Get Started with Procreate Dreams: Animation for Everyone from Coursera

Introducing Procreate Dreams, a new 2D animation app from the makers of Procreate! Its powerful yet user-friendly tools make anyone an instant animator capable of crafting joyful moving artwork. With Procreate Dreams, you will find exciting new ways to express your creativity -- the best part is you don't need any animation experience to get started!

This course starts from the ground up, acquainting you with the Procreate Dreams interface before diving into a series of engaging, hands-on animation projects.

In this course, we're not just scratching the surface – we're diving deep into the Procreate Dreams universe as we:

* Navigate the app's interface

* Get familiar with tools

* Master gestures

* Explore the three essential animation techniques: handcrafted frame-by-frame animation, precise keyframing, and expressive Performing

You'll embark on a series of follow-along animation projects that will have you creating diverse movements like looking, blinking, twirling, falling, driving, flying, swaying, spinning, and more. You'll learn how to:

* Animate subjects like balloons, cars, leaves, trees, birds, and more

* Animate over video

* Create animations with audio

* Bring your past Procreate artwork to life with movement

* Master essential animation tools like keyframes, anchor points, onion skins, timing, and easing

Additional skills to learn include:

* Interface & Gestures - I'll guide you through a tour of the Procreate Dreams interface so you can zip around, utilizing all the features and tools Procreate Dreams has to offer!

* Animation Essentials - Master the three essential animation techniques: frame-by-frame animation, keyframing, and the innovative Performing feature.

* Advanced Techniques - Animate with live filters for effects like opacity, blur, and color changes. Using clipping masks and blend modes in your animations.

As a student of this class, you'll receive my Procreate Dreams Resource Pack, complete with ready-to-animate .dreams files, a Procreate file for easy import into Dreams, and a video file to enhance with exciting animations. There's even a fully animated example piece for you to explore, giving you insight into my animation process.

Grab your iPad and let's dive deep into the Procreate Dreams universe. Together we'll make some movement magic!

Instructor bio:

I'm Lisa Bardot, an illustration artist, teacher, and creative adventurer based in California, USA. With the iPad and Procreate as my go-to tools, I've developed digital brushes, tutorials, and art resources that help both beginners and seasoned artists find joy in making art. My tutorials and classes have reached millions, and I’m known for my thorough, concise, and fun teaching style. have been viewed millions of times, and I've received high praise for my thorough, concise, and fun teaching style.

I own Bardot Brush where I design Procreate brushes and tools loved by artists. I also run Making Art Everyday, offering drawing prompts and challenges to help people conquer creative fears and build a consistent art practice. Additionally, I lead Art Maker's Club, a joy-filled creative community and learning hub for digital art-makers.

When I'm not making things, I like to indulge in long romantic walks through IKEA, making up songs for my three young kids, and dipping french fries in ice cream.

What's inside

Syllabus

Getting Started with Procreate Dreams

Start your Procreate Dreams journey by exploring the app’s essential features, interface, and gestures. You’ll learn how to set up your workspace, access important tools and resources, and prepare for the class project. This foundation ensures you’ll work efficiently as you move into animation techniques.

Career center

Learners who complete Get Started with Procreate Dreams: Animation for Everyone will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Animator

An Animator brings characters and objects to life through sequential images, creating the illusion of movement. This course is exceptionally well-suited for an aspiring Animator, directly immersing you in the foundational techniques of 2D animation using Procreate Dreams. You will master handcrafted frame-by-frame animation, precise keyframing, and the innovative Performing feature, all essential for crafting compelling motion. The hands-on projects, from animating balloons and cars to intricate hand-drawn sequences, provide practical experience in diverse movements like blinking, twirling, and flying. Understanding timing, easing, onion skins, and anchor points, as taught in this course, is crucial for developing smooth and expressive animation. This comprehensive training helps build a strong portfolio piece, making you a strong candidate in this dynamic field.

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Game Artist

A Game Artist creates all the visual elements for video games, including characters, environments, user interfaces, and special effects. For those specializing in 2D games, animation skills are paramount. This course is well-suited for an aspiring Game Artist, as it grounds you deeply in the 2D animation principles and techniques vital for game asset creation. You will learn frame-by-frame animation for character sprites and keyframing for environmental effects, directly applicable to game development. Mastering gestures and the app interface helps with efficient asset production, while techniques for diverse movements like spinning and falling are perfect for bringing game characters to life. The ability to create animations with audio and utilize advanced techniques like blend modes can enhance game immersion and visual quality, providing essential skills for crafting compelling game experiences.

