Adobe sketch layers?

[hazeycreative]

I would love to work with layers in Adobe sketch and can't seen to figure out how to do it!

is it possible?!

‌

[Sue Garibaldi · Accepted solution]

Hi Hazey,

Right now, no. There's only one drawing layer in Sketch. We'll be adding layer capability really soon. Hang in there.

Sue.

[Rocketdrive]

Hi Sue,

any ETA on layers? I mean something a bit more precise than "really soon", which was two months ago

[Sue Garibaldi]

RocketDrive,

And, that's the problem with giving even a vague sense of time... it's open to interpretation. I just can't give you a specific date. At this point, what I can say is "late spring." I know that's not much better than "really soon," but it is absolutely the best I can do. Publicly.

Does that help? At all?

Sue.

[point506]

‌blows my mind that they wouldn't think layers would be essential to a useful program like photoshop. How am I suppose to draw and composite images? It seems until you guys get it my Adobe programs are useless cause none allow me to draw realistically and have photos and layers in the same file/app. Huge set back for me and many others I'm sure. GET IT TOGETHER.

[Sue Garibaldi]

Hi Point506.

I think it might helpful to explain what we intended when we released the app: It was designed/created as a digital stand-in for a sketchbook. Simple. Basic. Sketching. Only with more drawing tools than someone might want to "carry" if they were analog.

After it launched, people began using the app in a way that differed from our original intention. So... it's not really a matter of us "getting it together," as it is us matching the features of the app to how people are using it now. And we want to get that right.

The good news... layers are coming. I suspect by late spring. So, hang in there with us. We're working on it.

Thanks for posting.

Sue.

[MollyzMom]

‌Sorry if this is a dumb question: I'm just getting reacquainted with Adobe products after about a 12 year hiatus! But what is the difference between the Sketch and the Draw apps? Couldn't the problems addressed in this thread be fixed just by using Draw instead of Sketch?

[Claas_Eicke_Kuhnen]

Draw is vector based for Illustrator

Sketch is pixel based for Photoshop.

Draw has layers

Sketch has no layers, no layer mask, can only use a background image to sketch over.

[MollyzMom]

‌thanks!

[Rocketdrive]

Technically yes, but the look (because of the brushes) is substantially different. Sketch has a painterly approach with an emphasis on natural brushes (including water colour) and softer blending, while Draw is Your hard-edged vector buddy.

If everything goes as Adobe tells us we should see a new version of Sketch with layers in a couple of weeks.

[johnm50922233]

And I am using Sketch differently than all of you.  Originally, I wanted to use Draw to annotate weather maps.  However, there are no custom brushes allowed, as far as I can see.  So I created custom brushes using a pdf version of the brushes I have in Illustrator CC.  For the text values of numbers for the isobars, I used a custom brush made of the number.

Of course, since this is all on one layer, erasing fields that intersect is problematic.    Also, I need someway of inserting text.  I have a feeling that Adobe Illustrator Draw will be the way to go, but right now I can't figure out how to do all of this with that.

[MollyzMom]

OH! To be able to insert text! That would be wonderful, Adobe! Right now I've used Concepts App for a few things like the, but still don't love the way the text fits in.

[Sue Garibaldi]

MollyzMom.

Text functionality. It's an often-requested feature. Wish I had some information for you about whether it's being considered for inclusion in Sketch.

Sue.

[Claas_Eicke_Kuhnen]

I think at Adobe you have to ask yourself if you want to deliver serious apps that a designer can work with or toy apps that nobody will touch or to be honest call insufficient and pointless after testing it in the Apple store.

There are already multiple sketching apps for both Path and Pixel that beat the current line-up of Adobe apps hands down. Not having layers for me as a creative person is from the beginning was never a decision a serious person could understand.

If you look at Concepts, ProCreate, PaintStrom Studio, Graphics you will see what your competition is.

This thread was posted Jan we now have the end of April, for month + more to wait to have layers in a small mobile app is simply not a good impression.

I don't try to be negative here but I never found a person in the Apple Store testing the iPadPro and Adobe apps finding them useful.

[anniew89350460]

I agree! I've mentioned this before but I'll say it again - we also need to have higher resolution canvasses. I would love to be able to illustrate children's books with this app but cannot because of the small export sizes. Why not make it a professional tool?

