Hiding/unhiding locked layers

[Perendale]

It would be good if a layer could be hidden/unhidden while the layer is locked

Brett

[markw]

Yes, I would second that!

[nekomata]

you can toggle hidden/unhidden state with two options out of four for locking layer contents that AR has at the moment:

[ lock all ] - hiding layer command disabled ❌

[ lock transparency ] - hiding layer visibility is enabled ✅ you can paint into existing layer graphics by mistake, but you can't paint over transparent layer areas. I have this function assigned as a shift + L shortcut.

[ lock paint ] - hiding layer disabled ❌

[ lock position ] - hiding layer enabled ✅

overall, I don't hide layers often, but I guess it would make the behavior more predictable for new users if they added that.

[markw]

Nice summery there nekomata of Visibility v Locking
But even as an old hand with AR, those two exceptions to hiding still catch me out at times!
I really can’t see any benefit to Lock All and Lock Paint preventing hiding of a layer. But I'm open to being persuaded if there is a good reason...

[Perendale]

Thanks!

I don't often hide either, but when I make an initial pencil sketch I want to lock it (lock all) to stop me painting into it, but I also often want to hide it as I work on the painting to check how it will look w/out the sketch.

Brett

[Enug]

I have never locked a layer! Am I missing something advantageous to my workflow?

[markw]

I have never locked a layer! Am I missing something advantageous to my workflow?

Well, if you’ve got this far without ever doing it June I’m inclined to say in answer to your question; probably not!
And it could be that we all should be looking to your workflow and maybe not using it too!
But I’ve used it too like Brett has above.
Some of my paintings have a lot of Layers as I’m working but maybe not much paint on any given layer as I try things out to find a way forwards with an idea, and this is when I’m most likely to be Locking and/or Hiding things.
I hate to say it but sometimes I’m just throwing stuff at a painting and seeing what sticks, which is perhaps not the most efficient workflow!
But as things progress the number of Layers and Groups in my paintings dose thankfully come down as Layers get merged together and my need for Locking and/or hiding Layers falls away.

[nekomata]

I really can’t see any benefit to Lock All and Lock Paint preventing hiding of a layer. But I'm open to being persuaded if there is a good reason...

unfortunately, I have no idea why visibility, a generalized on/off property that doesn't depend on the layer content, is connected to the state of the paint within the layer boundaries.

AR tends to handle certain things in its own way, so I guess some logic is there still.

Thanks!

I don't often hide either, but when I make an initial pencil sketch I want to lock it (lock all) to stop me painting into it, but I also often want to hide it as I work on the painting to check how it will look w/out the sketch.

Brett

locking all layer properites also prevents flipping canvas command for that layer - I flip back and forth very often during pencil sketching and early color blocking in...

this is where using "lock transparency" option alone is more convenient - having a custom keyboard shortcut eventually makes locking/unlocking sketching layer linework a more convenient and a very fast thing. even if you accidentally dab with some paint over there, a quick cmd+z will take care of that.

[Perendale]

this is where using "lock transparency" option alone is more convenient - having a custom keyboard shortcut eventually makes locking/unlocking sketching layer linework a more convenient and a very fast thing. even if you accidentally dab with some paint over there, a quick cmd+z will take care of that.

That's a good point. I try 'lock transparency' and see how it goes.

Brett