Design with Procreate
Your best source for learning successful
digital costume design for theatre and film.
Who's Behind All This
Our Mission
We provide workshops, both live and asynchronous, to theatre and film designers in Procreate. Our mission is to simplify, demystify, and clarify the tools available to you so that you can swap out your number 2 pencil and join the exciting world of digital design.
Design with Procreate is owned and operated through Digital Theatre Design, LLC.
Eric Abele (he/they)
Eric Abele is a theatrical designer who specializes in costume and puppet design for Theatre for Young Audiences. Abele is a Senior Lecturer in costume design and Associate Chair of the Department of Theatre at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County as well as adjunct teaching faculty for the School of Theatre, Film and Television at the University of California, Los Angeles.
He has designed for theaters in the Baltimore/D.C. area including Everyman Theatre (Noises Off, M. Butterfly), REP Stage (The Heidi Chronicles, The Other Place) and Imagination Stage (Beauty and the Beast, Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed).
Abele earned his B.A. in Dramatic Arts and German at Centre College and completed his M.F.A. in Costume Design at the University of Tennessee. He is currently pursuing a BFA in Painting at Towson University.
He is proud member of United Scenic Artists, Local 829.
Lauren T. Roark (she/her)
Lauren T. Roark is a freelance costume designer, maker and teaching artist with a decade of professional experience spanning four continents. Roark is the head of graduate costume design and a resident costume designer for the Clarence Brown Theatre (LORT) at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
Her theatrical design credits include productions with the Tony-Award winning Utah Shakespeare Festival and Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park; Repertory Theatre of St. Louis; Milwaukee Repertory Theater; Kansas City Repertory Theatre, among others.
Roark received her M.F.A. in costume design and technology from the University of Missouri-Kansas City and a B.A. in Theatre Design and production from Illinois State University.
She is a proud member of United Scenic Artists, Local 829.
Our Students Saying Nice Things
Eric Griffis
Michelle Hunt Souza
Michelle Hunt Souza
Professor of Costume Design
Interim Chair of Theatre and Dance
Georgia College
Lauren and Eric’s workshops are phenomenal! Even though I would consider myself somewhat tech savvy, making the jump from Photoshop to Procreate had a steep learning curve. After taking the Design with Procreate workshops (I highly recommend them all), and am confident in my skills and excited to share this new rendering method with my students.
Michelle Hunt Souza
Michelle Hunt Souza
Michelle Hunt Souza
Assistant Professor of Costume Design
Kent State University
Eric and Lauren are excellent educators, sharing their expertise with knowledgeable humor. They are clear, straightforward, and encouraging. Both the workshops (basic and advanced) felt celebratory throughout, and they struck a balance between methodical instruction and wild creativity!
Rebecca White
Michelle Hunt Souza
Rebecca White
Professor of Costume Design
Otterbein University
I tried digital rendering "back in the day" with no real luck, but Eric and Lauren's method is intuitive and easy to learn. DWP has given me the freedom to complete sketches anywhere & anytime without lugging around a ton of art supplies. The workshops were the PERFECT jumpstart to my Procreate journey. The workshops highlighted the right to the tools and techniques to create design sketches without having to slog through hours of tutorials geared towards other artists.
11 out of 10 stars.
Amy Voogd
Katherine Schmid
Rebecca White
Voogd Seamworks, Owner / Artisan
Ballet Vero Beach, Lead Costume Designer
American Midwest Ballet, Costumer
Lauren and Eric have created comprehensive, well structured courses that have enabled me to communicate design concepts clearly with artistic directors and choreographers and readily respond to changes. I have completed their beginning, advanced, and special topics Procreate Design courses and gone from a complete beginner in digital design (having solely used hand drawn design sketches) to feeling confident as a designer with digital rendering. Looking forward to future courses!
Jane Stein
Katherine Schmid
Katherine Schmid
Professional Costume Designer
United Scenic Artists, Local 829
What can I say about your Procreate workshops! You taught this “old dog” some new tricks that have made my life as a designer so much easier. I love rendering with Procreate, it is actually FUN and I can do it literally anywhere! Big “Thank you” to Lauren and Eric!! ❤️❤️
Katherine Schmid
Katherine Schmid
Katherine Schmid
Faculty/Costume Designer
Department of Theatre and Dance
Brigham Young University, Idaho
I initially took the online workshops to stave off lockdown depression, but now I am hooked! As someone who spend A LOT of money over the past 30 years on art supplies this is an amazing new tool to have. Plus, I see a lot more of my family when I have deadlines, as I can take it anywhere! I cannot wait to introduce it to my students.
Thank you, Lauren & Eric!