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
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