I want to document my experience with Procreate's animation features, which are more capable than the app's reputation as a painting app would suggest.

Procreate's animation timeline: it works on a frame-by-frame basis with onion skin support. Each frame is a layer group in the layer panel. You can set frame durations individually. The export options include GIF, MP4, and animated PNG.

The limitations: no tween support — every frame must be hand-drawn. No vector support in animation mode. The frame count limit is tied to canvas size and resolution (fewer frames at higher resolution). Not suitable for complex multi-layer animation with many simultaneous moving elements.

What it's good for: short character animations, looping environment elements (rippling water, flickering flame, swaying plants), simple frame-by-frame character expressions. For anything longer than about thirty frames or more complex than a simple loop, dedicated animation software is more appropriate.

My use: I use Procreate animation for short social media content — a character doing a simple gesture, a brief environmental mood loop. The output quality is good and the integration with my main painting workflow is seamless.