How to Use Procreate as a Digital Notetaking and Archiving Tool

Journaling will transform your productivity, but keeping up with physical tools can be a hassle. Procreate offers the perfect digital solution, allowing creativity and organization to blend.

Getting Started with Procreate

Procreate is a super versatile app packed with easy-to-use tools that are perfect for digital journaling and scrapbooking. There are tons of features to play around with, including brushes, layers, textures, and customization options, making it easy to bring even the wildest of visions to life.

To get started, you'll of course need an iPad and an Apple Pencil (or similar compatible stylus). We recommend getting a little familiar with Procreate by experimenting with the app's brush and layer tools.

Tip : Use a large canvas of around 3000 x 3000 pixels at 300 DPI - to ensure you have enough resolution for high quality printing if you want your designs to be within reach.

When starting a new project, always gather tools that streamline your creative process. Procreate's custom brush library is a great choice for small, intricate details and textures, and choose a color palette before you start.

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You can save specific color palettes that match the theme or mood of your scrapbook or journal entry, just to make things easier. Additionally, Procreate's selection and transformation tools can make it easy to adjust and rearrange elements on the canvas, helping to ensure everything looks cohesive.

Capture digital memories

One of my favorite aspects of using Procreate for scrapbooking is being able to collect and organize digital photos and memories in new ways without being limited by what you have on hand. You can import photos directly into Procreate and arrange them in unique layouts.

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Procreate also allows for handwritten notes and journal entries to be included in pre-made pages that you design yourself. You can use the app's text tools or write directly into the program itself with an Apple Pencil, adding a personal anecdote, date, or reflection on the day—all complemented by carefully selected and customized visual elements that match your mood, the season, and more.

Note : One of my favorite things to do is create monthly themed journal pages and use Procreate as a mini journaling app.

Customize your design with Procreate

Procreate's wide range of brushes, textures, and color palettes offer endless customization options. Many people love trying out new effects, like watercolor or metallic brushes, and layers make it easy to swap out details. Plus, by stacking and blending layers, you can get the 'tactile feel' of a traditional scrapbook without having to cut paper or peel off stickers.

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Another favorite feature is dragging in digital elements like stickers, stamps, and decorative icons. Many of these elements can be downloaded online or created from scratch within Procreate itself, allowing you to customize every aspect of your design to your liking.

Share and print digital designs

Once you've finished your scrapbook or journal pages, Procreate also makes it incredibly simple to share or print your designs. The app supports a wide range of file formats, including JPEG, PNG, and PDF, so you can choose the best options for all your printing needs.

If you're sharing online, you may want to consider exporting your pages as web-friendly images suitable for social media or cloud storage. Typically, trying to print them at full resolution means you'll use a lot of ink and waste paper.

Instead, many people prefer to create digital photo books or albums and share them with friends and family, or print their journals at the end of each month to have a physical collection to look back on later.

David Pac

Update 22 January 2025