Digital Art: Procreate Dreams Beginner Animation & App Exploration Club (9-14)

Hi you guys!

In this on-going, weekly class you will follow along with me to practice animation and video editing skills in the new and super popular Procreate Dreams app! For this class, you will need an iPad, an Apple Pencil (best), the Procreate app (downloaded and installed), the Procreate Dreams app (downloaded and installed), and a *separate device for joining the Zoom call.* 

Are you super stoked to start animating your own Shorts/Reels/Animated Memes/Short Films in the Procreate Dreams app, but just not sure where to start? Trust me--you're not alone! This app unfortunately isn't super intuitive, but over the last seven months I've gotten to know it and have found methods for creating my own Shorts/Reels, and I'm excited for the opportunity to share some of this knowledge with you!

Each week, we'll begin our meetings with greetings, and everyone will have an opportunity to briefly share an artwork or animation that they've been working on. I will then demonstrate a skill in the Procreate Dreams app, sometimes between the Procreate app and the Procreate Dreams app, then we will all practice the new skill and see what we can do with it! We will discuss any problems that come up with the app and find solutions for them together! 

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✨ Weekly Meeting Plan ✨
→ Check-In & Say Hello!
→ Share Artwork / Animations
→ Observe/Follow Along to Skill Demonstration
→ Practice the Skill, Ask Questions, Discuss What Works and What Doesn't
→ Share Progress & Say Goodbye!

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✨ Weekly Themes/Prompts ✨

January 2025
→ Week of Jan 1 - Jan 4: lip sync “Cheerful!”
→ Week of Jan 5 - Jan 11: walk cycle (4-Legged Animal)
→ Week of Jan 12 - Jan 18: toys
→ Week of Jan 19 - Jan 25: fireplace
→ Week of Jan 26 - Feb 1: lip sync “No way!”

February 2025
→ Week of Feb 2 - Feb 8: walk cycle (human/humanoid)
→ Week of Feb 9 - Feb 15: rocket in space
→ Week of Feb 16 - Feb 22: zoom into eye
→ Week of Feb 23 - Mar 1: lip sync “Sure thing!”

March 2025
→ Week of Mar 2 - Mar 8: walk cycle (2-Legged Animal)
→ Week of Mar 9 - Mar 15: flipping pancake
→ Week of Mar 16 - Mar 22: cat driving car
→ Week of Mar 23 - Mar 29: lip sync “Lucky duck!”
→ Week of Mar 30 - Apr 5: walk cycle (human/humanoid)

April 2025
→ Week of Apr 6 - Apr 12: battle bots
→ Week of Apr 13 - Apr 19: rabbit hat with ears
→ Week of Apr 20 - Apr 26: lip sync “Spring Break!”
→ Week of Apr 27 - May 3: walk cycle (4-Legged Animal)

May 2025
→ Week of May 4 - May 10: dinosaur daydream
→ Week of May 11 - May 17: griffin
→ Week of May 18 - May 24: lip sync “I dunno!”
→ Week of May 25 - May 31: walk cycle (human/humanoid)

June 2025
→ Week of Jun 1 - Jun 7: eating pizza
→ Week of Jun 8 - Jun 14: boba tea
→ Week of Jun 15 - Jun 21: lip sync “Fantastic!”
→ Week of Jun 22 - Jun 28: walk cycle (2-Legged Animal)
→ Week of Jun 29 - Jul 5: surfs up

July 2025
→ Week of Jul 6 - Jul 12: skydiving
→ Week of Jul 13 - Jul 19: lip sync “Vacation!”
→ Week of Jul 20 - Jul 26: walk cycle (human/humanoid)
→ Week of Jul 27 - Aug 2: panda parade

August 2025
→ Week of Aug 3 - Aug 9: avocado toast
→ Week of Aug 10 - Aug 16: lip sync “Surprise!”
→ Week of Aug 17 - Aug 23: walk cycle (4-Legged Animal)
→ Week of Aug 24 - Aug 30: leaping lizard
→ Week of Aug 31 - Sep 6: turtle tantrum

September 2025
→ Week of Sep 7 - Sep 13: lip sync “Birthday!”
→ Week of Sep 14 - Sep 20: walk cycle (human/humanoid)
→ Week of Sep 21 - Sep 27: tiger cub playing drum
→ Week of Sep 28 - Oct 4: happy meal / biggie bag

October 2025
→ Week of Oct 5 - Oct 11: lip sync “Spooky!”
→ Week of Oct 12 - Oct 18: walk cycle (2-Legged Animal)
→ Week of Oct 19 - Oct 25: gaming
→ Week of Oct 26 - Nov 1: spider web

November 2025
→ Week of Nov 2 - Nov 8: lip sync “Gobble Gobble!”
→ Week of Nov 9 - Nov 15: walk cycle (human/humanoid)
→ Week of Nov 16 - Nov 22: gaming intro / fun with font
→ Week of Nov 23 - Nov 29: text messages
→ Week of Nov 30 - Dec 6: lip sync “Holiday!”

December 2025
→ Week of Dec 7 - Dec 13: walk cycle (4-Legged Animal)
→ Week of Dec 14 - Dec 20: raccoon / trash panda
→ Week of Dec 21 - Dec 27: house with lights
→ Week of Dec 28 - Jan 3, 2026: lip sync “New Year!”

**Weekly Themes/Prompts are always subject to change, and returning club members should feel free to request new themes/prompts for upcoming weeks!**


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✨Potential Skills ✨

💙 Procreate Skills
→ Navigating the app [as needed]
→ Animation Assist
- Onion Skins (Frames, Opacity), Frames Per Second, Loop / Ping-Pong / One Shot, Background Frame, Foreground Frame, etc.
→ Layers / Layer Opacity / Blending Modes
→ Exporting / Importing Images / Files [as needed]
→ and more!

💙 Procreate Dreams Skills
→ Navigating the app [as needed]
- Theater, Timeline, Stage, Backstage
- Play, Perform, Timeline Edit, Drawing, Add Track
- Import premade Animations, Backgrounds, Brushes from Procreate
- Edit Settings
→ Actions: Move, Filter, Edit
→ and more!

💙 iPad Skills
→ Drag & Drop Files from Procreate to Procreate Dreams.
→ Save Files in an organized Folder on iPad [as needed].

💙 Artistic Skills
→ Illustration / Drawing
- Form / Structure
- Mood / Vibe
- Shape Language
- Shading / Highlighting
- Composition
- Character Design
- Sketching
- Line Work
- Color Theory
- Textures
- Stylization
- and more!

→ Animation / Story Telling
- Screenplay [discussion of concept only]
- Storyboarding [discussion of concept only]
- Character Design, Expression Sheets [discussion of concept only]
- Frame-By-Frame, Stop Motion
- Key Frames, Breakdowns, In Betweens
- Tie Down / Clean Up
- Walk Cycles
- Timing
- Staging
- Squash & Stretch
- Anticipation
- Exaggeration
- Lip Syncing
- and more!

→ Personal / Social / Emotional [for Art]
- Patience
- Learning Through "Mistakes"
- Trying Again...Then Trying Again, Again.
- and more!

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Please Note:
This class is designed for beginners--so super beginners are always welcome! You do not need any prior experience with Procreate Dreams to take this class, though basic drawing skills and knowledge of the regular Procreate app will certainly help you in this process. We're all here to learn together, help, and encourage one another! :)

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This class is also available for 15-18 year olds. See link below!

Procreate Dreams Group (15-18) --> https://outschool.com/classes/digital-art-procreate-dreams-beginner-animation-app-exploration-club-15-18-ZRh4zc1M