How to Create Graffiti Art in Procreate

2026-06-25

Digital graffiti lets you throw up a piece with no wall, no cans and no cleanup — and undo every mistake. This guide walks through a full graffiti workflow in Procreate: setting up a wall, sketching the piece, blocking fills, adding outlines and highlights, and finishing with drips and overspray.

The graffiti workflow at a glance

Wall setup — texture background and lighting.
Sketch — rough the letters or character.
Fills — block flat color with a wide spray.
Outline — define the shapes.
Highlights & 3D — shine and depth.
Drips, splatter & overspray — the street finish.

1. Set up the wall

Start with a wall texture — concrete or brick — on the bottom layer so your paint sits on a real surface. Add a subtle vignette or light source. Grunge and wall textures live in the texture category. Work on a large canvas so spray grain stays crisp.

2. Sketch the piece

On a sketch layer, rough out your letters or character loosely. Graffiti letterforms (throw-ups, wildstyle) take planning — see how to draw graffiti letters. Keep it gestural; you'll refine with paint.

3. Block the fills

On a new layer below the sketch, block flat color into the letter shapes with a wide spray brush. Use bold, saturated colors and let the spray grain show. A gradient fill (two colors blended) instantly adds the classic graffiti look. Grab sprays from the graffiti tag — see the best free graffiti brushes.

4. Add the outline

Outline the fills with a tighter spray or marker to define the shapes. A second, thicker outer outline (the "force field") in a contrasting color makes the piece pop off the wall. Keep outlines on their own layer.

5. Highlights and 3D

Add highlights — small bright marks where light hits the letters — and a 3D extrusion (a solid shadow shape behind the letters) for depth. These two touches turn flat letters into a dimensional piece.

6. Drips, splatter and overspray

Finish with the street details: drips running from the fills, splatter around the edges, and a light overspray haze to tie everything to the wall. See spray drips and splatter. A final grime layer over the whole piece sells the realism.

Take it further

Put your finished piece on a real wall with a street-art mockup, add a glowing neon effect, or go stencil style.

Brushes and next steps

You can make a full graffiti piece with free brushes — sprays, drips and textures from the graffiti tag and special effects category, or any free brushset. New to the iPad? Start with how to start drawing on iPad.

Frequently Asked Questions

Click a question to expand the answer

How do you make graffiti art in Procreate?

Set up a wall texture background, sketch your letters or character, block flat fills with a wide spray brush, add outlines and a contrasting outer outline, then add highlights and a 3D extrusion for depth. Finish with drips, splatter and overspray to tie it to the wall.

What brushes do I need for digital graffiti?

Soft aerosol spray cans for fills and outlines, drip and splatter brushes for the street finish, a hard marker for tags, and wall/grunge textures to paint on. All are available free under the graffiti tag and special effects category.

How do I give graffiti letters a 3D look?

Add a solid extrusion shape behind the letters in a darker color, offset slightly, to act as their cast depth. Combine it with bright highlights where light hits the letters and a contrasting outer outline, and the flat letters read as dimensional.

Do I need a wall texture for digital graffiti?

It's not required, but a concrete or brick wall texture under your paint makes digital graffiti far more convincing — real spray sits on a surface. Add overspray and a grime layer over the finished piece to bind the paint to the wall.