To copy a "cutout" (a selected portion of your artwork) in Procreate, you use the standard copy and paste functions. This process involves making a selection and then applying the copy command. Pasting the copied selection will create a new layer containing just your cutout.
Here's a breakdown of the steps:
Steps to Copy and Paste a Selection
- Make Your Selection: Open your Procreate canvas and go to the layer containing the part you want to copy. Use the Selection tool (the 'S' icon) to isolate the area you want to copy. You can use different selection modes like:
- Freehand: Draw a freeform selection.
- Automatic: Select areas based on color or transparency.
- Rectangle/Ellipse: Draw geometric selections.
- Activate Copy: With your selection active, open the Actions menu (the wrench icon). Go to Add > Copy. Alternatively, you can use a gesture: swipe down with three fingers on the canvas to bring up the Copy & Paste menu, then tap Copy.
- Paste the Cutout: After copying, you can paste the selection. Go back to the Actions menu > Add > Paste. As mentioned in the video reference, when you "use the option of paste," you will "have a brand new layer" with the copied content. This is true for selections as well as entire layers.
The pasted cutout will appear on its own new layer above the original layer. You can then move, scale, or modify this new layer independently.
Summary Table
| Action | How to Perform | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Select | Use Selection tool (Freehand, Automatic, etc.) | Isolates the desired "cutout". |
| Copy | Actions (Wrench) > Add > Copy OR Three-finger swipe down > Copy |
Saves the selected area to the clipboard. |
| Paste | Actions (Wrench) > Add > Paste | Creates a new layer with the copied cutout. |
This method allows you to easily duplicate specific elements from your artwork without affecting the original layer.
