Your Procreate cake stamps arrive by email as one of two file types. Smaller sets come as a single .brushset file. Larger sets come as a .zip, which is a compressed folder holding one or more .brushset files. Both install in a couple of minutes, but the steps are slightly different, so check which one you've got before you start.
Everything below happens on the device you draw on. That's Procreate on an iPad, or Procreate Pocket on an iPhone. The app is bought separately from the Apple App Store and needs to be installed before you open your files.
Installing a .brushset file
This is the quickest route.
- Open the email with your stamps on your iPad or iPhone.
- Tap the .brushset attachment. You'll see a prompt to import it into Procreate.
- Tap to accept. Procreate opens and imports the set.
If tapping the file opens a preview instead, tap the share icon and choose Procreate from the list of apps. You can also save the file to the Files app first, then tap it there.
Installing a .zip file
Procreate can't open a .zip directly, so you need to unpack it first. The Files app on your iPad or iPhone does this for you.
- Open the email on your iPad or iPhone and tap the .zip attachment.
- Tap the share icon and choose Save to Files. Pick a folder you'll remember, such as Downloads.
- Open the Files app and go to that folder.
- Tap the .zip file once. Files unpacks it into a new folder with the same name.
- Open the new folder and tap each .brushset file inside. Each one imports into Procreate in turn.
Once everything has imported, you can delete the .zip and the unpacked folder from Files to save space. The stamps stay in Procreate.
Downloaded it on a computer instead?
If you opened the email on a laptop, you'll need to move the files across to your iPad or iPhone. On a Mac, unzip the file if needed, then AirDrop the .brushset file to your device and tap it to import. You can also save it to iCloud Drive and open it from the Files app on your iPad or iPhone.
Importing from inside Procreate
If the files are already saved in Files, you can import them from inside Procreate instead. Open any canvas, tap the brush icon to open the Brush Library, tap the + button at the top right, then tap Import and choose your .brushset file.
Finding your stamps
A newly imported set appears at the top of your Brush Library, under the name of the set. Tap the brush icon, scroll to the top of the list on the left, and you'll see it there. Tap the set to see every stamp inside.
Placing your first stamp
Open a new canvas, choose a stamp from your set, and tap once on the canvas to place it. Use the size slider on the left of the screen to make it bigger or smaller before you tap. Put each element on its own layer using the Layers panel, so you can move or recolour a tier without touching the rest of the design.
Some stamps, like the tiers in the Cake Tiered set, are pre-filled with colour. Pick two colours from the colour picker and the stamp places with an outline in one and a fill in the other.
When you're ready to build a full design for a client, my guide on how to sketch cakes digitally for clients takes you from blank canvas to a sketch you can send for sign-off.
If something isn't working
- Nothing happens when I tap the file. Check Procreate is installed and up to date, then try saving the file to Files and opening it from there.
- I tapped the .zip and got an error. Procreate can't read a .zip. Unpack it in the Files app first, then tap the .brushset files inside.
- I can't see my stamps. Scroll to the very top of the Brush Library. New sets are added at the top.
If you're still stuck, reply to any of my emails and I'll help you get set up.
Where to go next
Once you're comfortable with one set, have a look at the full range of cake sketching stamps, including stamps that match real Prop Options stands and separators. If you'd like to learn the whole process properly, the Digital Cake Design Course walks you through it in step-by-step video lessons.
