Lettering is illustrated type. With an iPad and Procreate, you have essentially unlimited options — but the right brushes make the difference between struggling and flowing.
Digital brush packs give you everything from pencil sketches to 3D effects.
In this blog, you’ll find where to download them, how to install them, and which ones work best for different lettering styles.
How to install brush sets in Procreate
Procreate comes with over 200 pre-installed brush packs, but who can't use more?
Save your downloaded brushes in your Files app (usually iCloud) so they're easy to access.
Navigate to your brush library and tap the ‘+’ icon in the top right. Tap Import from Files. Go to the location in iCloud where your brush files are saved, then import them.
You can also use this to import brush libraries that contain multiple brushes. Alternatively, you can open your Files app and open Procreate into a split-screen view, and drag and drop your brush files into Procreate.
Where to find Procreate brushes
There are many ways to purchase brushes for Procreate. There are marketplaces such as Creative Market, True Grit Texture Supply, and Retro Supply Co. These sources vet quality and offer clear licensing.
Personal licenses cover the use of brushes for non-commercial work (e.g., personal projects or work not intended to make money). A commercial license will cover you for client work (i.e., things that are meant to make money for the client, like logos, book covers, ads, etc.) You can also go independent routes and see what you can find on sites like Gumroad, Etsy, or what's linked through an artist's own website.
Sketching
Every great idea starts somewhere. For lettering, that’s usually a rough sketch. These brushes capture pencil texture — use them for thumbnails or as your final aesthetic.
Procreate Sketch & Lettering Set by Cynlop Ink
Price: From $18.
Cynthia López of Cynlop Ink is a lettering artist, brushmaker, and creator of digital goods. She created these brushes with unique pencil-grain textures so you'll get something new with each piece you create. Use them to sketch or create your final lettering piece. In addition to the brushes, you'll also get two sketch paper background downloads.
This brush pack has 20 brushes total and bonus resources:
- Sketch & Shaders. Create sketches with different pencil grains to create fine, heavy, and light sketches.
- Lettering Brushes. Use them to create different kinds of grainy texture lettering, from blocky, chunky letters to smooth, flowing scripts.
- Sketch Paper Backgrounds. Two sketch paper backgrounds are available for you to deepen the realism of your digital lettering.
You'll find a lot of character in the brushes in this pack. Their pressure sensitivity will help you achieve a flowing, variable stroke. Use them to quickly start your lettering thumbnails or to add a pencil-inspired texture to your final piece.
Grab the Procreate Sketch & Lettering Set here.
Sketchy Procreate Brush Pack by Alexis Gentry
Price: From $9.
Alex Gentry is a lettering artist and Procreate brushmaker. She created this pack of brushes to compile her favorites for sketching and lettering. These brushes are great for creating a beautiful sketch to kick off your lettering projects. Depending on which you choose, you'll get unique effects.
This brush pack is small but mighty, with five brushes total and a bonus texture:
- Sketchy Dudes. This pencil brush produces nice, dark strokes with slightly textured edges.
- Calligraphite. A pencil brush with loose grain and soft connections when you apply light pressure.
- Pencil Pusher. A softer pencil brush that’s great for sketching your lettering pieces.
- Chicken Scratch. This brush has heavier strokes and a darker color for more refined sketches.
- Tom Tom Dry. A brush that looks like a real dry Tom Bow brush that's great for script lettering.
- Texture Brush. Use this bonus brush to create large areas of texture that you can combine with any of these brushes.
To push these brushes to the next level, use the texture brush to achieve a more realistic effect. When you layer the texture brush in all black on a separate layer and use the multiply blend mode, your brushes will take on that texture. Give it a try on your next project.
Grab the Sketchy Procreate Brush Pack here.
Procreate Pencil Case by Idle Letters
Price: From $18.
Loz Ives of Idle Letters is a designer, illustrator, and lettering artist. He created this brush pack to recreate the pencil case he always carries. Not only are these brushes great for sketching, but also great for drawing and finishing your final lettering pieces.
This brush pack comes with 34 brushes total across four categories:
- Sketchy. These brushes can be used for sketching and adding textured depth to your lettering.
- Inky. For when you want to add different edges and textures to your lettering and illustrations.
- Grainy. Use these brushes to add noise-filled shading and depth to your work.
