Want to draw faster, smoother, and with less frustration? These 2025 drawing hacks will level up your workflow.
Don’t worry, we aren’t going to roll out the same old generic drawing hacks. We’ve got a fresh set of tips and tricks for iPad and Apple Pencil users who want to begin (or improve) their creative workflows.
So if you want to learn how to edit your artwork without undoing it, find the most realistic pencil-on-paper experience for iPad, and draw symmetrical faces, stick around.
By the way, we’re going to focus on tips for Procreate and Photoshop on iPad, but we’ll also let you know which other apps support each hack.
- Psst… Check out our guide to the 8 best drawing apps for iPad users.
Use layers for outlines and first drafts
Works in: Procreate, Photoshop, Adobe Fresco, Sketchbook, Concepts, Infinite Painter
Layers are like transparent sheets of paper. You can split a single drawing into a gazillion layers and still see the entire artwork, provided the layers aren’t hidden.
In a drawing app like Procreate, you get a certain number of layers based on the RAM — the memory that runs apps and responds to your input — in your iPad and the size of the canvas.
You can use layers to sketch your ideas and, once you’re ready to take a second pass at your digital drawing, hide and reveal the sketch layer to get your proportions right. It’s a great way to remember finer details and refine your artwork.
How to do it
It’s simple enough, especially in Procreate and Photoshop.
- In Procreate: Tap the Layers icon in the top right corner (it looks like two overlapping boxes). In the Layers Panel, press the + button to add a new layer. See the check box next to each layer? When you’re ready to hide or reveal a layer, press that box.
- In Photoshop: This drawing hack pretty much works the same in Photoshop. To create a layer, tap the Layers icon in the taskbar and press the + sign to create a new layer. Draw your sketch, open a new layer, and use the first layer to guide your drawing. When you’re ready to get rid of the sketch, tap the layers icon and toggle off the eye icon next to the layer.
Pro tip
Here’s a pro drawing hack for Procreate and Photoshop — the position of your layers will make all the difference. The order in which the layers are stacked determines what shows up on your canvas.
Basically, the layer at the top of the stack is the most visible. Let’s say you draw a big black ball on the top layer. If the ball covers the same space as any of the content on the other layers, that content won’t be visible.
Draw within the lines
Works in: Procreate, Photoshop, Affinity Designer, Adobe Fresco, Sketchbook, and MediBang Paint
Masks are an essential drawing hack for digital artists. In the digital world, masks function a lot like masking tape. They allow you to define areas and draw within those lines.
In practice, masks help with non-destructive editing, a type of editing that preserves the existing work you’ve done while enabling you to make changes and add edits.
Here are some things you can do with masks:
- Redo complicated sections, like hair or fabric
- Color without going outside the lines
- Blend layers
- Place text, images, and other content inside specific areas
- Apply textures and effects
Speaking of coloring inside the lines, you might like our list of the best coloring apps for iPad.
How to do it
Here’s how masks work in both apps:
- In Procreate: Create a new layer and make sure it’s positioned above the layer you’re masking. Tap the new layer, and the Layer Options menu will appear. Select Clipping Mask. This type of mask is like a stencil — it only applies to the area already painted on the layer directly below it.
- In Photoshop: In the Layers Panel, tap the top layer of a pair of layers you want to group. When the menu pops up, select Layer and press Create Clipping Mask.
Pro tip
Some iPad drawing apps have more types of masks than others. For instance, Procreate has Clipping Mask and Alpha Lock.
- Clipping Mask: A non-destructive option that allows you to make changes without damaging the original artwork.
- Alpha Lock: A destructive layer that locks the original content in the layer it’s applied to. When you add details, you’re adding them to your existing artwork.
Get a matte screen protector
Works with: Any tablet
We’ve all heard of screen protectors, but matte screen protectors are much more common in the digital art world. Paper-feel protectors are even more common, offering artists an avenue to enjoy the traditional feel of pencil on paper with all the workflow benefits of an iPad.
Best matte screen protector
Our pick is Rock Paper Pencil.
- Easy to install
- Reusable
- Apple Pencil tips included
Rock Paper Pencil stands out from the crowd because it’s the only matte screen protector that comes with stainless steel, ballpoint Apple Pencil tips.
