Part 2: NN Composition Ruler .brushset

Create custom layouts easily and accurately with the Composition Ruler brush set. With a variety of layout shapes to choose from, you can build the perfect layout guides for any quote.

This brush set also includes extra tools to help you set up your layout guides faster. 

Let’s take a look at the brushes included in this set.

Brushes:

1. Composition Ruler - Shapes

A stamp brush of the top part of the NN Digital Composition Ruler with the main Composition Shapes.

This stamp saves you the trouble of importing the NN Digital Composition Ruler every time you create!

2. Composition Ruler - Semi Circles

A stamp brush of the bottom part of the NN Digital Composition Ruler with the circular template.

This stamp also saves you the trouble of importing the NN Digital Composition Ruler every time you create!

3. Composition Ruler - Circle

A stamp brush for a full circle template (like a protractor)

4. Center Line

A stamp brush in the form of a vertical line to help you mark the center of your layout.

5. Boundary Lines

A quick and easy way to draw the left and right boundary lines of your shapes. With this, you no longer have to switch to a pen brush to draw the lines one at a time.

This brush creates a vertical line starting from the point where you tap on the screen going down.

TIP: You can draw multiple boundary lines in one stroke then hold your pen until Procreate converts it into a line that you can edit and reposition easily.


Watch this demo video:

6. Layout Shape Stamps

Horizontal (single & pair)

 

Arc (in 4 curvatures)
 
Wave (in 4 slopes)
 
Angled (in four angles)
 
V-shape (in four angles)

Mix & match these layout stamps to build your custom layout design.

These brushes are designed to stamp the layout shape where its center is positioned at the point where you tap the screen.

Each stamp has markers along the line/curve to help you center and set the width of your layout shapes.

TIP: You can draw more than one shape at a time by sliding your pen as if drawing a line. (If you hold your pen, Procreate will turn it into a “line”, and then you can edit and move the shapes easily)

Another way of adding shapes using these brushes is to tap the outside of your canvas, slide to the canvas until one shape appears, hold the pen, once it snaps, you can move it around to position it easily.

Watch this demo video:

7. Layout - Semi Circle & Semi Circle (Pair)

Semi-circle (single & pair)

These are stamp brushes for semi-circle layout shapes, the difference is how you can customize the size of your semi-circle shape.

For the Semi-circle brush, stamp the shape on a new layer along the center, duplicate it, and Transform > Uniform the duplicate layer by moving the bottom-middle anchor point up and down (with Snapping > Magnetics turned on)

For the Semi-circle (pair) brush, stamp the shape on a new layer along the center. If you need to adjust the size of the inner circle, use Selection > Freehand to select the inner circle, click on Transform > Uniform and drag the bottom-center anchor point up and down to adjust the size.

These stamps have markers along the curve for you to easily draw the boundary lines at the correct mirrored angles.


Watch this demo video:

8. Layout - Circle

A stamp brush to add a circular layout shape to your composition.

How to use:

Now, let’s learn how to build a layout.

Watch the video and follow the step-by-step instructions below.

Step 1

Create your vertical center reference using the Center Line brush.

Move it to the center of your canvas using the Transform tool with Snapping turned on.

Step 2

Add the top and bottom shapes of your first layout guide using your desired layout stamp brush.

Step 3

Use the Boundary Line brush to close your shape by stamping the left and right boundaries.

Step 4

Erase the extra lines.

Step 5

Repeat the steps until you complete all your entire layout guides. Adjust the spacing of the shapes - make sure that they are not too close or too far apart.

 

▶ Up next:

Click here to learn how to use the Procreate brushes to draw your letters.

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