To add glyphs (alternate characters or symbols) in Procreate, follow these steps:
-
Add Text: Open your canvas in Procreate and add a text layer. You can do this by tapping the "Actions" icon (wrench), then "Add," and then "Add Text."
-
Choose and Edit Your Font: Select the text box. The keyboard will appear, along with a style editing menu. Choose a font that contains alternate glyphs. Many fonts offer variations of letters and symbols beyond the standard set. Type the word or phrase you wish to use.
-
Access Alternate Glyphs (if the Font Supports Them): This is the trickiest part, as Procreate doesn't have a built-in glyph panel like some desktop publishing software. The method for accessing glyphs varies greatly depending on the font and your iPad's operating system:
-
iOS Keyboard Workarounds (Limited): Some fonts will automatically substitute a typed character with a glyph if the font is designed to do so. Experiment by typing different character combinations (e.g., ligatures often appear when typing "fi" or "fl"). Long-pressing on a character might reveal alternative characters, depending on the keyboard settings and font. This is not a reliable method for all glyphs.
-
Copy and Paste from External Sources (Recommended): The most reliable method is to find the desired glyph in a glyph browser or character map application (on your computer or sometimes available as iPad apps). Copy the glyph from the other application and paste it into your Procreate text layer.
-
-
Adjust and Finalize: Once the glyph is in your text layer, adjust its size, color, and position as needed. You can also rasterize the text layer if you want to edit the glyph as a drawing. Note that rasterizing the layer will make it no longer editable as text.
Important Considerations:
-
Font Support: Not all fonts contain alternate glyphs. Make sure the font you're using has them.
-
Glyph Browsers: Consider using a font management app with a glyph browser on your iPad, or using a desktop computer with font management software and then importing the glyphs. Some popular options include:
- Character Map (Windows)
- Font Book (macOS)
- Third-party font management software: These often provide better glyph browsing capabilities.
-
Unicode: Glyphs are based on the Unicode standard, which assigns a unique number to each character. When copying and pasting, ensure that Procreate and the source application both support the Unicode range of the glyph.
In summary, while Procreate doesn't have a dedicated glyph panel, you can still incorporate alternate characters by copying and pasting them from other applications. Make sure to choose fonts that include glyphs and explore different font management tools to make the process easier.
