To color a PDF in Procreate, first convert the page to a PNG or JPG, then import it with Actions (wrench) > Add > Insert a photo (or Insert a file). Create a new layer beneath the line art and paint there so the outlines stay on top. If the page has a white background, set the line-art layer to Multiply so your colors show through, and for fast flat fills, set the line art as Reference and use ColorDrop on the layer below.

What You Need Before You Start

• Procreate on an iPad, ideally with an Apple Pencil or another stylus
• The PDF page you want to color: a coloring page, a storyboard panel, a character turnaround, or line art exported from another tool
• A way to turn that PDF into an image: the Files app, a notes or PDF app that exports pages as images, or an online PDF-to-PNG converter

The workflow is the same whether the PDF is a hobby coloring book or a production asset. The difference for professional work is that you'll care more about resolution, layer structure, and how the file leaves Procreate.

Step 1: Convert the PDF to an Image

Procreate works most predictably with raster images, so treat the PDF as source material and turn each page into a PNG or JPG first.

A few ways to do that:

• Export from a PDF or notes app. Open the PDF on your iPad, then export the page as an image or take a cropped screenshot. Exporting is better because screenshots lock you to screen resolution.
• Use a converter. Search for "PDF to PNG" and upload the file. Most converters let you pick a resolution.
• Export from the source. If the PDF came from Illustrator, Affinity, or a layout tool, go back to the original and export a PNG with a transparent background. This is the cleanest option.

Prefer PNG when you can. PNG supports transparency, which makes the layering in Step 3 much simpler. A JPG always carries a white background, so it needs one extra setting.

Mind the resolution. A low-resolution conversion gives you soft, pixelated lines you can't fix later. If the finished art will end up in a video timeline or composite, convert at a size that matches or exceeds your delivery frame.

Step 2: Import the Page into Procreate

1. Open Procreate and create a canvas. For print-style pages, a standard page ratio works. For motion work, create a custom canvas that matches your comp dimensions.
2. Tap the Actions (wrench) icon.
3. Choose Add, then Insert a photo if the image is in your Photos library, or Insert a file if it's in Files, iCloud, or Dropbox.
4. Resize and position the image to fill the canvas, then tap elsewhere to confirm.

You can also import from the Gallery using the Photo or Import buttons, which creates a new canvas sized to the image. That's handy if you want the canvas to match the converted page exactly.

Canvas size matters here. Larger canvases use more memory, so if you plan a heavily layered piece, think twice before committing to an oversized canvas.

Step 3: Set Up Layers So You Never Paint Over the Lines

The most common beginner mistake is painting on the same layer as the line art. Procreate pixels are destructive on a single layer, so coloring over a line simply covers it. The fix is structural.

If the page has a transparent background (PNG)

1. Rename the imported layer to something like "Line Art."
2. Tap the + in the Layers panel to add a new layer.
3. Drag the new layer below the line art.
4. Paint on the lower layer. The outlines remain crisp on top.

If the page has a white background (JPG or flattened PDF)

A layer placed below a white, opaque image is invisible, so you need to change how the line art blends.

1. Tap the N next to the line-art layer.
2. Set the blend mode to Multiply (some artists prefer Darken).
3. Add a new layer underneath and paint.

Multiply makes the white effectively transparent while keeping the black lines.

Optional but smart: lock the line-art layer (swipe left on it and tap Lock) so you can't accidentally paint on it.

Step 4: Choose Your Coloring Method

Procreate gives you several ways to fill, and which you pick depends on the look you want.

Method A: Freehand painting under the line art

This is the most traditional approach. Pick a textured brush such as a crayon, colored pencil, or gouache style, and paint on the layer below. It's slower, but it produces the most natural, hand-colored result. Zoom in for detail work and keep a separate layer per major color group so you can adjust later.

Method B: Reference + ColorDrop for flat fills

This is the fastest route for clean, flat color:

1. Tap the line-art layer and choose Reference.
2. Add a new layer underneath and select it.
3. Drag a color from the color disc into a closed shape and release. ColorDrop fills the area using the line art as the boundary, even though you're on a different layer.

Use one layer per color family, such as skin, hair, clothing, and background. Rename them as you go. When the art leaves Procreate and gets edited elsewhere, that discipline pays off.

Watch for gaps. If a line has even a tiny break, ColorDrop will leak into neighboring areas. Close the gap on a separate layer with a small brush, or undo and try again.

Method C: Selection tool for precise shapes

Use the Selection tool in Automatic mode to tap inside a shape and select it, then fill it on your color layer. Duplicate the line art first so your original stays untouched. This is useful when you want exact edges, or when you want to reuse a selection for shading and highlights.

Step 5: Add Shading and Texture with Clipping Masks

Flat color is a starting point. To add depth without spilling outside the shapes:

1. Create a new layer directly above a flat-color layer.
2. Tap the layer and choose Clipping Mask.
3. Paint shadows, highlights, texture, or gradients on that layer. Everything stays inside the shapes below.

