To change the color of an image in Procreate, open Adjustments and choose Hue, Saturation, Brightness for a quick global shift. Use the Recolor tool to swap a single flat color, or select the object and fill or tint it to change only that element. For photos, duplicate the layer first, apply the hue shift to the copy, and erase or mask back so only the target object changes.

The right method depends on whether you are recoloring flat artwork, a textured illustration, or a photographic object.

Pick the Right Method First

Procreate has several ways to change color, and they behave differently.

If you are used to After Effects, think of Hue/Saturation as the Adjustments panel's closest relative, Color Balance as a three-way corrector, and Curves as, well, Curves. The main difference is that Procreate adjustments are raster operations on a layer, so you need to plan for undo safety yourself.

Method 1: Hue, Saturation, Brightness

This is the fastest way to move an entire layer to a new color range.

1. Select the layer you want to change. Adjustments act on the active layer only.
2. Tap the Adjustments icon and choose Hue, Saturation, Brightness.
3. Drag the Hue slider to rotate the overall color tone across the spectrum.
4. Use Saturation to push toward gray (left) or toward maximum vibrancy (right).
5. Use Brightness to lift or lower overall lightness.
6. Tap the Adjustments icon again to commit, or tap another tool. A two-finger tap undoes the change.

In newer versions of Procreate you can also tap the canvas to open Adjustment Actions and choose Apply, which commits the change while keeping you in the same adjustment.

The catch is that a hue shift moves everything on the layer. A red car on a green lawn becomes a blue car on a purple lawn. That is fine for a flat illustration or a full palette exploration, but a photo needs the next approach.

Method 2: Change One Object in a Photo with a Duplicate Layer

This non-destructive approach is a good fit when you want one object, such as a car or a jacket, to change color while the rest of the photo stays untouched.

1. Open the Layers panel, swipe left on your photo layer, and tap Duplicate. Do it twice so you have three copies.
2. Hide the bottom copy and keep it as an untouched backup you can compare against.
3. Select the middle copy, open Adjustments, and choose Hue, Saturation, Brightness.
4. Drag Hue until the target object lands on the color you want. Ignore what happens to everything else for now.
5. Commit the adjustment.
6. Show the top copy, which still has the original colors, and select it.
7. Use the Eraser to paint over the target object. As you erase, the recolored layer underneath shows through.
8. Zoom in and use a smaller brush near edges. A slightly soft brush often blends better than a hard one for organic shapes. Use a harder one for mechanical edges like car panels.

The advantage is that you can fix mistakes. If you erase too far, switch to a brush and paint the original back in on the top layer (or use the eraser on a copy you kept). Nothing is baked until you flatten.

Method 3: Select the Object and Fill It

For clean, controlled results, build a selection of the object, then recolor inside it.

Build the selection

You have a few options:

• Selection tool in Automatic mode. It may make a nice cut-out on some images, but it is hit-and-miss, especially on busy or low-contrast photos.
• Freehand or Pen selection. Trace around the object with a selection mode and refine from there.
• A manual cut-out layer. Create a new layer, pick a bright color, and trace the outline of the object with a solid brush such as Monoline. Stay inside the object's edge and fill the interior. You can then use the eraser to trim spill into the background, or add missed areas with the brush. Think of it as a hand-drawn matte.

Apply the new color

Once the shape exists, you have two good options:

• Fill a layer and set a blend mode. Make a new layer above the photo, fill the selection with your target color, then change the layer blend mode to Color (or experiment with Multiply or Overlay for different looks). Color mode usually looks more natural than a flat fill.
• Use Alpha Lock or a clipping mask. Clip the color layer to the cut-out so edits stay inside the shape.

Any edge issues are easy to fix by editing the cut-out layer rather than redoing the color. This is the same logic as a matte in a compositing package: keep the shape and the color decision on separate layers.

Method 4: The Recolor Tool for Flat or Illustrated Color

Recolor is built for illustration. It replaces a color on the active layer by reading what is under a crosshair.

1. Make sure you are on the correct layer. This is the most common source of "nothing happened" confusion.
2. Open the Quick Menu and select Recolor. If it is not there, add it by going to Actions > Prefs > Gesture controls and assigning Recolor to a Quick Menu slot.
3. A small crosshair appears on the canvas. Drag it onto the area you want to change.
4. Choose a new color from the color wheel. Recolor updates in real time, so you can keep adjusting until it looks right.
5. If the fill does not cover everything, adjust the flood threshold at the bottom of the screen.

Recolor behaves like a fill tied to the color under the crosshair. If the whole background changes, your crosshair is sitting on the wrong color. Move it onto the object. On textured artwork, the result also shifts as you move the crosshair, so experiment with placement before committing.

Recolor is less reliable on photos, where gradients and noise mean there is no single flat color to target. Use Method 2 or 3 there.

Method 5: Color Balance and Curves for Grading

When the goal is not "make it blue" but "make it feel cooler" or "fix this cast," use grading tools instead.

