You’ve just bought an iPad. You downloaded Procreate, scribbled a bit with the default "Syrup" or "Peppermint" brush, and realized something's missing. Those stock brushes are fine, honestly. They’re functional. But they don't exactly scream "professional oil painting" or "vintage comic book ink."
Naturally, you start hunting for a procreate brushes free download.
The internet is a weird place for digital artists right now. One minute you’re on a legitimate creator's site, and the next, you’re clicking through three layers of suspicious pop-up ads just to find a .brushset file that ends up being a broken link. It’s frustrating. It’s also totally unnecessary because some of the best illustrators in the world actually give their tools away for nothing.
Why Do Top Artists Give Away Their Secret Sauce?
It seems counterintuitive. Why would someone like Nikolai Lockertsen or Georg von Westphalen spend hours fine-tuning a grain texture just to hand it over for free?
Exposure is a big part of it, sure. But there’s a massive community aspect to Procreate that you don't really see with Photoshop or Corel Painter. Most of these "freebies" are actually sampler packs. They’re a way for a brush maker to say, "Hey, look how good my textures are. If you like these three, you’re gonna love the full set of fifty." It's a win-win. You get high-quality tools, and they get a potential customer.
Sometimes it’s just about giving back to the forums that helped them get started.
The Big Three: Where to Look First
If you’re looking for a procreate brushes free download, don't just Google it and click the first sponsored link. Most of those are SEO traps. Instead, go where the artists actually hang out.
1. The Procreate Folio Forums
This is the "Old Faithful" of the digital art world. Savage Interactive (the folks who make the app) hosts a "Free Brushes" board. It is a chaotic mess. There is no real search filter, and you’ll find threads from 2014 mixed in with stuff posted an hour ago. But it’s a goldmine. You’ll find everything from hyper-realistic pencil sets to weird glitch brushes that make your art look like a corrupted VHS tape.
2. Gumroad
Gumroad is basically the storefront for independent creators. The trick here is to use the price filter. Many artists list their sets as "Pay what you want" or set the price to $0. Look for creators like TamberElla or Jia_Art. They often put out "lite" versions of their professional sets. You just put 0 in the price box, enter your email, and the download link hits your inbox.
3. Behance and ArtStation
These are portfolio sites, not marketplaces, but artists often include a "Free Brush Link" in the description of their process shots. It’s a bit like a digital scavenger hunt.
The Danger of "Free" (And How to Stay Safe)
Let’s be real. There are a lot of sites out there that "aggregate" brushes. They scrape content from legitimate artists and re-upload it to sites covered in "Download Now" buttons that are actually just malware.
If a site asks you to download an .exe file to get your Procreate brushes, run.
Procreate brushes only come in two formats: .brush (a single brush) or .brushset (a pack). Anything else is a virus or a desktop-only file that won't work on your iPad anyway. Also, watch out for "megapacks" on shady forums. Often, these are just the default Procreate brushes renamed to look like something new. It’s a waste of your storage space.
Anatomy of a "Good" Free Brush
What makes a brush actually worth the download? It’s not just the shape.
- Pressure Sensitivity: Does the stroke get thicker when you press harder? If it doesn’t, the creator was lazy with the Apple Pencil settings.
- Tilt Support: If you’re using a charcoal or pencil brush, it should shade when you tilt the pencil, just like a real 2B.
- Texture Seamlessness: Some free brushes have a "box" effect where you can see the edges of the texture repeating. It looks cheap. High-quality freebies have perfectly tiled grains.
I’ve found that the best procreate brushes free download options are usually the ones that focus on one specific niche. A "General Purpose Pack" is usually mediocre at everything. But a "Rain and Thunder Cloud Pack" from a landscape specialist? That’s going to be incredible.
My Personal Hall of Fame for Free Sets
You should check out Kyle T. Webster. While he’s mostly known for his Adobe Photoshop brushes, he’s released some legendary freebies over the years that have been converted for Procreate.
Another one is GrutBrushes. They have a "Free Sample of the Week" thing. It’s a great way to slowly build a massive library without spending a dime. You just have to be patient.
Then there’s Sycra. If you’re into stylized, almost "painterly" character art, his simple round brush variations are game-changers. They aren't flashy. They don't have sparkles. But the flow and taper are tuned to perfection.
How to Actually Install Them (Because It’s Not Always Obvious)
So you found a procreate brushes free download. You’ve got the file on your iPad. Now what?
Most people try to "Open" the file from their Downloads folder. Sometimes that works. Often, it doesn't. The most reliable way is to open Procreate first. Tap the brush icon to open the library. Tap the little "+" sign in the top right. Then, instead of making a new brush, tap "Import." Find your file in the Files app, and boom—it’s in your "Imported" folder at the bottom of the list.
A Quick Pro Tip on Organization
Your brush library will become a disaster zone within a week. I promise.
Create a new folder called "FREEBIES" and move everything there first. Test them. If you don't use a brush within three days, delete it. Don't be a digital hoarder. Too many brushes actually slow down the app’s performance and, more importantly, they slow down your creative process. Choice paralysis is a real thing.
Making the Most of Your New Tools
A brush won't make you a better artist.
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That’s the hard truth. You can download the exact same brushes used by a Disney concept artist, but your drawings won't magically look like a movie poster. Use these free downloads to experiment. If you’ve always worked in clean line art, download a messy "Oil and Gouache" pack. Force yourself to paint without lines for a day.
The beauty of a procreate brushes free download is that there’s no financial risk. You didn't pay $25 for a professional kit, so you don't feel "obligated" to use it. You can play, mess up, and delete the whole set if it doesn't fit your vibe.
Actionable Next Steps for the Digital Artist:
- Audit your current library: Delete the 15 "Cloud" brushes you never use.
- Visit the Procreate Folio: Look for the "Mega Thread" in the Resources section. It's the safest place to start.
- Check Gumroad: Search for "Procreate" and set the price filter to 0.
- Test for Pressure: Once you download a new brush, open a blank canvas and test the pressure and tilt immediately to ensure it’s a quality file.
- Backup your favorites: If you find a free brush you love, save the file to your Google Drive or iCloud. Free links on the internet have a habit of disappearing when artists move their sites.