Sketchbook (formerly StudioPaint, also referred to as Autodesk SketchBook) is a

raster graphics upright=1, The Smiley, smiley face in the top left corner is a raster image. When enlarged, individual pixels appear as squares. Enlarging further, each pixel can be analyzed, with their colors constructed through combination of the values for ...

software app intended for expressive

drawing Drawing is a Visual arts, visual art that uses an instrument to mark paper or another two-dimensional surface, or a digital representation of such. Traditionally, the instruments used to make a drawing include pencils, crayons, and ink pens, some ...

and concept sketching also for making animations (Jelly Boo, Teatralka). The software was first developed by

Alias Systems Corporation Alias Systems Corporation (formerly Alias Research, Alias, Wavefront), headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, was a software company that produced high-end 3D computer graphics, 3D graphics software. Alias was eventually bought by Autodesk. ...

as StudioPaint, before being acquired by

Autodesk Autodesk, Inc. is an American multinational software corporation that provides software products and services for the architecture, engineering, construction, manufacturing, media, education, and entertainment industries. Autodesk is headquarte ...

and then being spun out into an independent company, Sketchbook, Inc. Originally developed as

commercial software Commercial software, or, seldom, payware, is a computer software that is produced for sale or that serves commercial purposes. Commercial software can be proprietary software or free and open-source software. Background and challenge While ...

, it

evolved Evolution is the change in the heritable Phenotypic trait, characteristics of biological populations over successive generations. It occurs when evolutionary processes such as natural selection and genetic drift act on genetic variation, re ...

into a subscription model before eventually being made

freeware Freeware is software, often proprietary, that is distributed at no monetary cost to the end user. There is no agreed-upon set of rights, license, or EULA that defines ''freeware'' unambiguously; every publisher defines its own rules for the free ...

for personal use. In 2021, Sketchbook Pro, the desktop version of the app available on

Microsoft Windows Windows is a Product lining, product line of Proprietary software, proprietary graphical user interface, graphical operating systems developed and marketed by Microsoft. It is grouped into families and subfamilies that cater to particular sec ...

and

macOS macOS, previously OS X and originally Mac OS X, is a Unix, Unix-based operating system developed and marketed by Apple Inc., Apple since 2001. It is the current operating system for Apple's Mac (computer), Mac computers. With ...

, became a paid software available through the

Microsoft Store The Microsoft Store (formerly known as the Windows Store) is a digital distribution platform operated by Microsoft. It was created as an app store for Windows 8 as the primary means of distributing Universal Windows Platform apps. With ...

and

Mac App Store The Mac App Store (also known as the App Store) is a digital distribution platform for macOS apps, often referred to as Mac apps, created and maintained by Apple. The platform was announced on October 20, 2010, at Apple's "Back to the Mac" eve ...

Features

Sketchbook features a radial/pie-menu user interface and has

painting Painting is a Visual arts, visual art, which is characterized by the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surface (called "matrix" or "Support (art), support"). The medium is commonly applied to the base with ...

and drawing tools such as

pencil A pencil () is a writing or drawing implement with a solid pigment core in a protective casing that reduces the risk of core breakage and keeps it from marking the user's hand. Pencils create marks by physical abrasion, leaving a trail of ...

s, markers, and

brushes A brush is a common tool with bristles, wire or other filaments. It generally consists of a handle or block to which filaments are affixed in either a parallel or perpendicular orientation, depending on the way the brush is to be gripped during u ...

. It uses pressure-sensitive features of digital drawing pads,

tablet computer A tablet computer, commonly shortened to tablet, is a mobile device, typically with a mobile operating system and touchscreen display processing circuitry, and a rechargeable battery in a single, thin and flat package. Tablets, being computers ...

s, and

smartphone A smartphone is a mobile phone with advanced computing capabilities. It typically has a touchscreen interface, allowing users to access a wide range of applications and services, such as web browsing, email, and social media, as well as multi ...

s to create effects similar to traditional materials. A

screenshot A screenshot (also known as screen capture or screen grab) is an analog or digital image that shows the contents of a computer display. A screenshot is created by a (film) camera shooting the screen or the operating system An operating sys ...

