I ALMOST switched to ToonSquid - Procreate Dreams 2 Launch

Brief overview / reaction

Phil (the video creator) did a watch-along of the Procreate Dreams 2 launch. He nearly switched to ToonSquid, but Procreate released Dreams 2 24 hours later. After watching the official launch video he highlights what’s new, what matters for painters and animators, and how the update fits into his own animation workflow. He also mentions he built a lightweight frame-based app (films.com) and recently released a macOS version.

Key improvements in Procreate Dreams 2

• Core improvement: a more mature and consistent painting + animation experience built on the original animation engine, with many previously missing “essential” tools now added.
• Project/version management: projects must be upgraded to v2; Procreate provides an upgrade process and a guide (linked in the official video description).
• UI/branding: icon redesign and a chaptered launch video (for easier navigation) — interpreted as signs of a more “finished” product.

Painting / drawing updates

• Dedicated Drawing mode/space focused on making art.
• Select and Transform tools (lasso/select added).
• Pixel-perfect, consistent brush stroke behavior across the app.
• New brushes and refinements to painting tools.
• Copy / paste while painting (familiar Procreate-style workflow).
• Color Drop “continue fill” to speed coloring.
• Luminance masks for selections based on brightness.
• Keyboard shortcuts supported.

Animation / timeline / flipbook updates

• Complete flipbook overhaul (you can convert content — including video — into a flipbook).
• Adjustable timeline height and timeline scale (single-finger gestures).
• New handles for changing movie duration.
• Ability to select and convert content into flipbook.
• Drag-and-drop to reorder movies inside the Theater.

Export and workflow

• Faster export options mentioned to improve the “get art back into Procreate” workflow.
• Upgrading projects to v2 is required; follow the official upgrade guide in the video description if you run into issues.

Phil’s impressions, workflow notes, and tips

• Overall reaction: excited but slightly overwhelmed by the breadth of updates.
• Expectation: he’ll likely spend more time in the new Drawing mode than in the flipbook at first.
• Likes: copy/paste (familiar Procreate behavior) and the painting consistency improvements.
• Reservations: uncertain about adopting the flipbook workflow immediately — concerned about the learning curve.
• Misc: some viewers pointed out the app may be cheaper now; any upgrade/help links are in the official description.

Alternative workflow / tools

• Phil built his own lightweight animation tool (films.com) to simplify frame-based work; he routes drawing frames through OBS for recording/streaming.
• He recently launched a macOS version of his app and asks for feedback — notes that App Store submission costs for Apple can be high compared to Windows.

Guides, tutorials, and help resources

• Official Procreate upgrade guide (linked in the launch video description) for migrating projects to v2.
• The official launch video is chaptered, allowing you to jump between topics.
• Phil offers to provide instructions/support for his films.com macOS release.

Main speakers / sources

• Phil — creator/reviewer who reacts to the launch and describes his workflow and app.
• Procreate — the official Procreate Dreams 2 launch video and narrator (primary source of feature announcements).
• ToonSquid — mentioned as a competing alternative Phil nearly switched to.