How to Make Simple Animation in Procreate
If you want to learn how to make simple animation in Procreate, the good news is that you do not need professional motion design software to start.
With a few layers, the right canvas setup, and Procreate’s Animation Assist, you can build clean looping animations that look polished and are easy to share.
This guide breaks down the process step by step, from setting up your canvas to exporting the final result, so you can create your first animation with confidence.
What You Need Before You Start
Procreate is a digital illustration app for iPad that supports frame-by-frame animation through Animation Assist.
It is not a full video editor, but it is ideal for simple loops, short motion graphics, and hand-drawn animated scenes.
- iPad with a compatible version of Procreate
- Apple Pencil or another stylus for precise drawing
- Procreate canvas with enough resolution for your final output
- Simple subject such as a bouncing ball, blinking eye, waving hand, or spinning icon
Starting with a small, clear subject helps you focus on timing and movement instead of complex details.
That makes the learning curve much easier.
Set Up Your Canvas for Animation
Before drawing anything, create a canvas that balances quality and performance.
Larger canvases use more memory, and animation uses multiple frames, so a moderate size is usually best for beginners.
Recommended canvas settings
- Size: 2000 x 2000 px or 1920 x 1080 px
- Color profile: sRGB for standard digital sharing
- Layers: leave room for multiple frames
If your device struggles with performance, reduce the canvas size slightly.
Procreate can handle many projects well, but too many large layers will limit how many animation frames you can create.
Turn on Animation Assist
Animation Assist is the feature that converts layers into animation frames.
Each visible layer becomes a frame, and Procreate plays them in sequence.
How to enable it
- Open your canvas in Procreate.
- Tap the Actions menu, then select Canvas.
- Turn on Animation Assist.
Once enabled, a timeline appears at the bottom of the screen.
This is where you can manage frames, change playback options, and control looping behavior.
Create Your First Simple Animation
The easiest way to learn animation in Procreate is by making a basic movement sequence.
A bouncing ball is the classic example because it teaches timing, spacing, and anticipation without requiring advanced drawing skills.
Choose a simple motion
- Bouncing ball
- Waving line or hand
- Growing flower
- Blinking eye
- Rotating star or icon
Draw your first frame on the base layer.
Then duplicate the layer and make small changes for the next frame.
Keep each change slight so the motion appears smooth when played back.
Example: bouncing ball
- Draw a circle near the top of the canvas.
- Duplicate the layer for the next frame.
- Move the ball slightly lower and compress it a little when it hits the ground.
- Continue the sequence until the ball rises again.
That simple squash-and-stretch effect adds realism and makes the movement feel more natural.
Use Layer Techniques to Control Frames
In Procreate animation, layers are the building blocks of motion.
Managing them carefully helps you keep the project organized and prevents accidental frame changes.
Helpful layer habits
- Use one layer per frame for simple motion
- Duplicate layers instead of redrawing everything from scratch
- Rename important layers if the project grows larger
- Group related frames visually by keeping similar content together
You can also use Reference layers or draw over a faded guide image if you are animating a character or object that needs consistency across frames.
Adjust Frame Rate, Onion Skin, and Playback Settings
One of the most important parts of animation is timing.
Procreate gives you a few tools to preview motion and fine-tune how fast your animation plays.
Frame rate
Frame rate controls how quickly frames appear in sequence.
A lower frame rate creates a slower, more deliberate motion, while a higher frame rate creates smoother movement.
- 8–12 fps: good for simple hand-drawn loops
- 12–15 fps: good balance for beginners
- Higher fps: smoother but requires more frames
Onion skin
Onion skin shows faded versions of nearby frames, which helps you align motion more accurately.
This is especially useful for objects that need to move in a consistent path, such as a bouncing ball or walking figure.
Loop settings
Procreate lets you preview the animation as a Loop, Ping-Pong, or one-shot playthrough.
For beginner animations, loop mode is usually the easiest way to test rhythm and continuity.
Keep the Movement Clean and Readable
Simple animation works best when the viewer can understand the motion instantly.
That means avoiding too many details and focusing on strong silhouettes, clear spacing, and consistent pacing.
Animation principles that matter most
- Timing: controls how long each action holds
- Spacing: controls how far an object moves between frames
- Anticipation: prepares the viewer for a movement
- Squash and stretch: adds energy and flexibility
- Follow-through: makes motion feel more natural
Even a tiny animation can look professional if the motion reads clearly.
If something feels awkward, reduce the complexity and test the motion again at a lower frame count.
How to Avoid Common Beginner Mistakes
Beginners often run into the same problems when learning how to make simple animation in Procreate.
Most of them are easy to fix once you know what to look for.
- Too many details: keep the subject simple at first
- Large jumps between frames: move objects in smaller increments
- Inconsistent shapes: use guides or duplicate layers more often
- Too many frames: start with a short loop before expanding the project
- Canvas too large: reduce size if Procreate slows down
If your animation feels choppy, review the motion at a slower speed and inspect each frame.
Often, one or two frame adjustments can fix the entire sequence.
Export Your Animation from Procreate
After you finish your loop, Procreate makes it easy to export in a format that works for social media, websites, or portfolio use.
Export options
- GIF: best for lightweight looping animations
- MP4: useful for video platforms and higher-quality playback
- PNG sequence: best if you want to edit frames in another app
- Tap Actions.
- Select Share.
- Choose the export format.
- Set quality or transparency options if needed.
If you are posting to Instagram, TikTok, or a website, MP4 is usually the most versatile option.
If you want a transparent animation or a small file, GIF may be more practical.
Practice Ideas to Build Confidence
The fastest way to improve is to repeat short exercises.
These practice projects help you understand motion without overwhelming your workflow.
- A ball bouncing across the canvas
- A leaf falling and rotating
- A simple flame flicker
- A blinking cartoon face
- A hand-drawn logo pulse
Each exercise teaches a different aspect of timing and motion design.
Once you can complete a few clean loops, you can combine them into more detailed scenes.
When to Move Beyond Simple Animation
Once you understand the basics, you can try more advanced effects like layered parallax, character walks, or animated typography.
Procreate is still a strong starting point for illustration-based motion, especially if your workflow begins with drawing rather than video editing.
By starting small and focusing on frame control, you build a foundation that makes more complex animation easier later.
That is the practical advantage of learning simple animation in Procreate first.