How to Use Stamp Brushes in Procreate

2026-06-25

Stamp brushes let you drop a finished shape — a flower, a mandala, a texture — with a single tap. This complete guide covers everything you need to use them well in Procreate: placing and sizing stamps, recoloring, spacing rows, combining them, and the settings that turn any brush into a stamp.

What a stamp brush does

A stamp brush places a whole shape in one tap rather than painting a continuous stroke. Tap once = one stamp. This makes them ideal for repeating elements — petals, snowflakes, paisleys, borders, grain — that would be slow to draw by hand. New to stamps? Start with our best free stamp brushes roundup.

1. Place and size a stamp

Select a stamp brush, then set the size with the sidebar slider before you tap — the stamp prints at the current brush size. Tap the canvas to drop it. To keep proportions while you experiment, stamp first and resize later with the Transform (arrow) tool, which scales without losing quality on vector-like stamps.

2. Always stamp on its own layer

Put each stamp (or group of stamps) on a separate layer so you can move, scale, rotate, recolor or delete it without touching the rest. This is the single most important habit with stamps. If layers are new to you, read Procreate layers explained.

3. Recolor stamps

Most stamps are single-color silhouettes: whatever color you pick before tapping is the color they print. To change a stamp already on the canvas, turn on Alpha Lock (or use a clipping mask) on its layer and repaint, or use Adjustments → Hue, Saturation, Brightness. Multi-color stamps are best retinted with a clipping mask.

4. Control pressure and stamp behavior

For a clean, consistent stamp, a light tap is enough — but some stamps respond to pressure (size or opacity). If a stamp prints faint, tap a little firmer or raise the brush opacity. To stamp at exactly 100% every time, set the brush to maximum opacity.

5. Space stamps in a row or pattern

To repeat a stamp evenly, tap along a guide line or turn on the Drawing Guide (2D grid) and place stamps at the intersections. For true repeating wallpaper, see how to create seamless patterns. For radial repeats, the Symmetry guide builds mandalas automatically.

6. Combine stamps into compositions

Layer different stamps — a frame, some florals, a few small motifs — to build cards, stickers and layouts fast. Vary size and rotation so repeats don't look mechanical. Use stamps from the stamps and nature categories together.

7. Make your own stamp

Any shape you draw can become a stamp brush. We cover the full process — source image, Brush Studio, shape source — in how to make a stamp brush in Procreate.

Where to get stamp brushes

Build a free stamp library from the stamps category or all free brushsets. If an imported set doesn't show up, see how to install Procreate brushes. From here, branch into stickers, doodle patterns or borders and frames.

Frequently Asked Questions

Click a question to expand the answer

How do you use a stamp brush in Procreate?

Select the stamp brush, set the brush size before tapping, then tap once on the canvas to place the stamp on its own layer. Pick a color first to set a single-color stamp's color, and use the Transform tool to resize or rotate it after placing.

Why is my stamp brush not stamping a full shape?

Usually the brush size is too small or the opacity is low, so the stamp prints faint or tiny. Raise the size with the sidebar slider before tapping, increase brush opacity, or tap a bit firmer if the stamp responds to pressure.

How do I change the color of a stamp in Procreate?

For single-color stamps, just pick your color before tapping. To recolor one already on the canvas, turn on Alpha Lock on its layer and repaint, use a clipping mask, or apply Adjustments > Hue, Saturation, Brightness.

How do I stamp a repeating pattern?

Place stamps along a Drawing Guide grid for even spacing, or use the Symmetry guide for radial repeats like mandalas. For a true seamless repeating pattern, build one tile and use the wrap-around technique covered in our seamless patterns guide.