Transforms

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Transforms are used for moving, rotating, scaling, flipping, mirroring, and distorting pixels. 

If you're looking for moving, rotating, or zooming into the canvas read Changing your view.

Transform tools in Sketchbook Pro for desktop

In Sketchbook Pro, there are two main tools for transforming your content:  Quick Transform and  Transform.

Distinctions between Quick Transform and Transform:

• Quick Transform enables combining selection and transform into a single tool.
• Transform can be constrained using the Shift key, while Quick Transform cannot.
• Quick Transform uses the Transform puck to manipulate the content, where Transform uses manipulator handles.

Both tools will allow transforming multiple full layers at the same time. In the Layer Editor, select one or more layers (use Shift to select consecutive layers and Ctrl / Command to select non-consecutive layers) before launching Transform or Quick Transform. It is not possible to transform a selection across multiple layers.

Using  Quick Transform

Tap  in the toolbar and choose one of the Quick Transform tools:

1.  Rectangle - make a rectangular selection, when you complete the selection the puck will automatically appear.
2.  Lasso - make a lasso selection, when you complete the selection the puck will automatically appear.
3.   Transform puck - immediately launches the transform puck to transform the entire layer. However if you have separately made a selection using selection tools, the effects of the transform puck will only apply to the selection.

The default Quick Selection tool is Lasso. If you change the tool to Rectangle or the Transform Puck, Sketchbook Pro will remember your choice throughout the session. It will return to the default after exiting and restarting the app.

The Transform puck 

To move a selection, highlight the outer circle. Tap, then drag to move the layer around the canvas.

To rotate a selection around its center, highlight the middle circle. Tap, then drag in a circular motion in the direction you want to rotate.

To non-proportionately scale a selection, highlight the upper part of the inner circle. Tap, then drag in the direction you want scaled.

To scale a selection bigger or smaller, highlight the inner circle. Tap, then drag to scale up or down to display the percentage scaling.

Using  Transform

In the toolbar, select  Transform to move, scale, or distort content. The Transform tool has a sub-toolbar where you can differentiate between scaling or distorting the selection.

Transform applies a bounding box around the content that will be transformed. The bounding box will automatically surround the pixels of the active layer(s) unless a selection is made first using selection tools. Areas of full transparency are not included in the automatically generated bounding box.

Moving

Either  Scale or  Distort can be used to move a selection. In the toolbar, select Transform and then mouse over inside the selection area - your cursor changes to . Tap-drag within the selection to freely re-position the selection.

Constraining your movement

Press the Shift key to constrain your movement to straight vertical or horizontal. Once you move a direction, the constraint is in place for that axis. To constrain the selection to the other axis, release the Shift key, then press-hold it again as you move in the new direction.

Rotating

Either  Scale or  Distort can also be used to rotate a selection. In the toolbar, select Transform and then mouse over outside the selection area - your cursor changes to . Tap-drag outside the selection area to freely rotate the selection.

Using Scale 

• In the toolbar, select Transform, then  Scale. A bounding box appears surrounding the content.
• Tap-drag a  handle to freely scale the selection.
• If you wish to constrain the scale, press and hold the Shift key while tap-dragging a  handle.

Using Distort

1. In the toolbar, tap  Transform, then  Distort. A bounding box appears surrounding the content.
2. Tap-drag the outer handles  to change the bounding box and distort the content inside it
3. Tap-drag the central handle, Bias, to foreshorten or change the proportions of the selection

For more detailed information, see Distorting a selection.

Using transforms in Sketchbook for mobile devices

Tap in the toolbar to enter the Transform workspace. When in this mode, you can proportionally scale, move, rotate, and distort an active selection or an entire layer, using gestures or your stylus.

Transform will apply to the entire active layer if no selection has been made first. To transform only a part of a layer, use the selection tools to define the area before entering Transform mode.

When finished, tap Done or  in the toolbar to exit Transform mode.

Moving content

• Tap in the toolbar to enter Transform mode.
• In the Transform workspace, tap-drag with your finger to freely move the content
•  Or tap to launch the nudge puck for more constrained movement:
  • Tap-drag one of the arrows to move the content along the axis selected.
    • If you select either arrow along the sides, your movement is constrained to left and right.
    • If you select either arrow at the top or bottom of the puck, your movement is constrained to up and down.
  • Tap-drag within the middle of the puck to move freely in any direction
• When finished, tap Done to exit Transform mode.

Scaling content

• Tap in the toolbar to enter Transform mode.
• With two fingers, pinch the canvas to decrease scale or expand to increase scale. 

Flipping a layer

• Tap in the toolbar to enter Transform mode.
• Use  and  to flip the content either horizontally or vertically.

Rotating a layer

• Tap in the toolbar to enter Transform mode.
• Use a two-finger rotation gesture to freely rotate the content. To constrain rotation to 45 degree increments, use  for clockwise rotation and  for counterclockwise rotation.