How to Use Watercolour Brushes in Procreate for Traditional & Natural Results

Watercolour in Procreate can look very different depending on how the brushes are used.

Even with good tools, the final result often comes down to workflow—how you layer colour, how you handle edges, and how much you let texture do its job.

In this post, I’ll go through a simple approach to using watercolour brushes in Procreate in a way that keeps your work feeling soft, natural, and closer to traditional watercolour.

Start with Understanding How Watercolour Behaves

Before thinking about settings or brushes, it helps to think about how real watercolour works:

• It spreads unpredictably
• Lighter washes sit underneath darker ones
• Edges soften as pigment dries
• Texture influences how paint settles

In Procreate, you’re essentially simulating these behaviours digitally, so your workflow matters as much as the brush itself.

1. Start with Light Washes First

A common mistake is starting too dark or too detailed too early.

In traditional watercolour, light layers come first and build up gradually.

🛠 Try this approach instead:

• Begin with very light colour washes
• Don’t worry about precision at this stage
• Focus on overall shapes and flow

This creates a more natural foundation for later layers.

2. Build Layers Slowly

Watercolour is all about transparency and buildup.

If you add too much colour too quickly, the result can feel flat or muddy.

🛠 A better layering rhythm:

• Add one layer of colour at a time
• Let each layer visually “settle” before adding more
• Avoid over-blending between stages

This helps preserve depth and variation.

See also:

• Building Depth in Procreate Watercolour Paintings
• Why Your Watercolour in Procreate Looks Flat (and How to Fix It)

3. Don’t Over-Blend Everything

Procreate makes blending very easy—but that doesn’t always mean you should use it everywhere.

In traditional watercolour, edges naturally vary. Some areas are soft, others stay more defined.

🛠 Instead of smoothing everything:

• Leave some edges slightly uneven
• Allow colour transitions to remain visible
• Use blending selectively, not globally

A bit of imperfection often makes the result feel more natural.

4. Use Texture to Support the Painting

Texture plays a quiet but important role in watercolour-style work.

Without it, even well-painted pieces can feel too clean or digital.

🛠 To improve this:

• Use a textured canvas from the start
• Let brush strokes interact with texture
• Avoid flattening everything with heavy smoothing

The texture should support the painting, not overpower it.

5. Keep Detail for the End

Another common issue is adding too much detail too early.

Watercolour works best when detail is layered on top of a loose foundation.

🛠 A simple structure:

1. Wash (light shapes and tones)
2. Build (mid-tone depth and colour variation)
3. Refine (selective detail work)

This keeps the painting feeling balanced and organic.

See also:

• Creating Realistic Watercolour in Procreate: A Brush & Canvas Set That Helps You Get There
• Best Procreate Brushes for Realistic Watercolour Painting (2026 Guide)
• 116 Free Botanical Colour Palettes for Procreate (Download & Use Easily)

A Setup that Makes this Easier

A lot of these steps become easier when your brushes and canvas are designed to work together.

I created a Procreate watercolour brush and canvas set specifically with this workflow in mind.

It includes:

• Soft wash brushes for base layers
• Blending brushes for controlled transitions
• Detail brushes for refinement
• A textured canvas designed to support layering naturally

The idea is to reduce setup time so you can focus more on painting and less on adjusting tools.

👉 You can download it here: Realistic Watercolour Brush & Canvas Set for Procreate