Saving and exporting Flipbooks

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The Flipbook tools are only available in Sketchbook Pro on Mac and Windows desktop


When you save Flipbook files from Files > Save, Save As, or Save a Copy as, they are saved as a proprietary Sketchbook Animation format (.skba) that stores all the animation settings, keyframes, background layers, and timeline data. 

Flipbooks can also be exported as:

  • Sequential PNG
  • Sequential layered PSD
    • export only - Flipbook cannot import layered files or sequences.
  • MOV (macOS only)
  • WMV (Windows only)
  • MP4
  • Animated GIF

Exporting a single keyframe 

If you have a keyframe that you wish to save as an individual image, you can export it from the menu using File > Export Current Frame…

In the Save dialog, TIFF will be the default format. Tap on File Format for the drop-down of options:

  • Flattened image formats
    • JPEG
    • PNG
      • To export transparent PNGs, toggle off visibility of the background color .
    • BMP
  • Layered formats
    • Sketchbook Tiff
      • This exports the layer stack of the selected keyframe and the background layers and background color.
      • This is useful if you want to further develop the frame as a static canvas in Sketchbook Pro
      • Remember, you cannot re-import layered files back to Flipbook 
    • PSD
    • Adobe TIFF
      • Exports the layer stack of the selected keyframe and the background layers, but will not retain background color

Export sequential images

You can export a sequence of PNG or PSD files. This is a full export of every frame, including all the duplicates from empty frames.

  1. From the menu, select File > Export Flipbook.
  2. By default, Export As is set to PNG Sequence
    • If you want PSD, tap to change the selection from the dropdown options
  3. Customize export options as needed
    • Background color - by default, this is OFF 
    • Export all frames or a custom range (minimum 2 frames)
    • Changing export size
      • By unchecking Match Document Size you can export at a different proportional size. 
      • The size cannot exceed the maximum canvas size for Flipbook (~8.2 MPX).
  4. Export location
    • Windows
      • After tapping Export, the browser will open.
      • Enter your file name.
        • This creates a Folder with this name
        • All images will have this name with a .### numbering suffix.
      • Tap Save
    • Mac
      • After tapping Export, the finder will open
      • Images will be automatically use the name of the folder you select.
        • Navigate to the desired folder and select Open to export images.
        • Or create a New Folder
          • Name it and tap Create.
          • Then tap Open to export images

Exporting Animated GIF

  1. From the menu, select File > Export Flipbook.
  2. Choose Animated GIF from the Export As options.
  3. Customize options
    • you can uncheck Match Document Settings to reduce the image size or frame rate.
    • For a looping Animated GIF, you can choose the Loop Playback setting

Exporting Video 

  1. From the menu, select File > Export Flipbook.
  2. Choose the video format from the Export As options.
  3. Customize Range or Size and Frame Rate options
    • Background color and Loop Playback are not options for video formats.
  4. Tap Export.
  5. Enter File Name and Save.