How do you add layers without procreate getting annoying?

[u/Valuable_Air_1747]

Hi digital artists! Basically the title. Can yall tell me how you draw with multiple layers without procreate lagging? Am I doing something wrong? I draw with a lot of layers because coloring and stuff but then the undo button or the zooming gets really annoying, how do you do it? It’s the config of the canvas? Am I doing something wrong?

It’s because my canvas is big? (Less than a5 because I then print it), the dpi? (I use 500 but I dunno if it’s correct)

Probably it’s not the most efficient way of drawing and coloring but it’s just my way to do it and it works for me.

It’s a normal function of the app? The more layers the badder it becomes? Thank you so much for any help

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[u/Savage2280]

First thing to do is go to canvas info, then layers and see how many layers you're allowed to use, I suspect you're getting close to the cap. Next is make sure ONLY procreate is open while using it, nothing else should be open on your iPad. Next is just start merging dude, if you're done with parts then merge them and slim your layers down, that's really the only solution, perhaps your groups can be merged to one or 2 layers.

[u/Valuable_Air_1747 → u/Savage2280]

I usually merge when I’m done shading but I do it with a lot of layers so procreate gets slower:( if I resize the canvas to something smaller to have more layers and when I finish and merge I resize it again to a bigger canvas, do you know if I lose quality?

[u/Savage2280 → u/Valuable_Air_1747]

You will lose quality resizing smaller and then bigger again, I suggest really looking at your layers and merging things together, high contrast areas can always be selected and shaded individually. Do all of the individual parts of your stove really need to be separated? Why not merge the knobs and the grill top together so they're separate in space and can be easily selected, do the window and towel really need to be separate layers? Things like that. Just because you're using a new color doesn't mean you need to use a new layer, in fact a lot of those layers could have been clipping masks over a base color, saving you precious processing power on your iPad and minimizing lag.

[u/Valuable_Air_1747 → u/Savage2280]

Yeah I guess I can do that is just that I’m used to works this way and it would imply learning a new way of working. I was just asking in case I could apply settings differently or something.
I actually do use clipping masks, that’s why I have a lot of layers, I like to do the base color and then the shadows lighting and stuff in clipping masks.
When I finish, I usually merge but it usually lags before I finish with the clipping masks so that’s why I was asking
Thank you for answering tho!!! I’ll try to maybe merge things that are really separate so it doesn’t affect my shading and all. Thanks:)))

[u/Savage2280 → u/Valuable_Air_1747]

Best of luck!!

[u/Hybridjosto → u/Valuable_Air_1747]

Before you merge you could add each layer as a saved selection so you don't need to magic wand , just pull up the saved selection on the merged layer and make your edits.

[u/DramaSea8172 → u/Valuable_Air_1747]

You can duplicate your file before you merge so you have a back up.

[u/danyack → u/Savage2280]

Mostly good advice, but manually closing other apps actually makes performance worse, not better. Let iOS manage that for you.

[u/Savage2280 → u/danyack]

Lol what? That's literally not how ANY computer works lol. ios isn't going to close 10 apps because it's making procreate run slow, it'll minimize them as much as it can, but they still eat up memory and processing power while open, even in a suspended state. Tell me you're ragebaiting

[u/danyack → u/Savage2280]

Look it up ding dong

EDIT: A bit more info for the benefit of OP and others who may be experiencing similar lag issues. You should not, of course, actively multitask with other resource-intensive apps like Spotify or YouTube if Procreate is not performing well.

In general though, closing other apps does not help you. Here’s an Apple Community note with some more details.

[u/splitarrowprints]

I’ve never experienced the lag you’re talking about with lots of layers or anything.

But you realistically don’t need more than 300dpi. Increasing the dpi above 300 can allow you to make the printed size larger if you have many printed use cases like prints, stickers, and something larger like a shower curtain. This would allow you to have one file.

Without the multiple uses drawing at size at 300dpi is perfectly fine.