- Stipply. More solid brushes for varied stippling noise detail.
As you can see, these brushes are great for all kinds of sketches and illustration styles. Loz encourages artists to experiment with these brushes in their work. Push the boundaries of your lettering and take advantage of the stylistic range these brushes offer.
Grab the Procreate Pencil Case by Idle Letters here.
Markers
Markers were among the first tools I used to create traditional lettering. The brushes in this section produce a variety of stroke effects, from nice, juicy strokes to the beauty of a marker that’s drying out. You’ll get all of the fun of experimenting with these without ever worrying about the ink running out.
Realistic Procreate Artist Markers Brush Set 12-Pack by Esther Nariyoshi
Price: From $21.
Esther Nariyoshi is a multidisciplinary freelance illustrator. She created these brushes using scans of actual brushes found in her studio. With them, you'll get realistic marker strokes that you can use to add outlines, layers, and texture to your lettering.
This brush pack comes with 12 brushes total across three categories:
- Fine Tip Brushes. These range from juicy for smooth, solid lines, to dry for more textured line work.
- Chisel Tip Brushes. Brushes range from juicy to streaky, providing bold strokes and a dry-brush texture, ideal for calligraphy.
- Textured Brushes. Use these brushes for creating cool color effects, rake textures, and scratchy lines.
Whether you’re trying to create visual interest with textures or use them to draw your letterforms, you can rely on this brush pack. They’re great for layering and blending, just like actual markers. If you're curious about them, see them in action with this brush demo.
Grab the Realistic Procreate Artists Markers Brush set here.
Chisel Brush for Procreate by Lettering Shop by EJ
Price: From $9.
EJ is a creative designer who is passionate about hand lettering. His love for traditional sign painting is reflected in this brush set, which mimics real chisel tip markers. If you're a fan of a refined, retro aesthetic, you'll love these brushes.
This brush pack comes with six brushes total and a bonus practice sheet:
- Chisel Worn & Dry. These brushes are great for simulating that out-of-ink texture.
- Chisel Soft. This brush has a soft texture and lower opacity to create an overlapping stroke color.
- Chisel Round. This brush has a slight oval shape, giving your stroke a rounder profile at the ends.
- Chisel Sharp & Sharp Worn. These brushes have sharp tips and vary in their ink flow.
- Chisel Practice Sheet. Use this to test out your brush strokes for capital letters.
These brushes are great for creating convincing chiseled strokes. One cool aspect of this brush pack is that you can adjust your stroke weight to control its visual impact. Don’t forget to overlap strokes to experiment with how the colors change.
Grab the Chisel Brush for Procreate here.
Marker Madness by Shout Bam Studio
Price: $21.
Shout Bam Studio is run by Jimbo Bernaus and Tea. This brush pack features realistic acrylic and alcohol markers. These types of markers are known for their dynamic color effects when layered and combined. You’ll enjoy using them to color your lettering and illustrations.
This massive brush pack comes with 37 brushes total and plenty of bonus resources:
- Alcohol & Acrylic Markers. These brushes are a mix of playful, vibrant, and great for blending.
- Inkers. Use these to add detail, precision, and texture to your lettering and illustrations.
- Paper & Artistic Seamless Textures Brushes. Give your work an extra dose of realism with these marker texture brushes.
- Vintage Lettering Tutorial. Follow their tutorial for creating a groovy 70s Lettering Style.
If you want to simulate a real-life marker for your lettering, this brush pack will start you in the right direction. The tutorial will guide you through creating a vintage lettering piece with these markers. Plus, you’ll get eight extra brushes for even more layered texture in your final piece.
Grab Marker Madness by Shout Bam Studio here.
Guides & Stamps
Having a strong foundation is key to your lettering. These brushes are used to help create letterforms and balanced lettering compositions. Whether you're a beginner or a pro at digital lettering, these will help you create beautiful lettering in a fraction of the time.
Lettering & Grid Builder by Ian Barnard and Stefan Kunz
Price: $28.49.
Ian Barnard and Stefan Kunz are designers and lettering artists. They’ve teamed up to create this lettering bundle to help lettering artists at all levels create consistent lettering and compositions.
This brush pack bundle comes with 35 unique letter and grid brushes:
- Letter Builder. Use these for building letterforms in a variety of styles.
