Creating a Digital Art Portrait with Procreate (6-Hour Workshop)

Learn how to draw and paint on your iPad using the Procreate app with our Graphic Design Courses in Sydney!

You’ll learn how to create a finished digital portrait of a person or a beloved pet using the Procreate app. This workshop introduces the fundamentals of digital illustration in a clear, supportive way, showing how accessible and creatively freeing portrait-making on an iPad can be. You’ll gain confidence using Procreate’s tools while developing skills in drawing, colour, and digital workflow that can be applied to future projects.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:

• Confidently navigate the Procreate interface and core tools
• Set up a canvas correctly for print
• Use layers, brushes, and colour effectively in digital artwork
• Develop a portrait from reference images, building form and likeness
• Add detail, texture, and expressive colour to a digital portrait
• Prepare and export a finished artwork ready for printing and framing

Course content

What will be covered in this course?

This is a one-day, 6-hour immersive workshop with no prior knowledge of Procreate required, making it ideal as an introduction or taster for further digital art courses.

The session begins with a guided introduction to Procreate, including the interface, essential tools, and canvas setup. Participants then work step-by-step through the portrait-making process, starting with sketching from reference images and progressing through building form, refining features, and adding colour, texture, and detail.

Throughout the day, demonstrations are followed by hands-on practice, with individual guidance provided to support different skill levels. The workshop concludes with preparing the final artwork for print, covering resolution, sizing, and exporting files so participants leave with a print-ready digital portrait.

Intended audience

Who is this workshop for?

This workshop is suitable for adults of all experience levels, including complete beginners with no prior digital drawing experience. It is ideal for anyone interested in digital art, illustration, portraiture, or learning Procreate for the first time. Participants will need access to an iPad with the Procreate app installed; an Apple Pencil or compatible stylus is strongly recommended.

Course venue

Rozelle Campus

2A Gordon Street, Rozelle NSW 2039 (corner of Gordon St & Victoria Rd on the grounds of St. Joseph's Church)

Course materials

What to bring to class

• Students need to bring an iPad and an Apple pencil. See the list below for compatible iPads.
• Students need to download the Procreate app (the approximate price of app-only is $14.99 AUD available from the App Store).
• Please make sure all devices are fully charged and also bring a charger to class.
• A pen and notepad for taking notes.

Additional information

Please note the following:

You can use Apple Pencil (2nd generation) with these iPad models: 

• iPad mini (6th generation)
• iPad Air (4th generation and later)
• iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation and later)
• iPad Pro 11-inch (1st generation and later)

Apple Pencil (1st generation)

You can use Apple Pencil (1st generation) with these iPad models:

• iPad mini (5th generation)
• iPad (6th generation and later)
• iPad Air (3rd generation)
• iPad Pro 12.9-inch (1st and 2nd generation)
• iPad Pro 10.5-inch
• iPad Pro 9.7-inch