Use Multiply for shadows and Add or Overlay for highlights. A soft airbrush gives smooth gradients, while a dry brush or pencil adds grain. Because each effect lives on its own clipped layer, you can lower opacity, swap blend modes, or delete it without damaging your base colors.

Step 6: Export for the Next Stage

Once the page is colored, export from Actions > Share:

• PNG for a flat image with transparency preserved where applicable
• PSD if you want to keep your layers for further editing in Photoshop or another layered workflow
• JPG for quick sharing only, since it's lossy and has no transparency

If you're handing this to a motion pipeline, PSD with named layers is usually more useful than a flattened image, because you can separate line art, flats, and shading in a compositing tool.

Common Problems and Fixes

• Colors appear behind a white page and you can't see them. The line art is opaque. Set it to Multiply or re-import a transparent PNG.
• Lines look blurry. The converted image is too low resolution. Re-export the PDF at a larger size.
• ColorDrop fills the whole page. There's likely a gap in the outline.
• Color spills over the outline. You're painting on the line-art layer. Move to the layer beneath, or lock the line art.
• Edges show a white halo. This often comes from anti-aliased edges on a white-background image. Using Multiply, or starting from a transparent PNG, typically resolves it.

Where a Colored PDF Page Fits in a Motion Pipeline

For motion designers and animators, a colored page is rarely the final deliverable. It might be a style frame, a character design, a storyboard panel, or a texture for a scene. Procreate is a good place to establish color decisions quickly, and that's where it should end.

The next step is usually turning still art into moving footage while keeping your look intact. That's where Styleframe can sit alongside your existing tools, as another stage between the art and the final comp.

A Quick Checklist

1. Convert the PDF page to PNG (or JPG) at a high enough resolution.
2. Import via Actions > Add > Insert a photo or file.
3. Rename and lock the line-art layer.
4. Put a new color layer beneath it, or set the line art to Multiply if the background is white.
5. Fill with freehand painting, Reference + ColorDrop, or the Selection tool.
6. Add shading and texture on clipping-mask layers.
7. Export as PNG or layered PSD for the next step in your pipeline.

Once the layer setup is right, everything else is just painting. The structure is what keeps your line art clean and your edits reversible, and it's what makes the file easy to hand off to the rest of your toolchain.

To color a PDF in Procreate, first convert the page to a PNG or JPG, then import it with Actions (wrench) > Add > Insert a photo (or Insert a file). Create a new layer beneath the line art and paint there so the outlines stay on top. If the page has a white background, set the line-art layer to Multiply so your colors show through, and for fast flat fills, set the line art as Reference and use ColorDrop on the layer below.

What You Need Before You Start

• Procreate on an iPad, ideally with an Apple Pencil or another stylus
• The PDF page you want to color: a coloring page, a storyboard panel, a character turnaround, or line art exported from another tool
• A way to turn that PDF into an image: the Files app, a notes or PDF app that exports pages as images, or an online PDF-to-PNG converter

The workflow is the same whether the PDF is a hobby coloring book or a production asset. The difference for professional work is that you'll care more about resolution, layer structure, and how the file leaves Procreate.

Step 1: Convert the PDF to an Image

Procreate works most predictably with raster images, so treat the PDF as source material and turn each page into a PNG or JPG first.

A few ways to do that:

• Export from a PDF or notes app. Open the PDF on your iPad, then export the page as an image or take a cropped screenshot. Exporting is better because screenshots lock you to screen resolution.
• Use a converter. Search for "PDF to PNG" and upload the file. Most converters let you pick a resolution.
• Export from the source. If the PDF came from Illustrator, Affinity, or a layout tool, go back to the original and export a PNG with a transparent background. This is the cleanest option.

Prefer PNG when you can. PNG supports transparency, which makes the layering in Step 3 much simpler. A JPG always carries a white background, so it needs one extra setting.

Mind the resolution. A low-resolution conversion gives you soft, pixelated lines you can't fix later. If the finished art will end up in a video timeline or composite, convert at a size that matches or exceeds your delivery frame.

Step 2: Import the Page into Procreate

1. Open Procreate and create a canvas. For print-style pages, a standard page ratio works. For motion work, create a custom canvas that matches your comp dimensions.
2. Tap the Actions (wrench) icon.
3. Choose Add, then Insert a photo if the image is in your Photos library, or Insert a file if it's in Files, iCloud, or Dropbox.
4. Resize and position the image to fill the canvas, then tap elsewhere to confirm.

You can also import from the Gallery using the Photo or Import buttons, which creates a new canvas sized to the image. That's handy if you want the canvas to match the converted page exactly.