- Grid Builder. Perfect to use for when you’re not sure where to start with your compositions.
Start by building your basic shapes, then add your own unique flair. Follow the center lines to help you arrange your grid on your canvas and complete your lettering piece.
Grab the Lettering & Grid Builder Bundle here.
Flourish Stamps for Procreate by Loveleigh Loops
Price: $19.
Twin sisters Jillian and Jordan are calligraphers and teachers for artists and hobbyists who want to learn calligraphy. Their brush stamps are unique because they help you take your calligraphy to the next level with expressive flourishes. If you’re struggling with how to add that last finishing touch to your strokes, this brush pack has you covered.
This brush pack bundle comes with over 60 brushes in eight different sets, plus bonuses:
- Entrance & Exit Flourishes. Use these for flourishes to start and finish your letter strokes.
- Ascender & Descender Flourishes. Add flourishes at the top and bottom of strokes.
- Decorative Flourishes. Give your flourishes extra flair.
- Flourish Guide. A 20-page user guide to help you reference flourishes and techniques.
These flourish guides are great to trace over and add to your own lettering or calligraphy. You can also use them as a base and add your own style too. Their included guide will offer extra tips to help you master the art of flourishing.
Grab the Flourish Stamps for Procreate here.
Bevel Letters Procreate Brushes & Stamps by Nico Ng
Price: $24.
Nico Ng is a multi-disciplinary designer, lettering artist, and creative entrepreneur. This combination of brushes and stamps was designed to help artists create beautiful bevel lettering. It’s a unique letter style with many complex cuts that can add dynamism to your design.
This brush pack features stamps and brushes for creating bevel lettering:
- Bevel Tools & Brushes. These include color-shade stamps, 3D filler brushes, and blender and grain brushes.
- Bevel Shade Stamps. Use these for adding depth to your bevel cuts.
- In-line Stamps. These are great for creating cuts and guiding your bevel faces.
- Bevel Letters Alphabet Guide. Refer to the alphabet guide to build your letters.
Using this brush pack will not only save you time, but you’ll also understand the structure of how to build consistent bevel letters every time. From color fills to shaders, Nico created everything you’ll need to add bevel lettering to your list of styles.
Grab Bevel Letters Procreate Brushes & Stamps here.
Script & Calligraphy
I’ve always loved script lettering and calligraphy. They were among the earliest styles I tried during the early days of exploration. The brushes in this section are pressure-sensitive, providing a clear contrast between thin and thick strokes based on the pressure you apply. With them, you can achieve a variety of different styles of script and calligraphy.
Procreate Brush Script Brushes & Worksheets by Ian Barnard
Price: $19.99.
Ian Barnard is a lettering artist and type designer. This brush set was designed to help artists create brush script without having to guess their strokes. To help with this, the pack comes with practice worksheets for uppercase, lowercase, and numerals.
This brush pack features 10 brushes, bonus textures, and practice sheets:
- Procreate Brushes. These brushes feature many textures and stroke dynamics that change with your pressure.
- Bonus Textures. Gold, silver, rose gold, and gradients add even more personality to your lettering piece.
- Practice Worksheets. Practice the foundational strokes for building your brush script letters and numerals.
If you're new to brush script, start with the practice stroke sheets. This will show you how each letter is created. You’ll also get access to uppercase and lowercase letter worksheets to put all of your skills together as you progress.
Grab the Procreate Brush Script Brushes & Worksheets here.
Lettering Brushes for Procreate by Ryan Hamrick
Price: $20.
Ryan Hamrick is a multidisciplinary artist and designer. This brush pack is an update to his original Procreate brush set, including even more brushes. It was created out of his own need for certain brushes as a professional artist, and he wanted to share them with other artists as well.
This brush pack features 21 brushes of different types:
- Pens. These brushes feature a rich level of character in their textures and details, from fine lines to bold strokes.
- Brushes. These brushes look like popular lettering tools, like felt-tip brush pens and bristly brushes.
- Inks. Available in a range of opacities for a variety of lettering pieces.
Thanks to this brush pack, you don't need to have all of the tools of a lettering artist on hand. It's a great mix of realistic tools and additional fun texture brushes. You'll find many similarities with traditional tools like brush pens and fine liners, plus a tonal brush for soft blends.
