Hello, I just got an iPad not too long ago and started using procreate to draw up designs for my work but am having trouble getting the drawing to size to print out for a transfer. Can anyone help me out with drawing it to size?
On the canvas setting set the canvas to the size of the object. So say your engraving a pendant that a 1 inch diameter m. Set the canvas size to 1x1 inch then something high like 1200 dpi. This will alloy you to draw your design then when you print select print to original size in your printer settings.
Start with a drawing of original size - a tracing, pencil rub over paper, scanning on a flat-bed printer scanner, or making a smoke pull to get the outline of your subject.
A direct scan on a Wi-Fi scanner - direct to your iPad is simple, right into Procreate.
Smoke pulls are usually what I use - using an alcohol lamp with low grade alcohol (you don't want clean burning) and the wick turned up too high, to put a layer of soot on the object, then applying a piece of packing tape and burnishing. The tape is then applied to a piece of typing paper and scanned.
Getting the scan from printer to iPad/Procreate can be a hassle, but can be overcome.
All this results in a final image that should print out at the original size. I say "should" because my setup results in an 8% decrease in size. (Have never tried to figure it out - just adjust it in printing) My printer allows this to be compensated for by "printing @ 108%"
Have contacted Procreate regarding the need for native scale and grid functions. They basically told me to “run along”, lol.
My workaround is either to import the finished high res bitmap into a program like Coreldraw or Photoshop which have good scale functions, or to simply use the % scale feature on my photocopier to resize the output to the size I need for the transfer. The photocopier option mentioned above by @graniteguy52 is probably the easiest. I use a Canon D1620 copier, with the inexpensive Lynkyo LY-CN-121D aftermarket black cartriges recommended to me by Sam Alfano.
What I normally do is use the website photopea.com (in browser photoshop clone) to layout the size of my parts onto a canvas that is the same size of whatever paper size I'll be printing them at, then save that and bring it in to procreate to draw on. It's a little more convoluted but saves any messing around with getting scale and placement right plus you can get multiple parts on the one sheet. If you're drawing something with symmetry then make sure to place it in the middle