However, with so many useful tools available, it is easy for Procreate users to find themselves getting lost and not knowing how to perform even some very basic functions.
Some options are hidden away behind secret menus, while other effects and tools are hidden behind gestures that require the use of multiple fingers on one screen!
Organization is key for any digital artist, whether it be works in progress, tools, or finished pieces, a system needs to be in place.
This is why many people make use of the ‘Stacking’ feature, to combine numerous pieces into one organized folder. But art is an ever-evolving process, and sometimes a stack that was once useful soon becomes unuseful.
How do you unstack canvases in Procreate? Is there an easy way to do it? Read on below, and let us show you!
How To Unstack In Procreate?
Unfortunately, there is no ‘Unstack’ button that users can tap to get rid of a stack and send canvases back to their original places.
This is very frustrating for some, and many come to believe that their canvases are now trapped indefinitely in a stack that they don’t need. However, it is still possible to unstack specific artworks in order to emancipate them from their digital prisons!
Drag and Drop
Is there a specific canvas that you want to move out of a specific stack? If so, then this is the perfect method for you. Simply open the stack and find the artwork that you want to move.
Hold your finger down on it and then drag your finger along the screen. You should notice that the canvas moves about with your finger, which indicates that you have ‘grabbed’ it.
Once you have ‘grabbed’ the canvas, you should then drag it towards the left-hand corner of the app screen, where the name of the stack should be displayed.
Hold the canvas above the name until the name blinks, and you will be sent outside of the stack. Now, you can simply ‘drop’ the canvas wherever you wish!
If you find dragging and dropping a bit difficult to pull off, don’t worry. Instead, you can simply hold down on the canvas until you ‘grab’ it, and then, with your other hand, tap on the name of the stack to exit, with the canvas still in your other hand.
Can You Drag and Drop Multiple Canvases In Procreate?
Yes, it is possible to perform the drag and drop action on multiple canvases at the same time. Simply look to the top right corner when looking at your canvases in a stack. You should notice a button that reads ‘Select’.
Tap that button, and you will be able to tap on and select each canvas you want to move about.
Once you have chosen the set of canvases you want to move around, simply ‘grab’ one of them and begin dragging them about. Drag them up to the left corner, and hold them over the stack name.
This will cause the main canvas menu to open back up, where you can then choose to drop your canvases together!
However, you should try to be careful when doing this. If you are running an older version of the Procreate app or running it on a slightly older iPad model, then you may encounter crashes.
This is because carrying about multiple canvases that each have multitudes of complicated layers within can prove very taxing on the CPU.
If your iPad continually crashes when dragging and dropping multiple canvases, you can instead do each canvas individually.
This can prove quite slow, however, if you have a lot to move about. You might benefit from dragging and dropping half of your stack, and then doing the other half, to save your iPad some significant strain.
Why Should You Stack Your Artwork In Procreate?
Stacking your artwork in Procreate can be a great way to keep all of your various works organized. Say you have a number of portrait sketches, as well as a number of landscape paintings that are each taking up space on the main menu of the app.
The stacking feature would allow you to stack all of your portrait sketches into one stack, and all of your landscape paintings into another, so that your main menu now only has two options to choose from, and looks much cleaner. You can also name each stack for further ease of use.
Stacking your artworks also makes it easier to find them at a later date, in case you need to make any changes or to save them as a different file type. No longer will you have to scroll through page after page of artwork just to find that one piece you are looking for!
Can You Rotate Canvases Via The Main Menu In Procreate?
Yes, you can! If you find, while moving your canvases about, that one of them has been saved upside down, or in the wrong orientation, you can simply place two fingers onto the canvas and twist it into the right orientation.
This is convenient as it allows you to reorientate your artwork without having to open it, which helps you to save a lot of battery life.
Can You Duplicate Canvases Via The Main Menu In Procreate?
Another great ability that you can access via the main menu interface on Procreate is the ability to ‘Duplicate’ certain artworks. This can be a great way to create a new version of an old painting or drawing without ruining the original version.
In order to duplicate an entire canvas, simply swipe left on any canvas and you will be met with three buttons. Tap the button that says ‘duplicate’, and all elements of that canvas will then be duplicated into a new canvas that will appear above the original.
The other two buttons are ‘Share’ and ‘Delete’. ‘Share’ allows you to choose to convert your Procreate canvas into a file type of your choice, such as a JPEG, a PNG, or even a PDF.
This is very useful for artists who want to move their piece into a separate dining software, such as photoshop.
The ‘Delete’ function, of course, deletes all contents of the canvas, as well as the canvas itself. If you were to choose this option, you would be met with a prompt that asks whether you are sure that you want to delete that canvas and its contents. This is great for preventing any accidental deletion.
How Do You Rename A Canvas Or Stack In Procreate?
If you ever want to change the name of a canvas or a stack in Procreate, to help make your organization easier. Simply tap the text just under the canvas or stack that will usually read ‘Untitled Document’ or ‘Untitled Stack’.
This will cause the iPad keyboard to pop up, so you can then type in a new name.
You can even do this on individual layers within a canvas, by tapping ‘Rename’ on any canvas you choose, which will also cause the keyboard to pop up.
Frequently Asked Questions
How To Ungroup In Procreate?
The ‘grouping’ function in Procreate helps you to keep better tabs on all of the layers within an individual artwork.
Unfortunately, if you want to ungroup a whole group, you will need to drag each layer out from the group, and then delete that group after the layers have been removed.
If you try to delete a group, it will delete all of the contents within that same group, which can be very frustrating!
Procreate Stack Limit
There is no limit to the number of artworks that you can pile into a stack. This is very convenient and helps you to keep track of all of your work easily.
How Do You Undo In Procreate?
If you want to undo any kind of error in your art, there is a quick fix. Simply tap two fingers onto the canvas. This will undo the last action you made. To ‘redo’ instead, tap with three fingers.
If you do not want to use a gesture to undo, you can tap the undo button which is located on the left-hand side of the canvas, where the pen-size slider is located.
To Wrap Up
Procreate makes it easy to create masterpiece after masterpiece, and, as such, you’ll be working faster than ever. Now that you’re creating so many masterpieces, you’re going to need to find a way to organize them all.
Luckily, this is where the ‘Stack’ function comes in to make your life much easier.
Unfortunately, once a stack has been created, it is not as simple as pressing an ‘unstack’ button to revert that stack down to its original form.
However, it is very easy to drag and drop pieces from one stack to another, which makes it very easy to stay on top of your organization and management!
Through Love and Robots, I hope to share my knowledge with others, and provide advice about everything 3D printer related.
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