Grab the Lettering Brushes for Procreate here.
Procreate Blackletter Calligraphy by AlwaysBeColoring
Price: From $11.
Amy Frierson of AlwaysBeColoring is a lettering artist and type designer. This massive brush set includes flat pen brushes to help you create blackletter-style calligraphy, known for its historic style and personality.
This massive brush pack features over 70 brushes for blackletter and bonus resources:
- Ink brushes. These brushes feature different expressive line qualities.
- Color brushes. These brushes feature two colors for beautiful color transitions.
- Metallic & Rainbow brushes. These brushes are colorful and shimmery, adding detail to your letters.
- Texture brushes. These are a variety of gritty, rough, and dry-texture brushes for your lettering.
- Practice Worksheets. Five practice worksheets for learning how to build blackletter.
The practice sheets are helpful for knowing which direction to draw your strokes in, especially if you're a beginner. You can follow them for learning both uppercase and lowercase. Blackletter calligraphy might look serious, but you can infuse a lot of fun with your own style and use of color. My advice: learn the rules, and then bend them to your own creativity.
Grab the Procreate Blackletter Calligraphy brush pack here.
Beautiful Lettering Procreate Brush Set by Every Tuesday
Price: $15.
Teela Cunningham of Every-Tuesday is an artist, designer, and teacher sharing resources with thousands of students worldwide. Part of what makes these brushes special is that they're available in two formats. The practice brushes use color dynamics to show a difference between your upstrokes and downstrokes. Pro brushes are a single color and offer less stroke stabilization.
This brush pack features 24 brushes in practice and pro format:
- Smooth brushes. These brushes are great for applying even color throughout your strokes.
- Textured brushes. Use these brushes for their textured edges with sketch pencils, paint, crayons, and more.
- Monoweight brushes. These brushes are uniform with no weight variation when applying pressure.
A little practice goes a long way. The practice brushes are great to start with if you're still learning lettering in Procreate. Script is a great style because it offers clear connections that you can build on as you advance. You might even want to stick with the practice brushes because of their beautiful color variations.
Grab the Beautiful Lettering Procreate Brush Set here.
Monoline
Your lettering doesn't always have to have variation in its strokes. These brushes will give you a consistent line weight regardless of the amount of pressure you apply. They're great for modern script lettering and adding details to other styles of lettering.
Procreate Monoline Lettering Brushes by Nur Miftah
Price: From $14.
Nur Miftah is a 3D designer, illustrator, and lettering artist. This brush pack is great for using bold, bright colors. The neon effects and details inside select brushes give them unique properties. They also have you time with their built-in features.
This brush pack features over 20 brushes with bonus color swatches:
- Neon brushes. These brushes radiate energy around the edges of the strokes.
- Dotted inline. Use these for their built-in dot details within the strokes.
- Outline brushes. The dual strokes give you an instant outline stroke effect.
These monoline brushes are far from boring. They have strong character and personality in their details and stroke edges. Use them to create modern lettering, logo projects, and more.
Grab the Procreate Monoline Lettering Brushes here.
Procreate Block Lettering Brushset by Hewitt Avenue
Price: $12.
Sarah of Hewitt Avenue is a lettering artist and teacher. This brush set combines two monoline brushes and five block brushes. Bringing the two together is an intentional pairing that gives you a fun way to modernize and add details to your block lettering.
This brush pack features 11 brushes in three categories:
- Block brushes. The blocky brushes come in blocky, texture, watercolor, grit, and inlay.
- Monoline brushes. These two brushes are for adding inline details to your block lettering.
- Texture brushes. You'll have three texture brushes for adding bold, loose, and fuzzy detail to your lettering.
Even with seemingly simple lettering styles, there are many options. Blocky lettering is great for bold statements. The monoline brushes can be used on their own or as an added detail brush. Finish off your lettering with the texture brushes as a dynamic fill.
Grab the Procreate Block Lettering Brushset here.
Monoline Procreate Brush by Rachel Kick
Price: From $12.
Rachel Kick is a hand-lettering artist with a love for creating authentic handwritten fonts and digital brushes. These brushes come in smooth and textured versions, perfect for both lettering and illustrations, depending on the feel you want for your piece.