Color Balance

Open Adjustments > Color Balance. You get Red/Cyan, Green/Magenta, and Blue/Yellow sliders, plus buttons for Shadows, Midtones, and Highlights.

• Slide right to push toward red, green, or blue. Slide left to push toward cyan, magenta, or yellow.
• Midtones are selected by default and are the best place to start for an even adjustment.
• Switch to Shadows or Highlights for split-tone looks, such as teal shadows with warm highlights.

Curves

Curves shows the tonal values of the layer as a line over a histogram. Bend the line to change contrast and color. If you are comfortable with Curves in Photoshop or After Effects, this will feel familiar.

Both tools work well on a duplicated layer combined with an eraser or a selection, so a grade only touches part of the image.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

• Color looks flat or muddy. Switch your fill layer to the Color blend mode rather than using Normal, and nudge Saturation or Curves afterward.
• Halos at the edges. Shrink or feather the selection slightly, or clean the cut-out layer with the eraser.
• Adjustment did nothing. Check that the right layer is active and that the layer is not empty or locked.
• Recolor changed the wrong area. Move the crosshair onto the target color, or adjust the flood threshold.
• Banding or loss of quality. Work at full resolution and avoid stacking many destructive adjustments on a single flattened layer. Keep a backup copy.

When Procreate Is One Step in a Larger Pipeline

Procreate is a good tool for stills, concept frames, and illustrated assets. For motion work, it usually feeds into a bigger pipeline. A typical pattern is to recolor key art or style frames in Procreate, export them as PNGs or layered files, and bring them into After Effects, Premiere Pro, or Nuke for animation and compositing.

If the real goal is to carry a new color treatment across moving footage, recoloring individual stills by hand does not scale. In a compositing tool you would typically use color adjustments, masks, and mattes instead.

You keep your compositing workflow and use Procreate for what it does best: hands-on color decisions on a single frame.

Quick Workflow Summary

1. Duplicate your layer before you adjust anything.
2. Use Hue, Saturation, Brightness for global shifts.
3. Use duplicate + eraser or selection + Color blend mode to change a single object in a photo.
4. Use Recolor for flat or illustrated color.
5. Use Color Balance and Curves for grading and fixing casts.
6. Export your approved frame and bring it into your motion pipeline, using it as a reference where it helps.

Once you have these five approaches, you can match the method to the artwork and avoid redoing recolors from scratch.

To change the color of an image in Procreate, open Adjustments and choose Hue, Saturation, Brightness for a quick global shift. Use the Recolor tool to swap a single flat color, or select the object and fill or tint it to change only that element. For photos, duplicate the layer first, apply the hue shift to the copy, and erase or mask back so only the target object changes.

The right method depends on whether you are recoloring flat artwork, a textured illustration, or a photographic object.

Pick the Right Method First

Procreate has several ways to change color, and they behave differently.

If you are used to After Effects, think of Hue/Saturation as the Adjustments panel's closest relative, Color Balance as a three-way corrector, and Curves as, well, Curves. The main difference is that Procreate adjustments are raster operations on a layer, so you need to plan for undo safety yourself.

Method 1: Hue, Saturation, Brightness

This is the fastest way to move an entire layer to a new color range.

1. Select the layer you want to change. Adjustments act on the active layer only.
2. Tap the Adjustments icon and choose Hue, Saturation, Brightness.
3. Drag the Hue slider to rotate the overall color tone across the spectrum.
4. Use Saturation to push toward gray (left) or toward maximum vibrancy (right).
5. Use Brightness to lift or lower overall lightness.
6. Tap the Adjustments icon again to commit, or tap another tool. A two-finger tap undoes the change.

In newer versions of Procreate you can also tap the canvas to open Adjustment Actions and choose Apply, which commits the change while keeping you in the same adjustment.

The catch is that a hue shift moves everything on the layer. A red car on a green lawn becomes a blue car on a purple lawn. That is fine for a flat illustration or a full palette exploration, but a photo needs the next approach.

Method 2: Change One Object in a Photo with a Duplicate Layer

This non-destructive approach is a good fit when you want one object, such as a car or a jacket, to change color while the rest of the photo stays untouched.

1. Open the Layers panel, swipe left on your photo layer, and tap Duplicate. Do it twice so you have three copies.
2. Hide the bottom copy and keep it as an untouched backup you can compare against.
3. Select the middle copy, open Adjustments, and choose Hue, Saturation, Brightness.
4. Drag Hue until the target object lands on the color you want. Ignore what happens to everything else for now.
5. Commit the adjustment.
6. Show the top copy, which still has the original colors, and select it.
7. Use the Eraser to paint over the target object. As you erase, the recolored layer underneath shows through.
8. Zoom in and use a smaller brush near edges. A slightly soft brush often blends better than a hard one for organic shapes. Use a harder one for mechanical edges like car panels.