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Motion Graphics Designer

A Motion Graphics Designer specializes in creating animated visual content, often incorporating typography, illustrations, and video for branding, marketing, and digital experiences. This course provides excellent preparation for a Motion Graphics Designer by teaching you how to bring static artwork and text to life with dynamic motion. The curriculum's focus on keyframing, animating with live filters for effects like opacity and color changes, and integrating audio into your creations are directly applicable skills. You will also learn to refine visual rhythm and storytelling through looping motion and animated elements, which are vital for captivating audiences in marketing and digital media. The ability to animate over video and create polished, professional results helps build a foundation in compositing and visual effects, making this course highly relevant for transitioning into this creative design role.

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Freelance Digital Artist

A Freelance Digital Artist works independently, offering their creative services to various clients across different industries, from illustration and graphic design to animation. This course provides an excellent foundation for a Freelance Digital Artist seeking to expand their service offerings and attract a broader client base. By mastering Procreate Dreams, you gain a versatile 2D animation skillset that can be applied to creating animated logos, social media content, explainer video segments, or bringing static illustrations to life. The hands-on projects and exploration of diverse animation techniques ensure you can tackle a variety of client requests. Learning to produce polished, professional results and exploring export options helps build a foundation for delivering high-quality animated work to clients, enhancing your marketability.

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Content Creator

A Content Creator produces engaging digital content for various platforms, including social media, blogs, or video channels, often to entertain, educate, or promote. In today's dynamic digital landscape, animated content significantly increases engagement. This course is highly relevant for a Content Creator, as it empowers you to create captivating animated visuals for your audience. With skills in animating subjects like birds, trees, and cars, along with the ability to create animations with audio and animate over video, you can produce dynamic explainer videos, social media shorts, and unique visual stories. Mastering keyframing and the innovative Performing feature allows for efficient and expressive content production. This course helps build a foundation for standing out in a crowded digital space by offering a unique and professional animation skillset.

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eLearning Developer

An Elearning Developer designs and creates online educational courses and training materials, often incorporating various media to enhance engagement and comprehension. Animated content can significantly improve instructional clarity and student interest. This course is quite beneficial for an Elearning Developer, as it equips you with the skills to produce custom 2D animated explanations, demonstrations, and interactive elements for your courses. The ability to animate subjects, integrate audio, and animate over video allows for dynamic lesson delivery, making complex topics more digestible and engaging. Mastering different animation techniques ensures you can choose the most effective visual approach for various learning objectives, helping build a foundation for creating compelling, visually rich educational experiences that truly resonate with learners.

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Educator in Digital Arts

An Educator in Digital Arts teaches students various artistic techniques and software related to digital media creation, often in academic institutions or workshops. Given the instructor's background as an artist and teacher, this course offers an excellent foundation for an aspiring Educator in Digital Arts. By diving deep into the Procreate Dreams universe and mastering its interface, tools, and animation techniques, you gain expert-level proficiency in a popular and accessible animation software. The structured approach to learning, from core animation methods to advanced applications and presentation techniques, mirrors effective pedagogical practice. Understanding how to guide learners through hands-on projects, as demonstrated in the course, helps you develop your own teaching methodology. This expertise allows you to effectively instruct others in 2D animation, sharing your knowledge of Procreate Dreams with future artists.

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Social Media Manager

A Social Media Manager develops and implements strategies to build brand presence and engage audiences across various social media platforms, requiring consistent and visually appealing content. In the highly visual world of social media, animated content significantly boosts engagement and memorability. This course is highly relevant for a Social Media Manager, as it equips you to create unique, eye-catching animated posts, stories, and advertisements directly. You will learn to bring images to life with movement, craft looping animations, and integrate audio, all essential for dynamic social media content. The ability to quickly animate subjects and utilize tools effectively helps build a foundation for producing a steady stream of fresh, engaging visuals that stand out in crowded feeds and drive audience interaction.

