Procreate: How to Change a Line Color

Lee Stanton March 5, 2024

On Procreate, different settings can be tweaked to get favorable outcomes. This is very useful for digital painting artists and lovers of creativity. One of the things you can change is the color of the lines. This can transform your artwork with just a few simple steps. Find out more about changing the line colors in Procreate in this guide.

Recoloring a Line in Procreate

There are various ways of recoloring a line on Procreate. They include:

Use Drag and Drop

This is one of the simplest options to recolor lines on Procreate. If the line is not too thin, this option is the easiest.

Check to ensure that the line is alone in a layer. If not, click the Selection tool (S-shaped) at the top left to select the line contours.
- If a line is not alone in a layer, you could end up spilling color over other lines if they are in contact with it.
Use a stylus to click on the color you want from the color icon at the top right of the screen to select.
Drag the selected color and drop it using a stylus to fill your line with a solid color.
Release the stylus after it touches the line. This action successfully changes the color of the selected line.

There are some limits to this technique. If the line you made is thin or you used a rough texture, it won’t work. To color thin lines successfully, zoom them in as much as necessary. This helps you achieve a more accurate color drop without affecting other areas.

Once you have changed the line color, you can use Procreate’s copy and paste functionality to duplicate it.

Use Alpha Lock to Recolor

Alpha Lock is a feature used for masking layers. This feature gives users more control over transformations and edits to specific layers and shapes. The effects don’t go beyond the set borders.

In this method, it is important for the line you want to recolor to be on a layer on its own. This method helps you recolor your line without flowing over. To use Alpha Lock:

Swipe two fingers in the layer or click on it and choose Alpha Lock.
The effect of using Alpha Lock is noticeable once a small grid impression appears behind the layer. This indicates that the line has been selected.
Use your Brush to recolor the selected layer without exceeding.

Select a Layer to Recolor a Line

This method involves selecting a layer first.

Click on the layer that has the line you need to recolor.
Choose Select layer.
In the dialogue box at the bottom, select Color Fill.

This automatically fills the line in the layer with the color you selected.

Making the Recolor Option More Accessible in Procreate through the Quick Menu

If you need to recolor items on Procreate (including lines) more conveniently, you must make accessing the Recolor tool easier. Do this by adding it to the Quick Menu. When you want to color elements of art, you only need to tap Recolor.

You could access the Recolor tool in older Procreate versions through the Adjustments Menu. Recolor is not in that menu in the new version, but it can still be accessed. Having it close is better, as it can be pretty useful.

Make the Most Out of Procreate Features

Practicing in Procreate is the best way to grasp how things work. It is much better to learn early, especially if you plan to use Procreate long-term. Learning early helps you save time in the future and gain all the necessary skills needed to do well on the platform. Repeat the steps often to master them and broaden your skillset. Procreate has lots of areas worth exploring.

Now that you know how to change a line color, you should learn how to make a background transparent using Procreate.

FAQs

Is it possible to color inside shapes?

Yes. You can color inside shapes in Procreate using the drag-and-drop method. You need to drag the color you want from the wheel on your right, then release it inside the shape. This fills the shape with the color you chose.

Can I color-fill in Procreate?

Yes. Drag a color from the wheel at the top and drop it in the text, shape, or layer you need to fill. The space will be filled with color.

Why isn’t the color drop working?

This happens mostly if Alpha Lock has been deactivated. Check this and try again. The other possible reason is that you may be trying to drop in the wrong area. Double-check you have the correct layer and try again.

Should I always use Alpha Lock to color lines in Procreate?

No. The color drop method should work well handling lines. However, if you want to color finer lines, Alpha Lock works better and gives good results. It is the wisest path to take in such a case.

Is there a suitable way of coloring a drawing I created in Procreate?

First, to shade or color a Procreate drawing, fill every shape with white or any neutral color. Then activate Alpha Lock; you should be able to color without going beyond the lines.