I get asked a lot about what size canvas to use for print on demand in Procreate. So I thought I’d go through a few of the sizes I use and the reasons I choose them.

With Procreate, we’re using pixel based art so it’s important to work in the biggest size you need. You can’t enlarge pixel art like you can with vector based art.

I get asked a lot about what size canvas to use for print on demand in Procreate so I thought I’d go through a few of the sizes I use and the seasons I choose them.

What Size Canvas to use for Print on Demand Surface Pattern Designs

For making patterns I almost always use a 12” square canvas at 300dpi which is 3600px square.

I use this size for a few reasons. The first of which is that it’s the correct size and ratio for Society6’s wallpaper. The other reason is when you upload to Spoonflower, the DPI gets reduced to 150. The width then increases to 24” which is the perfect size for one width of their wallpaper too! Even if you have an older iPad you should still get enough layers at this size. There’s no need to go super big with patterns. The whole point is that you can repeat them to fill a larger product!

That said, personal preference also comes into it too. If you already have a size you like and it’s working for you then you’ve already found your best size!

What Size Canvas to use for Print on Demand Prints or Motifs

Now we’ll look at the the other type of design you’ll be using for Print on Demand: Prints or single motifs. 

You should make these large enough to fill the largest Print on Demand asset that you want to sell. I work at about 6000px square or 6000×8000 at 300dpi and that allows me to use it on things like T shirts, duvets or yoga mats in society6 or tapestries and shower curtains in Redbubble. Some assets are a little bigger than this, so you might even want to go a little bigger if your iPad allows it.

If your iPad has too small a layer limit then you can always build up your design over several canvases and then copy flattened versions into a separate final document.

Let me know in the comments what size canvases you work in and don’t forget to subscribe to see more weekly illustration tips just like this!

If you want more tips on speeding up your Society6 workflows, then checkout my Skillshare class including free templates to use for your surface pattern designs.

Have fun, stay creative and I will see you next time!