This brush pack features two brushes:
- Smooth brush. Use this brush for a smooth, even fill and easy flow.
- Textured brush. This brush is for jittery, crunchy textures for your strokes.
You can try these brushes in a variety of weights to achieve different effects in your lettering piece. Perfect for complementary illustrations as well, you'll unify the overall look when combining both versions of brushes.
Grab the Monoline Procreate Brush here.
Texture & Effects Brushes
These brushes transform lettering into embroidery, 3D, mosaics, and more. Through the magic of the Procreate Brush Engine, your lettering can look like almost anything you can imagine. You might make your audience do a double-take.
Textile Lettering by Aurelie Maron
Price: From $16.
Aurelie Maron is a lettering artist and teacher, known for her highly detailed work. These amazing textile lettering brushes feel true to their name. Use them to create realistic fabric, stitching, and embroidery effects that deepen the detail in your work.
This brush pack features 25 brushes, 25 shapes, and 12 color palettes:
- Brush set. Use these brushes for creating realistic stitches, textures, and detailed linework.
- Shape set. Trace these shapes to help you create your compositions and complementary illustrations.
- 12 color palettes. Find a seasonal color palette to finish off your embroidery lettering piece.
Let the brushes in this set do the work with the wide variety of stitch types, realistic fabric textures, and embellishments. Simply tap to add flares, studs, and rhinestones to your work to make it look more authentic. If you want to learn even more about this type of lettering, enroll in Aurelie's masterclass.
Grab the Textile Lettering brush set here.
3D Gradient Lettering Brushes by iPad Lettering
Price: $6.
Karin Newport of iPad Lettering is a software developer, lettering artist, and graphic designer who loves to create brush lettering and modern calligraphy. If you want an all-in-one 3D effect, these brushes are great for saving time. The color effects in these brushes will make your lettering pop off the screen.
This brush pack features three brushes for creating 3D lettering:
- Gradient Lettering Outline. A brush that creates an opposite color outline built in, and a moderate amount of pressure sensitivity.
- Gradient Lettering Smooth. A smooth version of the outline brush with no outline.
- Gradient Lettering Round. Has a rounder nib at the end to create a deeper 3D effect with higher pressure sensitivity.
The secret behind these brushes is that once you choose two colors, the brush will automatically create a transition that makes it look 3D. If you're looking for more variation in your strokes, go with the Gradient Lettering Round brush. Try different color combinations to create different levels of 3D intensity.
Grab the 3D Gradient Lettering Brushes here.
Fauxsaics Illustration Kit for Procreate by Molly Suber Thorpe
Price: $24.
Molly Suber Thorpe designs custom lettering for brands and teaches thousands of lettering artists worldwide. These highly-detailed brushes will help you with a combination of pens, patterns, and textures to create realistic fauxsaic illustrations. As the name suggests, you'll create stunning work that looks just like mosaic floor tile.
This massive brush pack features 72 brushes for fauxsaic illustration:
- Tile row brushes. Draw lines of tiles with ease, ranging from rounded to sharp tile edges.
- Tile painting brushes. Use these brushes to create a hand-colored paint effect on your tiles.
- Tile cutting brushes. Create your own unique patterns and designs for lettering and illustrations.
You can create and color over 30 different types of fauxsaic tile with this brush pack. If you're not sure where to start, Molly includes six layered fauxsaic files that you can use for reference and inspiration. To see them in action, watch this tutorial and demo.
Grab the Fauxsaics Illustration Kit for Procreate here.
3D Letters Toolkit for Procreate by Aurelie Maron
Price: From $14.
Aurelie Maron is a lettering artist and teacher, known for her highly detailed work. Adding dimension to your lettering is a great way to make it pop and stand out from the screen. And although they're fun, creating 3D letters can be tricky. Thankfully, this brush set makes it simple.
This massive brush pack features 10 brushes, six textures, and colour palettes:
- Shader brushes. Add shading to deepen the 3D effect of your lettering.
- Monoline brushes. These brushes are great for outlining your lettering with their even weight.
- Pattern & texture brushes. Take your lettering to the next level with convincing textures.
- Colour palettes. Enjoy four different color palettes to inspire your lettering piece.
Not sure where to start? You can also reference the handy alphabet guide that's included in this toolkit for inspiration, along with the color palettes. To learn even more tips and techniques, enroll in Aurelie's 3D Letters Masterclass.
