My Top 5 Go-To Procreate Brushes

For nearly 5 years, Procreate has been my go-to app for illustration, creative photo edits, animation, and more. Amidst the multitude of brushes I've tried and tested, from the freebies bundled with the app to the brushes I've collected, a select few have consistently stood out as my favourites.

So, let's delve into my top 5.

1: Script Brush

Included in Procreate's initial brush library, the Script Brush is a pressure-sensitive gem, perfect for creating smooth, clean lines. This brush mimics the feel of drawing with gel pens or markers, making it my trusty favourite for a variety of tasks, from line art to filling out colour, detailing, and lettering.

2: 6B Pencil

Another member of Procreate's brush family, the 6B Pencil is a textured charm that has an uncanny resemblance to genuine pencil marks. It’s my virtual sketching go-to, mimicking that joyful feeling of scribbling ideas on paper. Beyond sketching, it's a personal favourite for adding textured line-art to finished illustrations.

3: Dry Ink

Dry Ink, also included in Procreate's free brushes, holds a special place in my creative toolbox. While it doesn't have the exact look or feel of real markers I love it’s more subtle texture. It’s great for adding depth to blocks of colour that might otherwise look flat or for adding textured details to lettering.

4: Perfect Watercolour

My search for authentic paint-like brushes led me to countless disappointments – until I stumbled upon the Ultimate Brush Toolbox - Waterolor by Nathan Brown. This download pack includes 34+ brushes, my favourite of which is the ‘Perfect Watercolour’ brush. Pressure-sensitive and semi-transparent, it adds a delicate wash of colour to your canvas that gradually gains opacity with each layer, really capturing the look and feel of painting with watercolours or water based gouache paints. This one is a must have for any gouache or watercolour artist who are looking to build up their Digital brush library.

5: Dark Wax

I personally love the textured graininess of wax crayons and coloured pencils on paper, and outside of Procreate this is the look I love my work to have. The Dark Wax brush translates this buildable texture remarkably well onto my digital canvas. Responsive to pressure, it mirrors a genuine crayon feel, looking great with both dark and vibrant colours. I found this gem on Etsy as part of this Wax Crayon Brushes for Procreate pack, and once again it is a must for artists who are looking to build out their Procreate brush library with brushes that really mimic the tools they use in their work.

Discovering the perfect Procreate brushes isn't just about collecting and downloading a set of tools; it's an exploration of how these tools align with your creative style on and off the digital canvas. If you're eager to dive deeper into the realm of Procreate brushes, how tailor them to your unique style, and manage your brush library, make sure to watch my Procreate Brushes 101 Youtube guide where I walk your through everything you need to know about Procreate brushes.