A realistic pen-on-paper feeling could be just what you need to catapult your digital art to the next level. After all, it reduces wrist strain, is built for heavy-duty drawing, and makes the transition from analog to digital artwork much easier.
Experiment with new techniques without damaging your artwork
Works in: Procreate, Photoshop, Affinity Photo
Digital drawing apps like Procreate and Photoshop are great for people who want to experiment. Luckily, you can flex your creative muscles without ruining your existing artwork — you just need to duplicate it.
Granted, this is one of the simplest drawing hacks on our list, but learning how to duplicate layers is one of the most time-effective things you can do. Once you know how to copy a layer, you can experiment with new techniques without damaging your artwork permanently.
How to do it
- In Procreate: Open the Layers Panel, swipe the layer you want to duplicate to the left, and select Duplicate.
- In Photoshop: Open the Layers Panel and drag the layer you want to duplicate to the New Layer icon.
Pro tip
Apple Pencil has a feature called Gestures that allows you to streamline your workflow. Certain movements — like tapping your iPad with three fingers — act as shortcuts.
Here’s how you can use Gestures for this drawing hack:
- In Procreate: Perform a three-finger swipe down on the canvas you want to duplicate > select Duplicate from the Copy & Paste menu.
Get some perspective
Works in: Procreate, Photoshop, Clip Studio Paint, Krita, Infinite Painter, ibisPaint, Sketchbook, and any other worthwhile digital drawing app
Let’s not forget non-technical drawing hacks. This is one of my favorites because I’ve fallen victim to it a hundred times.
Picture this: you’ve just spent hours perfecting your digital drawing, but to your dismay, something seems off. In all likelihood, the problem is that you’ve spent hours staring at a screen and have become oblivious to small mistakes.
It’s a good idea to flip your canvas horizontally or vertically throughout, just to make sure everything looks right.
How to do it
- In Procreate: Tap actions > press Canvas > choose Flip Horizontally or Flip Vertically.
- In Photoshop: Tap the Move Tool icon > press Flip Horizontal or Flip Vertical.
Pro tip
Most digital art apps have this feature, but it might be listed under “Canvas”, “Image”, or “Transform” in different apps.
Add existing artwork to different canvases
Works in: Procreate, Photoshop, Adobe Fresco, Sketchbook, ibisPaint X
This drawing hack follows on from the last one. Now that you know how to duplicate layers, you can add existing elements to new canvases. It’s a nifty hack that eliminates the need to save and import artwork from the same app.
It’s a prime example of why it’s prudent to keep different elements on separate layers. If all your artwork is on one layer, you won’t be able to duplicate individual elements and add them to other canvases.
How to do it
Here’s how to do it in Procreate:
- Go to the canvas with the artwork you want to duplicate
- Tap the Layers icon to open the Layers panel
- Select and hold the layer* you want to move > drag it out of the Layers panel
- While still holding the layer, press the Gallery button in the top left corner
- Tap the thumbnail of the canvas you want to insert your artwork into
- Select the Layers icon and drop the layers into the panel
💡 To drag multiple layers at once, swipe right on them to select them, then drag the stack.
And Photoshop:
- Go to the canvas with the artwork you want to duplicate
- Tap the Task Bar icon in the lower right corner of your screen and tap Copy
- Go to your new canvas
- Select the Layers Panel > press the + button > choose Paste as New Layer
Once that’s done, you can use the Transform Tool to reposition and resize your artwork.
Pro tip
If you only need to copy and paste part of your artwork in Photoshop, use the lasso tool.
Get a reference point
Works in: Procreate
Procreate’s Reference Companion feature allows you to zoom in and focus on minuscule details while also getting a broad view of your overall artwork.
Once you activate Reference Companion, a box will appear. It contains the artwork you’re currently working on — this is the broad view we’re talking about. You can still move and draw on your original canvas as usual, giving you a unique vantage point to make minor but significant changes.
How to do it
In Procreate:
- Tap the Actions icon in the top left corner
- Select Canvas
- Toggle Reference on
You can resize the image and pinch the screen to make it fill the entire box.
Pro tip
Procreate’s Reference Companion has three options:
- Canvas: Shows the canvas.
