Hi my creative friend.
If you’re anything like me, you probably can’t resist mixing things up, using different brush strokes, textures, and layers all in one place.
In my sketchbooks, I love playing with gouache, watercolor, pastels, colored pencils, and even a bit of grain. There’s something about that messy, layered look that feels alive and full of energy.
When I paint digitally I don’t want to lose that feeling.
I want my Procreate sketchbooks to look like they are built up with real brushes and pigments, not just a single flat stroke.
That’s where mixing my custom-made Procreate brushes comes in.
Join 1000s of artists and get my custom-made Procreate brushes - 🎨 Watercolor Brush Set, 🖌️ Gouache Brush Set, ✏️ Sketching Brush Set, and more ...
And in this blog post I share with you how you can do it too!
Here’s what I usually do: for each piece, I’ll grab a bunch of brushes from each medium instead of limiting myself to just one or two.
My watercolor and gouache Procreate brushes are a big part of my process.
I’ll layer several watercolor brushes to get those soft washes, bleeds, and unexpected edges that feel like pigment spreading on paper.
For the punchy thicker strokes I’ll bring in gouache brushes and that chalky matte finish that balances out the watercolor transparency. OR I use the “painterly brushes” inspired by acrylic and not watered down gouache and oil brush strokes.
On top of that, I like to sprinkle in pastels for gritty texture, pencils for sketchy lines and details, and grain brushes to glue it all together.
The more brushes I mix, the less digital it feels.
The overlaps, the rough edges, the way colors build up over one another. It’s very much like flipping through a real sketchbook where gouache sits heavily on the page and watercolor soaks into the paper fibers.
What makes my digital sketchbook pages feel alive is the mix of loose watercolor washes and bold gouache or acrylic painterly layers, with grainy accents of pastel and pencil
Watercolor brushes bring that fluid and unpredictable quality I love—the way colors bleed into each other, the soft edges, the transparency. Gouache then adds the opposite energy with bold, opaque strokes that sit on top and create contrast. I use pastel brushes to roughen the surface and pencil textures to bring back sketchy details and crisp outlines. At the end, I like to add grain and watercolor splatters for extra depth. Together, all of these layers capture the messy charm of a real mixed media page.
Every stroke adds its own character, and I’ve learned that the more I allow myself to layer, the more authentic the piece feels.
If I try to keep things too neat, the work loses its spark. What brings it to life are the overlaps, the way textures bump into each other, the moment a gouache stroke cuts across a watercolor wash or a pencil line scratches through a pastel layer. Those interactions create movement and depth that a single brush can never give on its own.
I also like to experiment while I paint. Adjusting the size of the brush, changing the opacity, or pressing harder or lighter creates strokes that feel more natural and varied.
Even the speed of your brushstroke makes a difference: quick gestures feel energetic, while slower marks create softer blends. Playing with these little shifts keeps the illustration dynamic and helps mimic the organic feel of traditional tools.
I don’t see digital art as a way to make something flawless.
I see it as a way to recreate the quirks and imperfections I love in traditional media—the way paint dries unevenly, or how pencils leave grainy gaps on textured paper. That is the magic I am always chasing in my digital sketchbook. It is about mixing and layering until the piece feels like it could almost live on a real page.
For example in the “Hello September” illustration I used combination of these brushes:
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Watercolor Procreate Brushes
Brush no.8, Brush no.13, Brush no.16, Brush no.29, Brush no.30, Brush no.31
Painterly Procreate Brushes
Brush no.1, Brush no.3 , Brush no.4, Brush no.8, Brush no.13
Sketching Procreate Brushes
Brush no.13, Brush no.8, Brush no.2
Gouache Procreate Brushes:
Brush no.8, Brush no.21, Brush no.25, Brush no.42
Pastel Procreate Brushes:
Brush no.2, Brush no.10, Brush no.20
Grain Texture Procreate Brushes:
Brush no.8, Brush no.10
Hi, I am Iva (rhymes with “viva”). I am a full-time self-taught artist behind Art Side of Life® and a Top Teacher on Skillshare. I have 15 years of experience in the creative field as a concept designer, illustrator, art director, and now freelance artist, content creator, and art instructor. My goal is to help you get your creative groove on with Procreate and make awesome art through practical classes, tutorials, Procreate brushes, and guides on art tools, supplies and resources. About me »