Grab the 3D Letters Toolkit for Procreate here.
Chalk Brushes
Chalk is a beautiful medium for creating lettering and illustration. With Procreate, you can enjoy the beauty of chalk without any of the dust or cleanup.
Procreate Chalk Brush Set by Jenteva Art
Price: From $21.
Jen Teva is an illustrator and brush maker who shares her resources and tutorials on social media. With this brush pack, you can easily achieve chalk lettering of different grains. Use them for sketching, smudging, and adding interesting details to your chalk lettering and illustrations.
This brush pack features 11 brushes and bonus canvas textures:
- Chalk brushes. Enjoy a variety of chalk types and textures to give your lettering unique qualities.
- Smudge brush. Soften the edges of your chalk lettering and smooth out your strokes.
- Sketch brush. Layout your sketch for your chalk lettering before applying effects.
- Canvas texture files. Add to the realism of your piece by layering these files behind your artwork.
Using a combination of chalk brushes from this set will help add visual interest to your lettering. They're also great for creating delicate and playful illustrations around your lettering. See Jen's demo of the brush pack in Procreate.
Grab the Procreate Chalk Brush Set here.
Chalk Brushes for Procreate by Shauna Lynn Panczyszyn
Price: From $15.
Shauna Lynn Panczyszyn is a hand-lettering artist, illustrator, and talented brushmaker. She spent months developing these brushes, and it shows. These chalk brushes are loaded with authentic textures and effects that layer well.
This brush pack features 25 brushes and bonus chalkboard files:
- Chalk brushes. Enjoy a variety of chalk textures ranging from pencils to dust and grain.
- Chalkboards. With 27 chalkboard files, you'll be able to create convincing mockups of your chalk lettering.
This brush pack perfectly captures the fun and whimsy of using chalk. The chalkboard files come in different colors and shades, so you can choose the look you want. Don't hesitate to combine multiple brushes in different colors in a single piece to see how they layer.
Grab the Chalk Brushes for Procreate here.
Procreate Brush Set: Chalky Brush Set by Cynlop Ink
Price: $13.
Cynthia López of Cynlop Ink is a lettering artist, brushmaker, and creator of digital goods. In this brush set, you'll find four lettering brush types, each with a fun effect. I love that she also included dust brushes to create a more realistic chalkboard effect.
This brush pack features 13 brushes across three categories:
- Lettering brushes. Great for a variety of lettering styles like block, script, and brush.
- Dust brushes. Three chalk-dust brushes give your work a more authentic, smudged look.
- Liner/Illustration brushes. Choose from different texture chalk brushes like smooth, gritty, faded, and heavy.
You'll never run out of ways to enjoy these brushes. Try the dust brushes as a small way to make a big impact on your final piece. Cynthia also included three chalkboard backgrounds for you to push your lettering over the edge when you're ready to mock it up.
Grab the Procreate Brush Set: Chalk Brush Set here.
Inkers & Liners
Inking your lettering or illustrations can help them feel more defined and finished. This is where inkers and liners come in. They're great for creating borders, expressive strokes, and details for your lettering pieces.
Ink Lettering Brushes for Procreate by Katsia Jazwinska
Price: From $12.
Katsia Jazwinska is an illustrator and brush maker. These brushes look like some of the most realistic ink brushes I've seen. Their texture and consistent variation in tones, edges, and weights make for a fun drawing experience. The splash brushes will add more realistic details around your lettering.
This brush pack features four ink brushes and two splash brushes:
- Ink brushes. Create beautiful lettering with these pressure-sensitive brushes featuring rough edges and varied opacities.
- Splash brushes. Great for adding more realistic details to your inky lettering.
You don't need a lot to make creating with these brushes feel special. As you use them, you'll see that you'll never get the same stroke twice. Play with the pressure you apply to give your letterforms unique characteristics.
Grab the Ink Lettering Brushes for Procreate here.
Dead Head by Idle Letters
Price: From $16.
Loz Ives of Idle Letters is a designer, illustrator, and lettering artist. Your work will have more personality and texture as you experiment with this brush pack. Each brush category contains multiple brushes to create work with greater depth and character.
This brush pack has over 20 brushes across five categories:
- Sketch. Great for sketching and creating quick thumbnails.