[Claas_Eicke_Kuhnen]

It is quite clearly that the iPadPro specifically with the pencil is an incredible powerful tool.

I sold my Cintiq 12WX now because the Pencil is more usable aka precise no parallax offset

and the touch interface of the iPadPro screen making this even more natural to draw navigate.

I can understand with a new product you don't release a very big new application. But if Adobe

wants to make the iPadPro eco system successful also making people buy it then the iPadPro

needs to have the apps. Apple did their job - besides a fancy keynote presentation Adobe however

did not and fall behind the competition.

PaintStorm Studio is a mini company that ported their full desktop app to iOS already.

[Rocketdrive]

Basically I'm with You, it took Adobe waaay too long to catch up. But right now I am lucky to be testing Sketch beta, which includes layers, among other improvements, and works pretty fine. You'll probably see.

As for creativity, or rather creative work: this seems to be a personal matter. I can get equally creative or uncreative with real paper (one layer), iOS Notes (one layer) or Sketch (one ... and a half for now). I have been using Sketch (in a workflow with Notes) for hand drawn infographics and editorial illustrations for the past couple of months without major drawbacks. I chose it on purpose over Procreate, just to prove to myself that it can be used in a production environment. Guess what - it works

[Claas_Eicke_Kuhnen]

Also MS Paint can be used in a professional matter if one wants to.

Whats also creative work? Some sketches, some quick notes, more refined work?

I do and teach product sketching and illustration and for that you need good tools that

allow you to work in an efficient and non-destructive work.

Question is also of the iOS app is an idea collector or also the tool itself, meaning can I only

use the iPad for prepping work but still need later a desktop app to really finish it.

But besides that I am glad to see that you have a Testflight version meaning for us non beta testers

this is actually in the works like layers.

[Sue Garibaldi]

Thanks Claas.

Sometimes adding features and functionality takes longer than people would like, but our engineers are taking into consideration all the possible/eventualities of adding them. We really appreciate how patient people are waiting for features (like layers) they really want to see in the app. 

I appreciate you taking the time to post.

Sue.

[Claas_Eicke_Kuhnen]

Sue,

No worries. I hope it somewhat makes sense and this is really important to keep in mind

that if one wants the iOS devices to be successful then the apps have to deliver.

Nobody buys an iPadPro when the apps don't allow to you to work the way you want and need.

It is like a chicken and egg situation.

I for myself and others I know feel that the Pencil and iPadPro is seriously pro grade material.

Most Youtube reviews are actually pretty bad or flat not fully understanding how it works or not

even knowing the iOS app they demo very well.

As I stated after few weeks it became clear that it beats the wacom cintiq I have (same prices class)

hands down.

[Sue Garibaldi]

Claas,

It absolutely makes sense. And, honestly, we want people to be passionate about the apps they use and the work they do on them... even if it sometimes means that they get frustrated with us.

Sue.

[Sue Garibaldi]

John,

You'll be happy to know that layers are coming to Sketch...  probably sometime late May or early June. About text capability: I'll pass your comments (and your art) along to the product team.

Thanks for posting.

Sue.

[Rocketdrive]

‌Hi Sue,

I was just betting more on iPad Pro as an ersatz desktop. Photoshop sketch with layers would nicely fit. Never mind, in the meantime I'll use a combined workflow using Notes or Procreate and Photoshop sketch for finish.

BTW nice update, You folks fixed an annoying brushtip bug.

[Sue Garibaldi]

Rocketdrive.

I know... I knew it was in this update and it couldn't come fast enough just for that bug. In the meantime I was asking everyone to reinstall and relaunch and that was fixing it for the most part. (Did you ever do that?).

I think, too, that the iPad Pro will definitely change the way we update the app from here on out; it definitely changes the landscape of mobile creative output.

Hang in there for layers. They're coming.

Sue.

[Claas_Eicke_Kuhnen]

Hi Sue,

Glad to see layers are on the plan. I am quite surprised you Adobe thought without layers in 2016 you could offer a serious light weight sketching tool.

Happy to see that in the latest update the guides were updated now we have better ellipse templates.

Honestly Layers is what is missing and you have a very decent sketching/drawing tool.