Vectorizing is actually fun

Creating vector art might sound intimidating, but it’s actually fast, fun, and surprisingly flexible—especially if you’re working on an iPad. In this tutorial, I’ll walk you through the entire process of vectorizing your artwork using Adobe Capture and Affinity Designer, so you can easily turn your hand-drawn or Procreate designs into scalable, editable vector patterns.

Watch the Tutorial

If you’re a see it on “paper” person, keep reading below.  Otherwise, check out this quick video tutorial in my new iPad Art Break Series on Youtube:

HELPFUL LINKS

The Steps

Step 1: Prepare Your Art for Vectorization. Whether you’re starting in Procreate or using traditional materials like gouache or ink:

  • Keep your design simple and high-contrast (pure black and white is ideal).
  • Export your artwork as a JPEG from Procreate (Share > JPEG > Save Image).
  • For traditional work, photograph it in even lighting with no glare or hotspots. A window-lit area works great!

Pro Tip: If you can scan your traditional piece, even better. But a good phone photo works just fine.

Step 2: Use Adobe Capture to Vectorize. Open the free Adobe Capture app and follow these steps:

  1. Tap Import > Camera Roll and select your artwork.
  2. Adjust the detail threshold slider to remove gaps and clean up edges.
  3. Tap the ✔️ checkmark and Save your vector.
  4. Tap the 3-dot menu and Export as SVG.

That’s it—you’ve just made a vector!

Step 3: Open and Organize in Affinity Designer. Once your SVG opens in Affinity:

  • Use the Move Tool to rearrange and scale elements.
  • Select same fill color to quickly adjust grouped colors (e.g. all wing sections or flower petals).
  • Group motifs for easier color editing, scaling, and repeat building.

You can now edit your art endlessly—change colors, build motifs, and prep it for printing or licensing.

Step 4: Build a Seamless Pattern with Live Preview. To make patterns easy and instant:

  • Use one of my Live Pattern Preview Templates (available in my Affinity classes in The Studio).
  • Paste your vector motifs into the repeat file and watch your pattern come to life.
  • Duplicate, scale, rotate, and rearrange elements to create complex layouts quickly.

Why Vectors Matter: Your patterns are now infinitely scalable, ready for anything from tiny stickers to wallpaper panels—without ever losing quality.

Step 5: Bonus — Vectorize Traditional Art. Want a more hand-painted feel?

  • Paint or draw on paper, photograph your work, and bring it into Adobe Capture.
  • Clean up excess paper texture using the threshold slider.
  • Vectorize just like you did with digital art.
  • Clean and organize your shapes in Affinity, then play with color and layout.

Traditional textures add a refreshing, human touch to digital designs—especially in a world flooded with AI-generated art.

make it professional!

Whether you’re new to vectors or just needed a workflow that makes sense on your iPad, this tutorial was designed to show you how quick and powerful vector art can be. Ready to go deeper? Start with my free Affinity Designer 101 class, which includes video lessons + a printable guidebook.

Want access to more in-depth vector classes? Join my membership and start your free trial today.

Affinity Designer 101

  • Learn how to vectorize your patterns so you can scale them to any size
  • Create professional patterns that licensors ask for in any file format that you need
See the Class