Handcraft your own texture maps and then light them, export them, or even bring them to life in AR.”

As someone who’s never explored 3D modeling, I’ll have to do some research and play with this to understand everything possible with this new feature. However, I do know that mock-ups are going to be a LOT more fun (and effective) in 3D!

NOTE: To find the 3D modeling you have to go to Actions>Help>What’s New>Model Pack>Next

To add more 3D Models to your gallery you need to import them in special file formats. I’ll include a link I found that explains this further. I am looking at ways that we can create our own 3D images to import so if you want to do custom mock-ups in AR you can!

Here are some of the new 3D modeling features and changes in Procreate 5.2

Automatic Transform and Projection

We had automatic selection before; now, you’ll also find automatic transform. This is your move tool, and it now has Projection that will automatically snap to a model’s surface and has advanced options (similar to warp.)

Material Brushes

Apply effects like metallics, roughness to the type of material you designed your model to have.

So if you’re adding color or roughness to a metal can, it’ll seem like the paint is on top of a metal that has different degrees of smoothness. You’ll also be able to use any of the standard tools, adjustments, or effects that you’ve come to rely on as you create!

Lighting Studio

This is huge; you can now add up to four lights and over ten lighting environments to your artwork. Each is adjustable in its color, position, and intensity. 

For those of us who struggle to think of which side their light is coming from to create shadows and highlights, this is going to take our digital art once again to a whole new level in just moments. 

Augmented Reality

This feature is going to be SO powerful for those who are doing mock-ups for marketing or portfolios. Using AR, you can integrate your designs with listings to give your customers a sensory experience to make them trust that they know what they’re getting. 

3D Exporting

If you’re a gamer or movie effects artist, you can now export your painted model as a USDZ or OBJ  to create ready-to-use characters for your next creative video. BUT, this is also again going to be a key feature for those who want to build AR shopping experiences as well!

You can even control the experience with animated rotation, swing, zoom distance, and duration! Placing your 3D model in an environment is now as simple as a toggle switch. 

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New Accessibility Features to Make Creating Easier for Everyone

Procreate had called out that they were making Accessibility one of their primary goals with this Procreate 5.2 release. And what they came up with is truly inspired.

Hand issues? Whether you have limited hand movement or too much hand movement, these features will allow you to create with ease and fluidness.

Have difficulty seeing? With this new release, you’ll find adaptations for color blindness, as well as sight impairment with larger text, bigger thumbnails, and buttons. You’ll also find feedback sounds that will help signal which actions you’ve made. 

Color Naming and Color Description

In Facebook groups, several people who are color-blind have tested the beta version of this update and have been overwhelmingly appreciative of the steps Procreate took to make choosing color easier. 

Now, when you turn on Color Naming Notifications, you’ll be sure of what color (and their shades) that you’re viewing. Color Description works with your eyedropper so you can identify any color on your canvas with just a touch. 

Larger Palettes

This change will be awesome as not only does this mean bigger color swatches, but you can also name them whatever you want. So if you’re working with multiple shades or values that aren’t super distinguishable, you can name them whatever you want. I’ll be naming mine highlight, mid-light, low light since that’s what I called them in my head anyway! Even better, this looks like it will be part of the mini palette, which stays on your canvas as you work. 

Customizable Onion Skins in Animation

Another key accessibility feature for those with color-blindness is choosing what colors you want your onion skins to be when you animate. 

Motion Filtering

Procreate has created this groundbreaking new stabilization method to help you get smooth results based on audio processing. This algorithm will help you smooth out your strokes and make it easier for those with hand tremors or shake to draw as smoothly as you wish to. As far as I can tell, this is like noise filtering, which identifies the sounds that are incidental and not intentional and will remove them. SO cool! 

Single Touch Gestures

No more pinch to zoom or rotate your canvas! You can do all of these with a single touch. This change will make working long hours if you have hand or wrist issues much less fatiguing. 

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Procreate Integrates iPadOS Accessibility Features in 5.2

Voiceover

Using the iPadOS accessibility features, Procreate now has a voiceover for menus and navigation. As well as written descriptions and icons as well!

Reduced Motion

If you have motion sensitivities or a long session at the iPad wears on you, you can turn off some of the effects and animation of iPadOS.

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Page Assist Gives You a True Sketchbook Experience with an iPad

You turn on this (much like drawing assist) that allows you to combine multiple ideas into a sketchbook. This will enable you to see different pages at once as you create.

