Procreate tutorial: Move elements intentionally on the iPad

You are at the beginning of your journey in digital drawing with Procreate and want to learn how to move selected elements or entire layers? This tutorial is exactly for you and shows you how to easily move elements on your layers while using guides for precise alignment. Let's get started!

Key insights

• Elements can be moved freely and aligned using guides.
• Multiple layers can be moved or grouped simultaneously.
• Working with adjustments is also efficient with multiple elements.

Step-by-step guide

To effectively move your elements in Procreate, just follow these steps:

To move an element, open your layers menu. There you will find the corresponding layers with your drawings. Select the layer you want to move. Tap on it to activate the selection. A small selection rectangle will appear around the content of this layer. This is where your journey begins to create your designs flexibly.

Now you can simply tap the selected element and move it on the screen. To move it precisely, check out the guides that form around the element. These guides are especially useful to ensure that you stay at a specific angle while moving the element. For example, by only moving to the right, the horizontal line makes sure that you stay exactly in that direction.

The guides refer only to the origin of the pixel information of the selected rectangle. This means that this function is independent of the content of other layers, giving you more freedom while working. This way, you have control over what you want to manipulate right now, and the other layers remain untouched.

But moving elements is not the only thing possible. You can also rotate your drawing. This is done using the green grabber located at the top of your element. You can move this grabber with the pencil or your finger to rotate your drawing in the desired direction. Caution: If you use two fingers to rotate the element, there is a risk that you might unintentionally change the size of the element at the same time, which you might want to avoid.

Moving multiple elements is also very easy. If you want to move not only the letter A but also the letters B and C at the same time, you can simply select them from your layers menu. Swipe right to select the other layers, and next, select the Move Tool. This will show a smaller selection frame around the content of all three layers, allowing you to manipulate them together.

With this method, you can move, rotate, or otherwise adjust the letters, and do all of that at the same time. This feature is incredibly helpful, especially when multiple elements are closely connected to each other.

Another handy tip is that you can group multiple layers. To do this, tap on multiple layers and then select the "Group" option. If you tap on the group once and want to move it, the manipulation will apply to all layers contained within. This technique is ideal if you often work with the same layers simultaneously. You save yourself from constantly selecting individual layers.

This is everything you should know about moving elements and working with multiple layers in Procreate. With these tools in your arsenal, you can make your digital drawing more intuitive and creative.

Summary – Procreate Tutorial: Effectively Move Elements on the iPad

Moving elements in Procreate is a fundamental skill that helps you optimally realize your creative ideas. Using guides and the ability to group or select multiple layers, you can significantly improve the efficiency of your drawing. Use these tips and approach your next digital artworks with confidence!