Brushstrokes, Flow State, and Freedom: The Procreate Story

Procreate co-founder James Cuda has spent more than a decade obsessing over one thing: the brushstroke. From hacking the iPad 1 to run at 60fps, to turning a side project into the world’s leading creative app, James has built Procreate on a radical philosophy: simplicity, permanence, and creative freedom above all else.

In this episode of Wild Hearts, James joins Mason to share why the company never took VC money, how “flow state” shapes everything from product design to team culture, and what it really takes to scale without losing soul. They also dive deep into generative AI, ethical data, and why Procreate’s biggest unfair advantage may simply be staying small and Tasmanian.

James also reflects on the tension between addition and reduction, the power of jam sessions, and why listening to the “little voice” is the artist’s greatest superpower.

Time Stamps

00:00 – Intro

02:05 – Why brushstrokes were the starting point

05:10 – The art of subtraction: keeping flow while adding features

07:50 – Permanence as a product philosophy

09:36 – From “an amazing piece of shit” to a world-class creative tool

12:11 – How Procreate’s archetype grew from amateurs to architects

15:01 – Listening to users without losing the soul

17:31 – Scaling creativity and protecting flow inside the team

19:51 – Jam sessions, “holy shit” moments, and making ideas real

23:31 – James’ strong stance on generative AI and ethical data

34:51 – Authenticity over slogans: building trust with artists

37:21 – Bringing artists together, online and offline

39:06 – Staying independent: why Procreate never took VC

44:01 – Simplicity vs. optionality in future workflows

46:39 – The advice James gives every artist: listen to the little voice

48:26 – Outro