iPad Drawing Starter Kit

Drawing apps and iPad settings change over time, and names vary between apps. Use this as a general guide and look for the equivalent options in your app and device.

What You Need

• An iPad that supports a stylus (check your model's compatibility)

• A compatible stylus (e.g. Apple Pencil or another supported pen)

• A drawing app with layers and adjustable brushes. Many free and paid options exist; pick one and stick with it for a month while you learn.

• Optional: a matte screen protector for a more paper-like feel, and a stand to angle your iPad.

Part 1: Setup and Settings

iPad settings to check

• Pencil settings: in your iPad's settings, look for the Pencil section. Check options like double-tap behaviour (often set to switch between brush and eraser) and whether "Only draw with Apple Pencil" (or similar) is on, so your palm doesn't make marks.

• Brightness: keep it comfortable. Very bright screens can make colors look different on other devices.

• Do Not Disturb / Focus: turn on while drawing so notifications don't interrupt you.

• Storage: drawing files with many layers can be large. Keep some space free and back up your work.

App settings to check

• Canvas size: for practice, a standard screen-size canvas is fine. For printing, use a larger canvas at a higher resolution (300 DPI is a common print standard).

• Pressure curve: most apps let you adjust how pressure affects line thickness. If lines are too thick when you press lightly, make the curve softer. Draw a few test strokes and tweak.

• Gestures: learn the common ones in your app, such as two-finger tap to undo and three-finger tap to redo (check your app's gesture settings).

• Palm support: turn on if your app offers it.

• Autosave and backups: check how your app saves, and export important pieces regularly.

Set up your workspace

• Sit comfortably with the iPad angled toward you.

• Take a break every 30–45 minutes to rest your eyes and hand.

• Rotate the canvas with two fingers to get a comfortable drawing angle, like turning paper.

Part 2: Brushes

You don't need hundreds of brushes. Start with five and learn them well.

Brush tips

• Streamline / stabilisation: many inking brushes have a smoothing setting. A little helps wobbly lines; too much makes drawing feel laggy.

• Size and opacity sliders: most apps have quick sliders on the side of the screen. Practice adjusting them without looking.

• Make favourites: put your five brushes in one set or folder for quick access.

• Test page: keep a canvas where you try every new brush on the same squiggle, shading patch, and line.

Part 3: Layers in 60 Seconds

• Layers are like transparent sheets. Draw different parts on different layers.

• Sketch → line → color → shading on separate layers keeps things editable.

• Lower opacity of your sketch layer to use it as a guide.

• Clipping/clipping mask: paint only inside the shapes on the layer below.

• Alpha lock / lock transparency: paint only on existing pixels.

• Name your layers. Future you will thank you.

Part 4: Five Warm-Up Exercises (10 Minutes Total)

Do these before each drawing session. Warming up helps your hand and eye work together, just like stretching before a run.

1. Line Ladder (2 minutes)

Draw parallel straight lines down the page, trying to keep them evenly spaced. Then do the same with curved lines. Use your elbow and shoulder, not just your wrist. Don't undo; just keep going.

2. Dot-to-Dot (2 minutes)

Scatter 10 dots across the canvas. Connect pairs with straight lines, ghosting (hovering above the screen and practicing the motion) two or three times before each stroke. Aim to hit the second dot exactly.

3. Circles and Ellipses (2 minutes)

Fill a row with circles of the same size, drawn in one smooth motion. Then draw ellipses getting gradually flatter, like looking at the top of a cup from different angles. Try to keep them symmetrical.

4. Pressure Ramp (2 minutes)

Draw a long stroke that starts very light and thin, gets heavy and thick in the middle, and fades out at the end. Repeat 10 times. Then try waves: light-heavy-light-heavy. This trains your pressure control.

5. One-Minute Object (2 minutes)

Pick an object near you. Set a one-minute timer and draw it using simple shapes. Then do it again with a new object. Quick, loose, no erasing.

Warm-Up Tracker

Beginner Tips

• Undo less. Leaving imperfect lines helps you learn faster.

• Zoom out often. It's easy to get lost in detail. Check the whole picture.

• Flip the canvas horizontally to spot mistakes in proportions.

• Save your first drawings. Compare them in a month; the progress is motivating.

• Draw from life and from reference you have permission to use.

Sample product from a Fora-made demo creator page.