Software Review – Autodesk Entertainment Creation Suites 2013 Ultimate: Maya and SketchBook Designer - Page 4

SketchBook 2013

SketchBook is all new for 2013 and it comes with all editions of Autodesk Entertainment Creation Suites. Sketchbook Designer helps you to explore concepts quickly and easily, iterate in real time, and produce stunning artwork. With a unique hybrid paint and vector workflow, the 2013 release offers creative professionals tools to explore and present new ideas for characters, props, and environments.

It has a unique hybrid paint and vector environment helps bring ease and agility throughout the product concept and iteration process giving you the ability to produce complex and intricate designs more easily with powerful vector workflows while remaining flexible for iteration. It also has advanced tools for concept exploration and quick iteration.

So what are some of the things you get with SketchBook 2013?

• Texture fills include support for Substance Smart Textures and user adjustable textures; additionally, SketchBook Designer now includes more than 60 preset textures (brick, concrete, fabric, and natural materials).

• Color adjustment for layers and layer folders (brightness, contrast, saturation, lightness, and invert color)

• User-defined grids for reference and snapping (square, circular, or 2-point perspective grids).

• User-defined grids for reference and snapping (square, circular, or 2-point perspective grids).

• Preference to define default canvas size.

• Color Editor includes the Copic Color System.

• Autodesk SketchBook Pro is now included with SketchBook Designer.

• Simultaneously manipulate paint and vector layer contents

• Select from a library of brushes that can be used on both paint and vector layers.

• Quickly annotate designs with the text tool.

• Sketch free-form curves on designs and import/export curve data (DWG™ files).

• Experience a seamless workflow with the AutoCAD add-in, available with the enterprise version of SketchBook Designer.

• Save common image formats including JPG, PNG, TIFF, BMP, and layered PSD.

• Full control of multiple layers, including layer blending, folders, and dynamic symmetry.

• Interactive fills and gradients give you full control to explore color schemes and shape definition.

• Dynamic transformation and warping tools.

• Ability to change line thickness, brush styles, shape, and color of vector curves at any time.

Article Author: T. Michael Testi

T. Michael Testi is a writer and a photographer out of Edmond Oklahoma. You can see his photographic and art work at T Michael Imaging.

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