- Image: Allows you to import images.
- Face: Opens the camera and allows you to paint on your face.
Create symmetrical faces
Works in: Procreate, Photoshop, Adobe Fresco, Sketchbook, and more
Wobbly lines might have been endearing when I was ten, but now they’re not so appealing.
The good news is that you don’t need to have a super steady hand to create symmetrical faces, because Procreate and Photoshop will do it for you. Whether you’re drawing a shape, face, or building, you can get symmetrical features every single time.
How to do it
- In Procreate: Tap Actions > press Drawing Guides > select the Symmetry button at the bottom of the screen.
Once you open Symmetry, Procreate will show you the Vertical Symmetry Guide by default. It appears as opaque lines over your canvas, and you can drag the nodes to adjust the position of your grid lines.
As well as Vertical, you can choose from Horizontal, Quadrant, and Radial Symmetry.
- In Photoshop: Choose any brush tool > open the symmetry menu > choose a symmetry type.
There are five types of symmetry in Photoshop for iPad: Vertical, Horizontal, Diagonal, Radial, and Mandala.
Pro tip
Even though this is a great drawing hack, faces that are too symmetrical can look a bit off. To make your art look hand-drawn and authentic, we recommend toggling Symmetry Mode off every now and then to add unsymmetrical details.
Create your own textures
Works in: Procreate, Photoshop, Adobe Fresco, Affinity Designer, ibis Paint, and more
Textures can elevate your digital drawings to a new level, transforming them from bland to eye-catching.
How to do it
There are a few ways to add texture in Procreate, but here are the most effective.
Insert a textured photo as a background
- Search the web for a texture that’ll make your illustration pop
- Go to your canvas
- Tap Actions > press Add > choose Insert a Photo
- Resize it to cover the whole canvas
- Open the Layers Panel > set to Multiply > reduce the Opacity to 50%
Good to know: You must keep the textured layer at the top of your Layer Panel. That way, anything else you draw will be affected by it.
Use a textured brush
The next option is to use a brush. Luckily, Procreate has a wide and varied brush catalog that already includes textured brushes. The Textures collection has loads of interesting brushes, like Wood, Grunge, and Rectango.
As for Photoshop, the process is pretty much the same. Many of the digital art apps available on iPad come with textured brushes, but none have quite as many as Procreate.
Pro tip
Here are a few textures you might want to add to your next digital illustration:
- Acrylic paint
- Paper
- Watercolor
- Sketchbook paper
- Sand
Batch export your art
Works in: Procreate, Adobe Fresco
This drawing hack is less about digital drawing and more about the admin tasks that come along with it.
Once you’ve finished your artwork, you’ll no doubt want to show your adoring fans. But first, you have got to export it. Exporting can be a pain, especially with larger, high-resolution canvases. And you never know when an export is going to finish: you have to stay close by to your iPad so you can start the next export.
The simplest way to solve this problem is to batch export all your artwork at once.
How to do it
Here’s how to batch export multiple canvases in Procreate:
- Open the Procreate Gallery
- Tap the Select button in the top right corner
- Select all the canvases you want to export
- Press the Share button
- Choose your preferred file format
- Select a destination for the files
Unfortunately, there’s no bulk export option for the iPadOS Photoshop app, but this feature is available on the desktop version.
Did you know? Astropad Studio allows you to mirror your desktop to your iPad. In simple terms, this means that you can access all the features in your favorite desktop drawing app while working on your iPad.
Final thoughts
No one said that digital drawing is easy and, if you’re anything like me, you can go months without feeling like you’ve made progress. I tend to believe in the rule of three: three days to really get to grips with a new tool, three weeks to see my work improve because of it, and three months until it’s integrated into my workflow so seamlessly that I don’t remember life without it.
What I’m saying is, the smallest drawing hacks can make a big difference to your digital workflow. Who knows, you might even break through a nasty case of creative block.
One tool that can boost your chances of success is Rock Paper Pencil.
We’ve already gone through the ins and outs of this unique iPad accessory — did we mention that it’s the only paper-feel iPad accessory that comes with a matte screen protector and Apple Pencil tips? — so we’ll let you decide whether you want a realistic pencil on paper drawing experience.