[u/Valuable_Air_1747 → u/splitarrowprints]

Okay thank you so much I will lower it at 300. I do postcards and illustrations so normally it no bigger than A5

[u/Final-Elderberry9162]

500dpi is unnecessarily high. Remember, dpi is a relational metric - if a file is 8”x8” 150dpi, if you print at 4”x4” it will be 300dpi. You can definitely lower the dpi to 300, get more layers and have no drop in quality.

As to your question, the only times I’ve had issues with lagging is when I’ve inadvertently left a ton of apps open. If I close them out, I’m fine. What iPad model/OS are you using?

[u/kubiric]

I experience this only if my canvas is too big, my storage is almost full or there are other apps running in the background. Hope it helps!

[u/Valuable_Air_1747 → u/kubiric]

Thanks! Do you think an a5 canvas it’s too big? It the size of my prints so I usually make the drawing 1:1 to not lose quality when I print them

[u/kubiric → u/Valuable_Air_1747]

No, I don't think the A5 canvas size is too big. I remember working on a A4 size (twice as big) canvas without any lagging. Maybe it's the DPI as others mentioned.

Instead of starting all over again, you can try this:

1. Create a new project/canvas in A5 size, 300dpi with CMYK color profile.

2. Then duplicate this artwork in your ProCreate library so that you won't lose it forever if you make an irreversable change while trying this.

3. Then ungroup all the layers inside the duplicate version (tap on the group name and it will show you the 'ungroup' option).

4. Turn off the background.

5. In the share/export panel, you'll see the 'Share Layers' section at the bottom. Hit 'Png Files' and it'll export all your INDIVIDUAL layers.

6. Now head out to your new 300dpi A5 canvas and import all these layers in order. And continue working on there.

I know it's painful especially if you have LOTS of layers. But it might help you continue to work on this without errors/lagging. I don't know if it effects the quality of your artwork dramatically since the dpi is much lower for the new canvas. It's up to you to give it a shot. You can also try contacting ProCreate. Hope you can solve this issue <3

[u/squiddybonesjones]

you're not going to like my answer, but reduce your layers amount.

[u/Dextrapede]

300 dpi, merge layers as much as possible, check that your canvas isn't like 20 inches :) it could also be something else - do you notice that this lag only occurs when your tablet is charging?

[u/Valuable_Air_1747 → u/Dextrapede]

My canvas is a little smaller than A5 cause that’s the printing size I use later on. The lagging occurs usually when I pass a big number of layer, it doesn’t happen in the initial states for example

[u/ericalm_]

If I have to, what I’ll do is save, duplicate file, flatten a bunch of groups that I’m done with, and continue. I’ve only had to do this a couple times on some very large and complex files, almost twice A5 at 300dpi, on an iPad Pro 5th generation (M1). I will run out of layers before it starts to lag, though.

[u/Actual-Interest-4130]

Procreate will not give you more layers than it can handle but it will 'remember' every step you've done. So closing and reopening your file should help reduce lag (provided you don't want to undo anything or export as a movie ;)).

Also make sure your iPad is fully charged, if it's low on batteries it'll slow down too.

[u/win_some_lose_most1y]

You guys have more than 2 layers? Insane.

[u/Walloly]

I don’t know if this will help you but I recently discovered that if you merge layers of varying opacities you can one layer with multiple levels of opacity and it helped me condense multiple shading layers into just one and has reduced the number I have by almost half and now my iPad runs much smoother. Hopefully it’s applicable to you.

[u/bluetifulangel]

Reducing layers will help, grouping things that don’t overlap on to one layer will give you the option to make changes if necessary later on. 500 dpi is a bit overkill too, 300 is enough for printing

[u/happycard1097]

Long time UNIX admin here. Badly behaving Apps over time can use up system resources. The “cure” is two fold

1. Force close All the Apps.

2} do a hard reset if the IPad. quickly press volume up, down buttons. Then press and HOLD the power button, ignore the slide to power off, until the Apple logo appears. can take up To a minute.

[u/Hod20]

What are you working on? Get an iPad pro M4 / M5