+ Get the background free!
Hello friends! I wanted to share with you how I created this simple rainbow background using the iPad Pro and the Procreate App and give you a few tips on how you can use these in your lettering projects. You can also download the background FOR FREE below!
The first thing you want to do is choose your color palette. In this case, I wanted to have a rainbow effect so I went with good old ROY G. BIV.
Next, select the brush you would like to use to paint the background with. There are so many choices that come with the Procreate app itself and you can also download an almost infinite number from the internet. I chose a brush called Jagged Brush that was included in the app.
Create your canvas (if you are planning to post to social media such as Instagram a square canvas is best). Then paint! I painted my canvas one color at a time vertically side by side and made them overlap a bit. You don’t have to be precise here. When you add the other effects I will mention in a moment, it will all work out! Just make sure the entire canvas is covered well. Unless you want white in your background. In that case, you can leave a little white peaking out.
Next I used the liquify feature (new in the latest updates to Procreate and it’s awesome!) to begin to blend the colors a little bit. Practice and play around with this feature. It’s really cool!
After a little bit of the liquify feature, I the used the smudge tool to begin smudging the colors together. I used the same brush, Jagged Brush, with the smudge tool. This gave it an almost feathered look. Remember, you can vary the size of the brush at any point to get different effects. However, I kept mine the same size with smudging.
Some Very Important Tips:
Always, always, always duplicate your layer when you get it where you want it! I then lock the duplicated layer, turn off its visibility, and move it to the bottom for safe keeping. This way, if you really mess up, you can just duplicate your saved layer again and start over! As I add different elements I also create a new layer for that element so I can do the same process. You can always flatten some layers once you are completely satisfied with your piece, but you will always retain the saved layers. You can then go back to it and create something different with the same background! Once I get a piece done, I usually group all the layers for that design, and then duplicate the group, and then flatten one of the groups.
Next, you want to create a mask. In my letter piece, I imported the letter C, created a new layer and drew the “C” with the black Monoline brush and then filled it black. It must have a transparent background. That is why I redrew the letter myself. Of course, I then duplicated, locked and tucked away the extra letter. With the rainbow background on top I select my letter layer from the dropdown menu, then select the rainbow layer. Tap to bring up the dropdown menu on that layer and click mask. This will create a layer mask in which only the black parts now have the color in them. I duplicated the black and created the shadows – a light and dark shadow. (I can do a separate tutorial on how to create the shadows. Leave me a comment below if you would like that.) I then added details, on a new layer of course!
If you would like to see a Procreate video of this tutorial, go to my Instagram account @sunshine.designs.byjen.
Download the FREE Rainbow
Background Here:
This background is absolutely free for you to use for your own personal use. Please do not print and resell or claim the designs as your own.
I appreciate you supporting and reading my blog and I will try to have as many of these Free printables and downloads for you to enjoy. If you like these, please share on social media and tag me on Instagram @sunshine.designs.byjen #sunshinedesignsbyjen
Download Here:
You can download the JPG below:
Or if you prefer, you can download the PDF here.
Here are a few things I made using the rainbow background. The possibilities are endless!!! If you download the background, please show me how you use it on social media. In Instagram tag me @susnshine.designs.byjen or @share.your.ipad.lettering or use the hashtag #shareyourIPL. I would love to see what you do with it!!
XOXO Jen
Sunshine Designs by Jen 