The intent of this paper is to write an app review. I will be reviewing the app Procreate. This paper will be broken up into four different parts. I will describe how I found out about the app. I will describe what this program does for the costs of it. I will describe in what way I learned how to use it and whether or not it was intuitive. I will finally describe whether or not I foresee using this in my future classroom. I will also attach on the last page artwork I have made using the app alone.
Pt 1. – How I found out about Procreate. After fiddling around with digital mediums like photography and videography, I thought it was time to create on a digital sketchpad which is what procreate enables. There are a couple of free drawing apps out there, which I did download and try out; however, I found out through my network all the digital artists were (and still are) raving about Procreate. It did take me awhile to finally download it because there is a fee of $ 9.99 charge for the app.
Pt 2. – What does this Procreate do? Procreate is an iPad app that allows creators to digitally sketch with the apple pencil. When a sketch is complete, the work gets compiled into a gallery like format where one can further organize work into groups for ease of reference later. For example: all my quick warm up figure gestures are all in one category. When I finally committed to downloading the app, I realized the $9.99 charge is well worth it! The app can be geared toward your everyday doodeler or professional level artist. One can illustrate, sketch, paint, make stickers, make animated GIFs and so much more. There is a wide variety of, but not limited to, pencils, pens, paint brushes, elements: hair, water, ice, and tree textures to choose from. Creators can even import/create their own tools to design with.
Pt 3. – I will describe in what ways I learned how to use it and whether it was intuitive. The app and all its features are intuitive. Overall, I would say it is appropriately user friendly and does not take a lot of knowledge to sit in create a simple sketch. However, when creating an integrate piece some knowledge of the layering system that we see from Photoshop and Lightroom would be beneficial. Because I have knowledge from Photoshop and Lightroom a lot of the knowledge that is needed for Procreate transfers over. I have found myself looking to YouTube, articles, along with Pinterest to find easier ways to do things and backdoor routes to creating different works of art. In my opinion procreate is less overwhelming than Lightroom and Photoshop just because of its simplistic user phase. I do believe someone else using this app for the first time who has no knowledge of Lightroom, Photoshop or any digital program would have a fairly easy time figuring it out. Just like any medium one must practice it to flourish. I would compare a first user using this app to anyone sitting down with charcoal for the first time, you have to sit there and experiment and find your way by trial and error. Luckily, there is an extreme number of videos and tutorials out there for every category, it almost makes it more fun to see all the possibilities with this app.
Pt 4. – I will finally describe whether I foresee using Procreate in my future classroom. I 100% see myself as a future educator using Procreate in my high school classroom. The awesome thing about procreate is they have a “grab procreate for your class today” where educators get 50% off Apple School Manager, and on top of it they have bulk options for classroom availability. The reason why I see this being used in my classroom is to accommodate our eternally fluctuating world. The technology enriched world that students today are being brought up in is wildly different than 10 years ago when I was in art class. I believe in a Drawing and Painting Art Class I should have digital options available to the students who either want to start or have a history of working digitally. I deem the more choices students have in their own education; better quality work follows.