Kickstart Your Creativity with Procreate: Draw Animals Course

Editorial Take

This course is a lighthearted, accessible entry point into digital illustration, ideal for creative beginners eager to explore Procreate through animal drawing. It emphasizes fun and self-expression over technical rigor, making it a refreshing change from more rigid art curricula.

Standout Strengths

• Creative Freedom: The course encourages learners to interpret animals in whimsical, exaggerated ways, fostering confidence in personal style. Projects are open-ended enough to allow artistic experimentation while still providing structure. This balance helps reduce creative anxiety in beginners.
• Beginner-Friendly Approach: Lisa Bardot introduces Procreate’s core tools without overwhelming learners. The pacing is gentle, with clear explanations of brushes, layers, and color use. New users can follow along without prior experience, making it ideal for total novices.
• Animal-Themed Projects: Focusing on snakes, birds, mice, and butterflies gives learners a diverse range of forms to explore. Each animal type introduces new challenges—like flowing lines for snakes or delicate wings for butterflies—helping build varied illustration skills in a playful context.
• Visual Engagement: The emphasis on color, shape, and line keeps the content visually stimulating. Learners are encouraged to play with bold choices, which helps break perfectionist habits. This approach is especially valuable for those returning to art after a long break.
• Short and Focused: At just four weeks, the course fits easily into a busy schedule. Each module is concise, allowing learners to complete a project per week without burnout. This brevity makes it a low-commitment way to test interest in digital art.
• Style Development: Unlike technical tutorials, this course prioritizes personal expression. Learners are prompted to develop their own version of each animal, which builds artistic confidence. This focus on voice over precision is rare in beginner courses and highly beneficial.

Honest Limitations

• Limited Technical Depth: The course only scratches the surface of Procreate’s capabilities. Advanced features like animation, custom brushes, or perspective grids are not covered. Learners seeking comprehensive software mastery will need to look elsewhere for deeper training.
• Short Duration: With only four weeks of content, the course doesn’t allow for deep skill development. While great as an introduction, it won’t replace longer-form art education. Those hoping for a career shift or portfolio-ready work may find it too brief.
• Niche Focus: The animal illustration theme, while fun, may not appeal to all aspiring artists. Learners interested in human figures, landscapes, or abstract art won’t find relevant content here. The course is best suited for those drawn to cute, stylized characters.
• No Feedback Mechanism: As a pre-recorded course, there’s no personalized critique or interaction with the instructor. Learners must self-assess their progress, which can hinder growth for those who thrive on external feedback. A community or peer review element would greatly enhance the experience.

How to Get the Most Out of It

• Study cadence: Dedicate 1–2 hours per week to follow along with tutorials and practice. Consistent weekly engagement ensures steady progress without burnout. Repeating each lesson twice can deepen understanding of techniques.
• Parallel project: Create a companion sketchbook where you draw variations of each animal. Experiment with different poses, colors, or settings to expand beyond the tutorial. This builds creative flexibility and reinforces learning.
• Note-taking: Capture key Procreate tips—like brush settings or layer organization—in a digital notebook. Include screenshots of your own work to track progress. This creates a personalized reference for future projects.
• Community: Join Procreate or digital art forums to share your work and get feedback. Platforms like Reddit or Instagram offer supportive spaces for beginner artists. Sharing your creations builds accountability and inspiration.
• Practice: Spend extra time redrawing animals from imagination, without tracing or reference. This strengthens memory and stylization skills. Try combining features—like butterfly wings on a mouse—for creative challenges.
• Consistency: Set a weekly art date, even if short. Regular practice is more effective than long, infrequent sessions. Use the course as a springboard for ongoing creative habits, not just a one-time project.

Supplementary Resources

• Book: 'Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain' by Betty Edwards complements this course by deepening observational skills. It helps bridge the gap between technical drawing and freeform creativity, enhancing artistic growth.
• Tool: Try Procreate Pocket on iPhone for on-the-go sketching. It mirrors the iPad experience and allows for quick idea capture. Practicing daily on mobile builds muscle memory and creative fluency.
• Follow-up: Enroll in a character design or digital painting course to build on these basics. Platforms like Domestika or Schoolism offer intermediate-level content that expands on animal illustration techniques.
• Reference: Use Pinterest or Instagram to follow digital illustrators. Studying diverse styles helps refine your own aesthetic. Create mood boards to collect color palettes, compositions, and animal poses for inspiration.

Common Pitfalls

• Pitfall: Expecting professional-level results too soon. This course is introductory, so progress may feel slow. Focus on enjoyment and incremental improvement rather than perfection. Artistic growth takes time and consistent practice.
• Pitfall: Skipping practice between modules. Without hands-on repetition, techniques fade quickly. Always complete the drawing exercises and try variations. Muscle memory is built through doing, not just watching.
• Pitweak: Over-relying on tracing or copying. While tutorials guide you, true style comes from experimentation. Push yourself to invent new animals or modify designs. Creative risk-taking leads to more authentic work.

Time & Money ROI

• Time: At four weeks with 1–2 hours per week, the time investment is minimal. The course fits easily into a busy schedule, making it accessible for hobbyists. Even short sessions yield visible creative progress.
• Cost-to-value: As a paid course, it offers moderate value. The content is solid but not exhaustive. It’s worth the price for motivated beginners, but less so for experienced artists. Consider it a creative starter kit rather than comprehensive training.
• Certificate: The course certificate has limited professional weight but serves as a motivational milestone. It’s best used to track personal growth or include in a learning portfolio. Not recognized by employers or institutions.
• Alternative: Free Procreate tutorials on YouTube cover similar basics. However, this course offers structured learning and curated projects. The guided path and creative prompts provide added value over fragmented free content.

Editorial Verdict

This course shines as a joyful, low-pressure introduction to digital illustration, particularly for those who’ve long wanted to draw but felt intimidated. Lisa Bardot’s approach is welcoming and encouraging, emphasizing play over precision. The animal-themed projects are cleverly chosen to teach diverse skills—flowing lines with snakes, symmetry with butterflies, cuteness with mice—while keeping the mood light and fun. By focusing on personal style rather than technical perfection, it helps learners overcome creative blocks and rediscover the joy of making art.

That said, it’s not a comprehensive Procreate masterclass or a path to professional illustration. The brevity and simplicity mean it’s best viewed as a creative spark rather than a full transformation. For under $20, it’s a worthwhile experiment for hobbyists, aspiring children’s book illustrators, or anyone needing a creative boost. Pair it with consistent practice and supplementary resources, and it can be the first step in a lasting artistic journey. Recommended for beginners seeking fun and self-expression over technical rigor.