The advantage is that you can fix mistakes. If you erase too far, switch to a brush and paint the original back in on the top layer (or use the eraser on a copy you kept). Nothing is baked until you flatten.

Method 3: Select the Object and Fill It

For clean, controlled results, build a selection of the object, then recolor inside it.

Build the selection

You have a few options:

• Selection tool in Automatic mode. It may make a nice cut-out on some images, but it is hit-and-miss, especially on busy or low-contrast photos.
• Freehand or Pen selection. Trace around the object with a selection mode and refine from there.
• A manual cut-out layer. Create a new layer, pick a bright color, and trace the outline of the object with a solid brush such as Monoline. Stay inside the object's edge and fill the interior. You can then use the eraser to trim spill into the background, or add missed areas with the brush. Think of it as a hand-drawn matte.

Apply the new color

Once the shape exists, you have two good options:

• Fill a layer and set a blend mode. Make a new layer above the photo, fill the selection with your target color, then change the layer blend mode to Color (or experiment with Multiply or Overlay for different looks). Color mode usually looks more natural than a flat fill.
• Use Alpha Lock or a clipping mask. Clip the color layer to the cut-out so edits stay inside the shape.

Any edge issues are easy to fix by editing the cut-out layer rather than redoing the color. This is the same logic as a matte in a compositing package: keep the shape and the color decision on separate layers.

Method 4: The Recolor Tool for Flat or Illustrated Color

Recolor is built for illustration. It replaces a color on the active layer by reading what is under a crosshair.

1. Make sure you are on the correct layer. This is the most common source of "nothing happened" confusion.
2. Open the Quick Menu and select Recolor. If it is not there, add it by going to Actions > Prefs > Gesture controls and assigning Recolor to a Quick Menu slot.
3. A small crosshair appears on the canvas. Drag it onto the area you want to change.
4. Choose a new color from the color wheel. Recolor updates in real time, so you can keep adjusting until it looks right.
5. If the fill does not cover everything, adjust the flood threshold at the bottom of the screen.

Recolor behaves like a fill tied to the color under the crosshair. If the whole background changes, your crosshair is sitting on the wrong color. Move it onto the object. On textured artwork, the result also shifts as you move the crosshair, so experiment with placement before committing.

Recolor is less reliable on photos, where gradients and noise mean there is no single flat color to target. Use Method 2 or 3 there.

Method 5: Color Balance and Curves for Grading

When the goal is not "make it blue" but "make it feel cooler" or "fix this cast," use grading tools instead.

Color Balance

Open Adjustments > Color Balance. You get Red/Cyan, Green/Magenta, and Blue/Yellow sliders, plus buttons for Shadows, Midtones, and Highlights.

• Slide right to push toward red, green, or blue. Slide left to push toward cyan, magenta, or yellow.
• Midtones are selected by default and are the best place to start for an even adjustment.
• Switch to Shadows or Highlights for split-tone looks, such as teal shadows with warm highlights.

Curves

Curves shows the tonal values of the layer as a line over a histogram. Bend the line to change contrast and color. If you are comfortable with Curves in Photoshop or After Effects, this will feel familiar.

Both tools work well on a duplicated layer combined with an eraser or a selection, so a grade only touches part of the image.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

• Color looks flat or muddy. Switch your fill layer to the Color blend mode rather than using Normal, and nudge Saturation or Curves afterward.
• Halos at the edges. Shrink or feather the selection slightly, or clean the cut-out layer with the eraser.
• Adjustment did nothing. Check that the right layer is active and that the layer is not empty or locked.
• Recolor changed the wrong area. Move the crosshair onto the target color, or adjust the flood threshold.
• Banding or loss of quality. Work at full resolution and avoid stacking many destructive adjustments on a single flattened layer. Keep a backup copy.

When Procreate Is One Step in a Larger Pipeline

Procreate is a good tool for stills, concept frames, and illustrated assets. For motion work, it usually feeds into a bigger pipeline. A typical pattern is to recolor key art or style frames in Procreate, export them as PNGs or layered files, and bring them into After Effects, Premiere Pro, or Nuke for animation and compositing.

If the real goal is to carry a new color treatment across moving footage, recoloring individual stills by hand does not scale. In a compositing tool you would typically use color adjustments, masks, and mattes instead.

You keep your compositing workflow and use Procreate for what it does best: hands-on color decisions on a single frame.

Quick Workflow Summary

1. Duplicate your layer before you adjust anything.
2. Use Hue, Saturation, Brightness for global shifts.
3. Use duplicate + eraser or selection + Color blend mode to change a single object in a photo.
4. Use Recolor for flat or illustrated color.
5. Use Color Balance and Curves for grading and fixing casts.
6. Export your approved frame and bring it into your motion pipeline, using it as a reference where it helps.

Once you have these five approaches, you can match the method to the artwork and avoid redoing recolors from scratch.