Layers - basics

[emenemsbis]

Not everyone knows how to use layers, so I'll try to show how you can improve your art by using it.

Basicaly - if you don't know what layers are...just imagine real paper. Ready? So - when you have a paper and you want to add something on it (just like in animated movies studios), you can add a transparent foil on it to draw more details. Like...you have a background, and you wanna add an animation of a dog so a dog is on another transparent foil. I'm not sure if it's clear, so I'll show it on screenshots.

So screenshot no.1 shows where you can find layers. After clicking on Add layers, the new layer will appear (tadaaaa! XD). which you can see on screenshot no.2

So now you can add layers as many as you want. As you can see, the next layer is transparent (it's shown by checked pattern on a preview), but you can set a diffirent paper on it - but in this situation you won't see things which are behind this layer.

On the second screenshot I made a sketch of a girl - it was a quick drawing, just to show how layers work. The drawing is not the main point of this tutorial.
Another part later I have to write it :P

[emenemsbis]

Layers part II

So when you have a sketch, you just want to add a lineart. I made it on another layer (I'll explain it later why I made it like that). You can see it on 3rd screenshot (1st in this post :P).

On the 4th drawing you can see why I made another layer just for lineart. Well - you can hide layers easily just by clicking on an eye icon (after ckicking on it it will be blank) - this way you don't have to clean your sketch - just hide it and draw!

[emenemsbis]

Layers part III
Now, if you wanna colour it, just simply add another layer (don't worry that it will be first - just simply grab it and move to a place where you wanna have it - just like me - under the lineart). This way you won't ruin the lineart, because it will be always visible and first.
As you know from Shrek - onion has layers, Ogres has layers, Artrage has it too!
So imagine it - if you have every part of drawing on each layer, you can play with it, change location, transparency and so on - because every layer is like another drawing in one file
You can use every tool easily, even eraser - and it won't ruin anything which is on another layer. Of course you can merge layers, and after this it will be one layer, which you can edit. But this part I'll try to explain later.

[emenemsbis]

Layers part IV
Ok, so now - how to draw ON those layers but not to loose anything on them in the same time? Simply- adding another layer - and putting it as a first. Like I did with layer, where I wrote "Simply, huh?" As you can see, I wrote ON lineart, but after making it invisible, lineart will look the same, just like before.

Now - look on the last screenshot. As you can see, you can set some options to layers - you can add a name of it (it will be easier for you, if you make a lot of layers). You can set opacity - after setting 0%, the layer will be invisible. Blend - is an option, which should be explained in another tutorial. Why? Because I didn't do screenshots for it :P But simply it has 4 options - normal (as you can see on screenshots), tint, shadow and highlight. Just play with those options and you will understand a meaning of it.
Next - simple actions like deleting, clearing etc. - you should understand everything there.
Make a stencil - sometimes useful, especially for those ,who makes a lot of colouring.
Merging - I explained it earlier.
Edit paper settings - as the name shows, you can set paper for each layer, grain and so on.

I hope that now it will be easier for all beginners
Take care

[irishrose]

This is VERY wonderful, Em. I have always had trouble understanding layers, and you have made it so much easier now to figure out! Thank you soooo much! Hugs, Rose

[emenemsbis]

Ahhh no problem, I'm happy that I could help - if you have ane problem with it, just ask, I'll try to help

[sally packham]

This is very helpful for me too, i have printed it out and put it in my folder so i can refer to it easier when i need to.
Thank You Sally Packham

[emenemsbis]

Oh, I'm happy hearing it

[digitaleye]

Thank you very much for this useful tutorial

[minniemates]

I am a beginner so am very pleased to find such a wonderful tutorial thank you so much