I love this idea, as I’m always trying to get my iPad to function as a replacement to the sketchbooks I carried around for years. ❤️

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PDF Import- No More Mark Up Confusion for Procreate Users

Although you can import photos or files, this is the first time we’ve been able to import PDFs into Procreate. 

This import file option gives you the flexibility of working with documents or e-workbooks in Procreate, and no more dealing with Apple’s mark-up tools!

This new feature will be an awesome addition for those of us who try to double-tap our apple pencils to toggle between eraser and brush or two-finger tap the screen to undo. 

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New QuickMenu Gestures to Support Page Assist

With Procreate 5.2, QuickMenu has been adapted for Page Assist so that you can quickly flip through pages by using a Next and Previous Page option in Quick Menu.

In the past, when you wanted to keep pages together, the workaround was to make each page a separate layer. But you had to click each layer on and off to see the next page. 

It wasn’t ideal. I’m super excited about all Procreate has done to make creative workflow more intuitive!

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Recent Brushes- Something You Didn’t Know You needed But Won’t Be Able to Live Without

This new feature will quickly become a favorite for those of us who repeatedly find ourselves reaching for the same brushes on a project. It automatically adds the most recent brushes that you’ve used, but it also will let you pin your favorites. 

This new feature deserves a woohoo from those of us who find ourselves paging through dozens of brushsets for the one brush we used 5 minutes ago. 

In the past, I would create a brushset for each project I was working on and copy into it the brushes I was using. You can still do that if you know you’re using specific brushes for different projects. Like the brush library, this will be universal across all your Procreate canvases and will not be canvas specific. 

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Procreate is Now Available in Three More New Languages

Procreate has added Thai, Polish, and Hindi to their list of available languages. 

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How to Update to Procreate 5.2

1. Go to the App Store on your iPad or go directly there with this link
2. Type in Procreate to bring up the app
3. Tap on the Procreate app- do not tap Open because this will open the application without updating.
4. Tap the Update button to start the update

If you do not have the Update button, try turning off your iPad and turning it on again. 

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Questions People Frequently Ask About Procreate

What is Procreate?

If you’ve gotten this far in this article and are wondering what Procreate is, then I’m super impressed with your patience!

Simply, Procreate is the best digital drawing app for the Apple IPad or iPhone.

Procreate for iPad is the top digital art app for the iPad. It has layers and layers of possibilities and yet is so intuitive that beginners or kids can use it with ease.

It has digital art features like extensive brush options (that allow you to imitate all kinds of media), Undo or Redo with just finger taps, and Layers.

This makes doodling, tracing, or creating designs much more effortless than traditional drawing with a sketchbook and fine art media.

Many people find that they are better artists than they were when they use Procreate. It’s pretty amazing. It is also an incredible design tool to use with other applications like Cricut Design Space which you can use to make craft projects or art from your Procreate designs.

How Much Does Procreate Cost?

Procreate for iPad is $9.99 and is not a subscription. This is a one-time cost and you get all future updates and features included. Forever.

Procreate Pocket is $4.99

What’s the Difference Between Procreate for iPad and Procreate Pocket? 

Procreate Pocket is the iPhone version and is compact and designed for a smaller surface than the iPad version. It does NOT have all the features or the generous workspace of the iPad version. But it can be used on the iPad.

If you’re an artist looking for something small and mobile for on-the-go inspiration or do not have an iPad, then this is a great option.

What Can I Make with Procreate?

Most people who create with Procreate are creating art they can either use digitally or print. Many people will start with stickers, planner stickers, or sublimation designs. I’ve done a TON of tutorials on Procreate projects that you can see here.

How Do I Learn More About Procreate?

I’m so glad you asked this! I have lots of Procreate tutorials both here, and on my YouTube channel that will show you how to use Procreate. I primarily write for people who want to explore designing craft projects in Procreate to make with a cutting machine.

You can also join my Facebook group! More on that below.

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Join the Procreate for Cricut and Silhouette Creators Facebook Group!

We’re the only Facebook group that combines your interest in Procreate and Cricut or Silhouette. Our goal is to teach beginners to either Procreate or Cricut/Silhouette to explore the possibilities of what they can handcraft with their Procreate designs.

We do that through a growing community of creatives that encourages beginners and positively instructs. We believe in kindness and nurturing creative gifts no matter where you are in your journey.

I founded this group recently and am committed to offering weekly Facebook Lives to help you grow!

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