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Illustrator

An Illustrator creates visual representations for a wide range of media, from books and magazines to digital platforms, often using their unique artistic style. While fundamentally about static art, the modern Illustrator increasingly benefits from understanding animation, especially in digital contexts. This course may be helpful for an Illustrator looking to expand their skillset by teaching you how to infuse movement into your existing artwork created in Procreate. The ability to bring your past Procreate artwork to life with movement allows illustrators to offer dynamic versions of their work for social media, portfolios, or interactive projects. Exploring techniques like animating elements for visual storytelling and enhancing scenes with looping motion could open new avenues for client commissions and personal expression, allowing you to create more engaging and versatile visual content beyond static images.

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Storyboard Artist

A Storyboard Artist visually interprets scripts into sequential panels, mapping out camera angles, character expressions, and key actions to guide the animation or film production. While storyboards are traditionally static, understanding motion is critical. This course is helpful for a Storyboard Artist, as it provides a practical understanding of how scenes translate into animation. By learning about timing, easing, and the three essential animation techniques (frame-by-frame, keyframing, and performing), you gain a deeper intuition for pacing and visual flow. The projects focusing on diverse movements like looking, blinking, and falling directly relate to conveying character actions effectively in sequence. This knowledge helps you create more dynamic storyboards that clearly communicate intended motion to animators, bridging the gap between static drawings and dynamic storytelling.

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Video Editor

A Video Editor assembles raw footage into a cohesive final product, often incorporating graphics, sound, and visual effects to tell a compelling story. The ability to integrate custom animated elements can significantly elevate the quality and appeal of an edited video. This course is beneficial for a Video Editor looking to expand their capabilities beyond traditional footage manipulation. You will learn to animate over video, which is a direct application for adding titles, lower thirds, callouts, or other graphical overlays to your edits. Mastering techniques like keyframing, timing, and easing ensures that any animated elements you create will seamlessly blend with and enhance your video projects. The skills in creating animations with audio and producing polished results help build a foundation for delivering more dynamic and professional video content.

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Visual Development Artist

A Visual Development Artist shapes the overall look and feel of animated films, games, or other media, defining everything from character designs to environments and mood. While this role often focuses on static conceptualization, understanding how those visuals translate into motion is invaluable. This course may be useful for a Visual Development Artist, helping you to understand the animation process from the ground up. By exploring techniques like animated elements, layering motion, and composition within scenes, you gain insight into how visual choices impact final animation. Learning about timing, easing, and creating diverse movements can inform your design decisions, ensuring your visual concepts are not only beautiful but also animatable and expressive. This knowledge helps bridge the gap between initial design and the final animated product, making you a more comprehensive artist.

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Marketing Specialist

A Marketing Specialist develops and implements strategies to promote products, services, or brands, often utilizing various digital channels to reach target audiences. Animated content is increasingly vital for capturing attention and conveying messages effectively in marketing. This course may be helpful for a Marketing Specialist looking to enhance their visual communication toolkit. Learning to create diverse movements, animate over video, and integrate audio into animations provides the skills to produce engaging promotional materials, social media ads, and explainer videos. Understanding how to bring past artwork to life or create looping motion for advertisements can help improve brand visibility and message recall. This ability to produce dynamic, eye-catching visual content helps build a foundation for more impactful marketing campaigns and digital outreach.

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User Experience Designer

A User Experience Designer focuses on creating intuitive, enjoyable, and efficient interactions for users with digital products, which often includes subtle animations and transitions. This course may be helpful for a User Experience Designer interested in understanding the principles behind micro-interactions and interface animations. By exploring keyframing, easing, and precise control over movement, you gain insight into how animated feedback enhances usability and visual appeal. While Procreate Dreams is not a UI prototyping tool, the fundamental knowledge of timing, motion, and visual rhythm directly translates to designing smoother, more engaging user interfaces. The ability to apply live filters and blend modes also provides a creative understanding of visual effects pertinent to UI elements, helping build a foundation for crafting more dynamic and responsive user experiences.

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Technical Artist

A Technical Artist acts as a bridge between artists and programmers, optimizing art assets and workflows, and often developing tools or shaders to achieve specific visual effects. While often more focused on 3D or engine specifics, understanding the artistic nuances of animation is valuable. This course may be helpful for a Technical Artist who needs to comprehend the underlying principles and challenges of 2D animation, particularly when developing tools or pipelines for artists. By diving deep into the Procreate Dreams universe and mastering its tools, interface, and animation techniques like keyframing, you gain a practical perspective on the artist's workflow. Knowledge of live filters, clipping masks, and blend modes from an animation context directly relates to how visual effects are applied and optimized, helping build a foundation for creating more efficient and artist-friendly technical solutions.

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