Canvas size matters here. Larger canvases use more memory, so if you plan a heavily layered piece, think twice before committing to an oversized canvas.

Step 3: Set Up Layers So You Never Paint Over the Lines

The most common beginner mistake is painting on the same layer as the line art. Procreate pixels are destructive on a single layer, so coloring over a line simply covers it. The fix is structural.

If the page has a transparent background (PNG)

1. Rename the imported layer to something like "Line Art."
2. Tap the + in the Layers panel to add a new layer.
3. Drag the new layer below the line art.
4. Paint on the lower layer. The outlines remain crisp on top.

If the page has a white background (JPG or flattened PDF)

A layer placed below a white, opaque image is invisible, so you need to change how the line art blends.

1. Tap the N next to the line-art layer.
2. Set the blend mode to Multiply (some artists prefer Darken).
3. Add a new layer underneath and paint.

Multiply makes the white effectively transparent while keeping the black lines.

Optional but smart: lock the line-art layer (swipe left on it and tap Lock) so you can't accidentally paint on it.

Step 4: Choose Your Coloring Method

Procreate gives you several ways to fill, and which you pick depends on the look you want.

Method A: Freehand painting under the line art

This is the most traditional approach. Pick a textured brush such as a crayon, colored pencil, or gouache style, and paint on the layer below. It's slower, but it produces the most natural, hand-colored result. Zoom in for detail work and keep a separate layer per major color group so you can adjust later.

Method B: Reference + ColorDrop for flat fills

This is the fastest route for clean, flat color:

1. Tap the line-art layer and choose Reference.
2. Add a new layer underneath and select it.
3. Drag a color from the color disc into a closed shape and release. ColorDrop fills the area using the line art as the boundary, even though you're on a different layer.

Use one layer per color family, such as skin, hair, clothing, and background. Rename them as you go. When the art leaves Procreate and gets edited elsewhere, that discipline pays off.

Watch for gaps. If a line has even a tiny break, ColorDrop will leak into neighboring areas. Close the gap on a separate layer with a small brush, or undo and try again.

Method C: Selection tool for precise shapes

Use the Selection tool in Automatic mode to tap inside a shape and select it, then fill it on your color layer. Duplicate the line art first so your original stays untouched. This is useful when you want exact edges, or when you want to reuse a selection for shading and highlights.

Step 5: Add Shading and Texture with Clipping Masks

Flat color is a starting point. To add depth without spilling outside the shapes:

1. Create a new layer directly above a flat-color layer.
2. Tap the layer and choose Clipping Mask.
3. Paint shadows, highlights, texture, or gradients on that layer. Everything stays inside the shapes below.

Use Multiply for shadows and Add or Overlay for highlights. A soft airbrush gives smooth gradients, while a dry brush or pencil adds grain. Because each effect lives on its own clipped layer, you can lower opacity, swap blend modes, or delete it without damaging your base colors.

Step 6: Export for the Next Stage

Once the page is colored, export from Actions > Share:

• PNG for a flat image with transparency preserved where applicable
• PSD if you want to keep your layers for further editing in Photoshop or another layered workflow
• JPG for quick sharing only, since it's lossy and has no transparency

If you're handing this to a motion pipeline, PSD with named layers is usually more useful than a flattened image, because you can separate line art, flats, and shading in a compositing tool.

Common Problems and Fixes

• Colors appear behind a white page and you can't see them. The line art is opaque. Set it to Multiply or re-import a transparent PNG.
• Lines look blurry. The converted image is too low resolution. Re-export the PDF at a larger size.
• ColorDrop fills the whole page. There's likely a gap in the outline.
• Color spills over the outline. You're painting on the line-art layer. Move to the layer beneath, or lock the line art.
• Edges show a white halo. This often comes from anti-aliased edges on a white-background image. Using Multiply, or starting from a transparent PNG, typically resolves it.

Where a Colored PDF Page Fits in a Motion Pipeline

For motion designers and animators, a colored page is rarely the final deliverable. It might be a style frame, a character design, a storyboard panel, or a texture for a scene. Procreate is a good place to establish color decisions quickly, and that's where it should end.

The next step is usually turning still art into moving footage while keeping your look intact. That's where Styleframe can sit alongside your existing tools, as another stage between the art and the final comp.

A Quick Checklist

1. Convert the PDF page to PNG (or JPG) at a high enough resolution.
2. Import via Actions > Add > Insert a photo or file.
3. Rename and lock the line-art layer.
4. Put a new color layer beneath it, or set the line art to Multiply if the background is white.
5. Fill with freehand painting, Reference + ColorDrop, or the Selection tool.
6. Add shading and texture on clipping-mask layers.
7. Export as PNG or layered PSD for the next step in your pipeline.

Once the layer setup is right, everything else is just painting. The structure is what keeps your line art clean and your edits reversible, and it's what makes the file easy to hand off to the rest of your toolchain.