Is Procreate Industry Standard? A Comprehensive Comparison

As a digital artist or designer, selecting the right software for your work plays a crucial role in your creative output, and finding the perfect tool that fits your needs can be daunting. One software that has recently gained immense popularity is Procreate. But the question circling everyone’s mind is, “Is Procreate industry standard?” In this article, we will critically examine this question by comparing the features of Procreate with other popular digital art and design tools in the market.

Introduction to Procreate

Procreate is a powerful drawing and painting application designed specifically for iOS devices, such as the iPad and iPhone. It was developed by Savage Interactive and released in 2011. Since then, it has become a favorite among artists, illustrators, and designers for its intuitive user interface and versatile set of art tools, including brushes, layers, blending modes, and more.

How Does Procreate Compare to Other Design Tools?

To determine if Procreate can be considered an industry standard, we will compare it to other popular tools used by digital artists and designers, based on various factors such as device compatibility, price, features, and ease of use.

Device Compatibility

Procreate is designed specifically for iOS devices, limiting its availability compared to other software like Adobe Photoshop and Corel Painter, which are available for both Windows and macOS platforms. However, if you’re an iOS user, Procreate is highly optimized for the iPad, providing a smooth and responsive experience.

Price

Perhaps one of the most appealing aspects of Procreate is its affordable price. With a one-time cost of $9.99, it’s considerably more cost-effective than subscription-based alternatives like Adobe Photoshop and Corel Painter. This makes Procreate highly accessible to both beginners and professionals alike.

Art Tools and Features

Procreate offers a wide selection of brushes, layers, and blending modes that cater to artists’ diverse needs. Additionally, users can create custom brushes and import them for further customization. When compared to alternatives like Photoshop and Painter, Procreate might have a slightly smaller toolset. Still, the distinction is negligible for the majority of artists who can achieve their desired results with Procreate’s existing tools.

Brushes

Procreate offers a vast collection of pre-installed brushes in various categories, such as inking, painting, and sketching. Artists can also create their own custom brushes or import third-party brush sets. While Photoshop provides a more extensive library of brushes, Procreate’s existing options are more than sufficient for most users.

Layers

Procreate supports layers, allowing users to organize their artwork into separate elements and edit them individually. However, compared to Adobe Photoshop, which allows for hundreds of layers, Procreate has a limit based on the device’s performance capabilities. Generally, this limit ranges from 20 to 250 layers, which may be insufficient for highly complex designs.

Procreate offers an impressive array of blending modes, enabling artists to mix colors and layer textures in various ways. Although Photoshop boasts more blending modes, Procreate’s selection is comprehensive and meets the creative needs of most artists.

Vector Support

Unlike software like Adobe Illustrator, which is primarily a vector-based program, Procreate is raster-based and doesn’t include native vector support. However, users can still create vector-like paths and shapes using the QuickShape feature and export their artwork in vector-compatible formats like PDF or SVG.

Ease of Use

Procreate is known for its intuitive user interface, designed specifically for touch-screen devices, making it easy for both beginners and professionals to use. While Photoshop has a steep learning curve due to its abundant features and complex interface, Procreate provides a user-friendly experience that allows artists to dive into their work without struggling with complicated controls.

Is Procreate Being Adopted by Professionals and Studios?

In recent years, Procreate has gained significant traction among professional artists and studios. Many professional illustrators, animators, and concept artists have added Procreate to their toolbox due to its convenience, portability, and cost-efficiency. However, it’s worth noting that the adoption of Procreate as a primary tool varies depending on the specific use case and industry sector.

Illustration and Concept Art

Procreate’s rich feature set and intuitive user interface make it an ideal choice for illustrators and concept artists. Artists can start sketching ideas, paint detailed illustrations, and experiment with various styles and techniques with ease. Many professionals in these fields use Procreate for quick ideation and then refine their artwork in other software like Photoshop or Illustrator.

Graphic Design

While Procreate offers several tools that graphic designers can benefit from, its lack of native vector support and limited text editing capabilities might be insufficient for many professional design projects. Graphic designers often require powerful vector tools, layout features, and advanced typography options, which can be found in software like Adobe Illustrator or Affinity Designer.

Animation

Although Procreate is not specifically designed for animation, it does include a basic frame-by-frame animation feature known as Animation Assist. This allows artists to create simple animations and storyboards quickly. However, for more complex animation projects, industry-standard software, such as Adobe Animate or Toon Boom Harmony, would still be the preferred choice.

Conclusion

So, is Procreate industry standard? While it may not be considered the definitive industry standard at the moment, it has undoubtedly made a significant impact in professional spheres, especially among illustrators and concept artists. As the software continues to evolve and expand its capabilities, it’s conceivable that Procreate could reach such a status in the future. Whether you’re a professional or a beginner, Procreate is an excellent choice for digital art and design, offering a user-friendly experience and powerful tools to express your creativity.

FAQs

1. Can I use Procreate on my desktop or laptop computer?

No, Procreate is designed specifically for iOS devices suchas iPads and iPhones. If you’re looking for desktop alternatives, Adobe Photoshop, Corel Painter, or Krita are popular options to consider.

2. Are there any Android alternatives to Procreate?

Yes, there are Android alternatives to Procreate. Some popular choices include Infinite Painter, Autodesk SketchBook, and ArtFlow.

3. Can I collaborate with other artists in Procreate?

Procreate doesn’t have a built-in collaboration feature. However, you can share your work with others through exported files and collaborate using external communication tools or project management platforms.

4. Which stylus should I use with Procreate?

The Apple Pencil, available in two generations, is the recommended stylus to use with Procreate. It provides excellent pressure sensitivity, palm rejection, and tilt support, delivering a smooth drawing experience.

5. Can I export my Procreate artwork to other software like Adobe Photoshop?

Yes, Procreate allows you to export your artwork in multiple file formats, including PSD, which is compatible with Adobe Photoshop. This flexibility makes it easy to work across different software and platforms.