- Ink. For outlining and inking your work with personality.
- Shade. Add depth to your lettering and illustrations.
- Texture. Use to add extra grit with four extra brushes for large areas.
- Halftone. Six different brushes of varying density to add depth to your work.
Lettering, illustration, and calligraphy are perfect to create with these brushes. Try layering the brushes for interesting and fun results that look like traditional materials. If you like what you create after using them, include the hashtag deadheadbrushes on social media!
Grab the Dead Head Procreate Brushes here.
Inky Lettering Procreate Brush Pack by Molly Suber Thorpe
Price: $17.
Molly Suber Thorpe designs custom lettering for brands and teaches thousands of lettering artists worldwide. These brushes come in different types to create inky, paint-inspired lettering. You'll even see some markers to round out the pack.
This brush pack has 12 brushes across five categories:
- Watercolor brushes. Create with different pressure sensitivities and watercolor brush effects for calligraphy.
- Marker brushes. Try ombré, dry, and smooth marker strokes for your letters.
- Magic paint brushes. The slower you write with these, the smoother and bolder your strokes.
- Smudge brush. Use this brush to add extra watery texture to edges and stroke overlaps.
- Eraser brush. Erase with precision strokes to refine any brush.
These brushes have unique characteristics that set them apart from the others on this list. Inspired by the fluid medium of watercolor, you get inky, textured strokes, minus the mess. It's also cool to see the subtle ombré effects that take them to the next level. To see the brushes up close, check out Molly's brush pack demo.
Grab the Inky Lettering Procreate Brush Pack here.
Texturrific Liners by Bardot Brush
Price: $12.
Lisa Bardot of Bardot Brush is an illustrator who creates digital art tutorials and premium Procreate brushes. These brushes come in different textures for creating interesting linework and fills. Use them to give your work more dimension and life.
This brush pack has 14 brushes and an installation guide:
- Looser grain brushes. This includes brushes like Waxed, Pepper, Burlap, Rugged, Spotty, and Linen.
- Tighter grain brushes. This includes brushes like Gritty, Freckled, and Cracklin’.
- Smooth brushes. This includes brushes like Round Grain and Tulle.
Using these liner brushes can add interesting toothy texture to your lettering, as borders, or fill for your letters. You can even layer them to add more unique details. Watch Lisa demo the brushes for Procreate.
Grab the Texturrific Liners here.
FAQ
Do I need to have experience with traditional lettering before I start digital lettering?
No. You can start in lettering as a digital artist even if you've never used traditional materials. While starting with traditional materials can be helpful, there are many resources for digital lettering. If you're thinking of switching from traditional to digital lettering, use this helpful guide.
Can I use free brushes to create high-quality lettering?
Yes. Free and paid brushes can both produce high-quality lettering in Procreate. If you're not ready to invest in brush packs for your lettering, there are plenty of free options. These are some high-quality free Procreate brushes that we recommend.
How do I organize my brushes in Procreate?
When you import brushes into Procreate, they're organized into Libraries. These can be reorganized, favorite brushes can be pinned, and you can search for brushes by name. The Procreate Handbook is a great resource for exploring ways to keep your brushes in order.
Is investing in an iPad worth it for lettering?
The iPad is a powerful tool for digital artists of all disciplines, not just lettering. Procreate is one of the most popular digital art programs among lettering artists and has dedicated lettering brushes in its library. And you don't have to break the bank. Consider a refurbished iPad and Apple Pencil to get started.
What is StreamLine, and what does it do for my Procreate brushes?
StreamLine is a helpful stroke stabilization feature. For lettering artists, it gives you more control over your brush strokes in Procreate. This gives your lettering a tighter, cleaner look with less stroke variation. A variety of tutorials are available for Procreate to help you master the program.
Final thoughts
When I started lettering in Procreate in 2017, it changed everything. I started as a letter-obsessed artist who just wanted to have fun, and Procreate helped me expand my skills and set me on the path of becoming a professional freelance lettering artist.
Start with sketch brushes for thumbnails, move to script or markers for finished work, and experiment with texture brushes once you're comfortable.
If you want even more brushes, sign up for the Paperlike newsletter, where I feature three new brushpacks every month to stay on top of the world of digital brushes.
