Whether you are drawing concept art for your next game, creating promotional illustrations, or simply building your portfolio, art time-lapses are one of the most powerful ways to share your process. They are visually satisfying, great for social media and help you build trust by showing the real effort behind your work.
At Gentleland, we work with artists and game developers daily and we have tested a lot of setups to find what works.
Here’s a guide to recording great-looking time-lapses without ruining your flow or crashing your machine.
Step 1: Choose Your Medium
Traditional Art
If you’re working traditionally with pencils, inks, or paints, your setup will need a camera. Luckily, you don’t need a Hollywood studio to get started.
✅ Option A: Smartphone Setup
- Use any modern phone with at least 1080p video recording.
- Mount it with a tripod or an overhead arm (desk clamps are inexpensive and stable).
- Record in landscape mode for YouTube or TikTok-style vertical if your main platform is Instagram Reels/Shorts.
💡 Tip: Good lighting matters more than the camera itself.
Two desk lamps with daylight bulbs placed on both sides will help you tackle these harsh shadows from your hand.
This option is budget friendly and great for starting out.
✅ Option B: Dedicated Camera Setup
- A DSLR or mirrorless camera will give sharper video and better color accuracy.
- Use an AC adapter instead of batteries for longer sessions.
- Connect your camera to OBS Studio via a capture card if you want to record directly to your computer.
This option can get expensive real quick, depending on your level of perfectionism. Use a wide-angle for large canvases or a macro lens for close-up work.
Best use cases:
- Large traditional paintings or ink work.
- Mixed media projects where you want cinematic quality.
- Studio recordings where you want to combine multiple camera angles.
Digital Art
If you’re creating digitally in tools like Photoshop, Krita, Rebelle, Clip Studio, or Procreate, keep in mind that not all software includes a built-in time-lapse feature. Procreate and Rebelle do this automatically, while others may require external recording tools or plugins, so it’s worth choosing your setup accordingly.
✅ Option A: Use the Built-In Time-lapse Feature
Some apps make it effortless.
- Procreate records your process in the background by default.
To export it, go to:
Actions > Video > Export Time-lapse Video
You can choose from a 30-second version, full-length, or a custom export. - Rebelle also includes a built-in recording system that tracks your brushwork and replay.
- Photoshop does not come with a built-in time-lapse feature, but you may use a Chinese Plugin to record inside of Photoshop, which you can download via GitHub.
-> Here is a video on how to install it on YouTube. - Clip Studio Paint (version 1.10.5 and later) also includes a Time-lapse Recording option.
You can enable it when creating a new canvas or activate it under:
File > Time-lapse > Record Time-lapse
Once you’re done, go to File > Time-lapse > Export Time-lapse to save your video.
If your tool supports this natively, this is by far the easiest and most elegant option.
✅ Option B: Use Screen Recording Software
We used this option to create the time-lapse below!
Recommended tool: OBS Studio (free and open source)
💡 Tip: This works great with a two monitor setup.
Steps:
- Download and install OBS Studio.
- Create a new scene and name it.
3. Add a Window Capture or Display Capture source.
4. Click “Ok” and check “Make source visible”.
5. Select your second monitor, if you have one, and deselect “Capture Cursor”.
6. Crop then your display to fit the selection. We recommend to crop out the taskbar and anything you would like to keep private.
7. Go to settings and set your output path to where you would like your recordings to be saved.
6. Go to “Video” and set resolution to 1080p or higher.
7. Choose a frame rate (30 FPS is enough).
You could now already start drawing, but if you use Photoshop keep tuned!
8. Open up Photoshop and go to “Window” > “New Window for…” this opens up a duplicate of your current window.
9. Select the second window and drag it to your second monitor on which you set up the display to record. Now you will record the screen without cursor and without interruption when rotating the canvas.
10. Hit record and start drawing!
Step 2: Keep File Sizes and Performance in Check
One of the most common mistakes is recording at unnecessarily high specs. Unless you are really in need for high resolution, you don’t need 4K at 60 FPS.
- Best balance: 1080p at 30 FPS
- Save recordings to an external drive if your computer struggles.
- For digital recordings, consider compressing afterwards with Handbrake (free) to reduce file size without much quality loss.
Step 3: Editing for Impact
The raw recording usually isn’t the final product.
We usually go in and edit our footage afterwards. For this process we like to either use Adobe After Effects or Adobe Premiere Pro.
Another common and free alternative is DaVinci Resolve.
It’s important to edit your footage so viewers stay engaged:
- Speed Up: Most time-lapses look good at 6x–12x speed.
- Trim Ruthlessly: Cut out long idle pauses where you’re thinking, zooming, or checking references.
- Add Music: Lo-fi beats, classical, or game soundtracks work great without distracting from the art. There are lots of royalty free music inside of the YouTube audio library.
- Overlay Elements: Add your logo, social media handle, or even on-screen commentary for tutorials.
✅ Don’t Forget Your Workflow
Time-lapses should support your art, not ruin your flow.
- Do a quick check of your setup before each session.
- Keep recording automated so you forget about it while drawing.
- If you work in long stretches, split recordings into 1–2 hour chunks to avoid losing everything if something crashes.
Step 4: Share Strategically
Different platforms prefer different formats:
- Instagram / TikTok / YouTube Shorts: Vertical (9:16), under 60 seconds.
- Twitter / Bluesky / Threads: Square (1:1) or horizontal clips, 30–90 seconds.
- YouTube Long Form: Full HD horizontal, with narration or commentary.
💡 Always add a short caption or hook that is interesting to your viewers.
And when you share your time-lapses online, don’t forget to tag us on our socials (@Gentleland or #Gentleland)! We love seeing the results of all your hard work and might even feature your creations in our community highlights. Your process deserves to be celebrated!
Recording art time-lapses doesn’t have to feel intimidating.
With the right setup you can turn your creative sessions into wonderful videos that captivate viewers and showcase your craft.
There is no perfect way of capturing your work, only a way that fits your style, so don’t be afraid to experiment and find what works for you!
At Gentleland, we’ve seen just how powerful these time-lapses can be. They aren’t only about the final artwork!
They capture the journey: the hours of focus, the little decisions, and the growth behind every stroke. Sharing that story helps you build trust, spark curiosity, and connect more deeply with players, clients, and fans who want to see the magic behind the art.
✨ So pick your setup, hit record, and let the magic unfold.
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From exciting project updates to behind-the-scenes looks at our journey, we don’t want you to miss a single moment!
Follow us on our social channels to stay in the loop, connect with our team, and get first access to news, events, and opportunities. We’re here for you, and always ready to help fellow creators and game lovers.
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