Why Is My Procreate Brush Gray?

Have you ever encountered a situation where your Procreate brush appears gray even though you've selected black? This is a common issue, and there are several potential reasons for it. Here's a comprehensive guide to troubleshooting and resolving the issue, ensuring your brush displays the accurate color you've chosen.

Opacity Settings

The first thing to check is the opacity setting of your brush. Opacity controls how transparent or opaque your pen strokes are. If the opacity is set too low, your brush might appear lighter or gray. To check the opacity, you can find the opacity slider in the brush settings or by using the slider on the top of the screen when drawing.

Try adjusting the opacity. If you overlap your brush strokes, the overlapping areas should appear darker, indicating a higher opacity. If the overlap is lighter, your brush might be set too transparent. Adjust the opacity until you get the desired effect.

Blending Modes

Blending modes can significantly affect how colors mix and appear on your canvas. If you're using a layer with a different blending mode, it might cause your brush to display gray. Common blending modes include Multiply, Overlay, and others. Switch the blending mode to a standard mode like Normal to see if this resolves the issue.

Brush Settings

Some brushes have settings that alter the color output. Ensure that your brush settings are configured correctly. For instance, some brushes have a pressure sensitivity setting that might affect the opacity. If you're using an Apple Pencil, try pressing at different pressures to see if the brush opacity changes.

To check your brush settings, go to the brush settings menu and double-check the settings. Adjust the settings as needed to ensure the brush outputs the correct color and opacity.

Layer Effects

It's possible that there are layer effects applied to the layer you're working on. Layer effects like fill or gradient might be muddying the color of your brush. Check the layer properties to see if any effects are active and disable them if necessary.

Color Selection

Double-check that the color you selected is indeed black. Sometimes, the color picker might be slightly off, or you might be using a color from the palette that appears darker or grayer. Make sure you are selecting the correct color from the color picker or palette.

Surface Texture

Working on a textured layer or canvas can affect how colors appear. If the issue persists, try switching to a different canvas or layer with a smoother texture. This can help you determine if the surface texture is causing the problem.

By checking these settings, you should be able to resolve the issue and have your Procreate brush displaying the color you intended. If none of these steps work, feel free to seek further assistance or check Procreate's support resources.

Keywords: Procreate brush, opacity, blending modes