A client asks "is this AI?" How to send your Procreate time lapse
A client asks if your Procreate art is AI? Export the full-length time lapse, send it with your layered file, and use this short reply. Copy and paste.
Published October 17, 2026. Last updated: October 17, 20264 min readDrawDog
TL;DR: Export the Full length time lapse, not the 30 second one, and send it with your layered file and a short, calm note. A time lapse can be paused or trimmed, so add a record a client can check, such as a sealed Procreate file.
Want a record a client can check? Get your free certificate at drawdog.art/download, 3 free certificates a month. Drawing in Procreate on an iPad? Seal your .procreate file, nothing to install.
New to this? Our main guide, Procreate time lapse: how to export it and what it shows a client, has the full export steps.
DrawDog is a process-certificate tool by Hive Asset Group, LLC that records how creative work was made, without reading your files, and gives you one link a client can check.
Reply first, send second
Being asked "is this AI?" feels awful. Take a breath. Most of the time the client just wants a quick answer.
Reply within a few minutes, even if the video is not ready. Say you made it by hand, that you will send the process, and when. Our guide when a client thinks your art is AI has more ways to say it.
Export the Full length version
- Open your artwork in Procreate.
- Tap Actions, then Video.
- Tap Export time-lapse video.
- Choose Full length.
Full length is your whole process. It can be long, and the file can be big, so send it with a share link instead of email if you need to.
Do not send the 30 Seconds cut
Procreate's 30 Seconds option is a shortened version. It removes frames and keeps the ones its algorithm picks as most important. That is fine for social media, but it is an edited cut. A client who is already unsure will not learn much from highlights.
| Full length | 30 Seconds | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Your whole recorded process | A short, condensed version |
| Length | As long as your work | About 30 seconds |
| Best for | A client who asks | Posting online |
| Size | Can be large | Small |
The message to paste
Change the words so they sound like you:
Hi [name], thanks for asking. I drew this by hand in Procreate. I have attached the full-length time lapse and the layered file so you can see how it came together. Happy to answer any questions or jump on a quick call.
That is it. No long defence. No apology.
What to add next to the video
A video alone is a good start, not the whole story. Add:
- Your layered file. Layers show how the piece was built.
- Dated saves. Earlier versions of the file, if you keep them.
- A sealed record. DrawDog's Seal page makes a "Sealed record" of your .procreate file, with nothing to install. It gives the client one link to open. See the sample to know what they will see.
A Sealed record has limits. It cannot catch tracing over an imported image, or edits made before you sealed the file. DrawDog is not an AI detector. It records how work was made, not what the work is.
Want to compare options? Read time lapse vs process certificate or the list of other ways to document your process.
What to say if there is a gap in the video
Procreate lets you pause recording, and the paused stretch is left out. Procreate describes this as a way to edit parts of your process out.
If you paused, say so. Plain words work best:
There is a gap around the middle. I paused recording while I [took a break / fixed a file / tested colours]. Here is the layered file from before and after.
Do not hide a pause. A calm note builds more trust than a smooth video with a hole in it. Missing stretches have other causes too. See Procreate time lapse not recording or missing strokes.
If the client still doubts it
- Offer a short call and share your screen with the layered file open.
- Send the layered file and any earlier saves.
- Do not rebuild or re-export the work first. Changing files now makes things harder to explain.
Some clients will keep doubting. That is their call. You can still send everything you have, calmly, and decide whether this client is a good fit.
Questions
Is a Procreate time lapse enough to show a client I made my art?
It is a good start. It can be paused and trimmed, so send it with your layered file and, if you can, a record the client can check.
Should I send full length or 30 seconds?
Full length. Procreate says the 30 second version is a condensed cut that keeps selected frames.
Can I hide that I paused recording?
Do not. Procreate says pausing lets you edit parts of your process out, so say what you paused and why.
What if my time lapse is very large?
Full length can be a big file. Send it with a share link, or ask the client what format works for them.
Get your free certificate at drawdog.art/download, 3 free certificates a month. Drawing in Procreate on an iPad? Seal your .procreate file, nothing to install.