tool is also included for

annotation An annotation is extra information associated with a particular point in a document or other piece of information. It can be a note that includes a comment or explanation. Annotations are sometimes presented Marginalia, in the margin of book page ...

s, allowing one to show content during meetings, and to add notes for review. The program can also create flipbooks or

animation Animation is a filmmaking technique whereby still images are manipulated to create moving images. In traditional animation, images are drawn or painted by hand on transparent celluloid sheets to be photographed and exhibited on film. Animati ...

s, and it supports

layers Layer or layered may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * ''Layers'' (Kungs album) * ''Layers'' (Les McCann album) * ''Layers'' (Royce da 5′9″ album) *“Layers”, the title track of Royce da 5′9″’s sixth studio album * Layer, a ...

with the ability to import from and export to

Adobe Photoshop Adobe Photoshop is a raster graphics editor developed and published by Adobe Inc., Adobe for Microsoft Windows, Windows and macOS. It was created in 1987 by Thomas Knoll, Thomas and John Knoll. It is the most used tool for professional digital ...

(.psd) format. Among other features are

ruler A ruler, sometimes called a rule, scale, line gauge, or metre/meter stick, is an instrument used to make length measurements, whereby a length is read from a series of markings called "rules" along an edge of the device. Usually, the instr ...

s, brush customization, and

canvas Canvas is an extremely durable Plain weave, plain-woven Cloth, fabric used for making sails, tents, Tent#Marquees and larger tents, marquees, backpacks, Shelter (building), shelters, as a Support (art), support for oil painting and for other ite ...

rotation.

Versions

When Autodesk acquired Alias in October 2005, they slowed down Sketchbook Pro development for a time. Version 2.0 was released in July 2005, under Alias Systems Corporation. A beta version of version 3.0 was shown at

MacWorld ''Macworld'' is a digital magazine and website dedicated to products and software of Apple Inc., published by Foundry, a subsidiary of IDG. History ''Macworld'' was founded by David Bunnell and Cheryl Woodard (publishers) and Andrew Fl ...

2008 on display with the Axiotron Modbook. In April 2008, Autodesk SketchBook Pro 2009 was released to the public, followed by SketchBook Pro 2010, a year later. Autodesk continued to have a beta program for testing new versions of SketchBook Pro. There was a limited consumer version of Sketchbook Pro - SketchBook Express, which provides much of the same functionality as Pro, but does not include brush customization, layer controls, symmetric brushes, or guide lines. Earlier versions of Express could not save layers. Versions 5.5 and later, however, do allow the preservation of layers. On September 17, 2009, SketchBook Mobile was released, initially for Apple's

iPhone The iPhone is a line of smartphones developed and marketed by Apple that run iOS, the company's own mobile operating system. The first-generation iPhone was announced by then–Apple CEO and co-founder Steve Jobs on January 9, 2007, at ...

and

iPod Touch The iPod Touch (stylized as iPod touch) is a discontinued line of iOS-based mobile devices designed and formerly marketed by Apple Inc. with a touchscreen-controlled user interface. As with other iPod models, the iPod Touch can be used as a po ...

. Built with the same paint engine as Pro, Mobile (and its free version, ''Mobile Express'') offers many of the same design features seen in the desktop application. Android versions of both SketchBook ''Mobile'' and ''Express'' were to be later released on November 30, 2010. In August 2012, SketchBook Pro 6 was released, marking a return to conventional version numbering. Throughout May 2014, another new version of Sketchbook Pro was shown on the software application's website, referred to as SketchBook Pro 2015. In August 2014, SketchBook 7 was released, and with it, it introduced the current subscription model. In May 2017, the iOS 4.0 version of SketchBook was released. This update introduces new features; two-hand workflow, an improved quick-access toolbar, and an improved rendering engine. In April 2018, the full-featured version of Sketchbook was made completely free to all users; the subscription model has been phased out, and all premium features (including perspective guides, flood fill, layer effects, and brush customization) are unlocked. Sketchbook will continue to be offered as a commercial subscription product, under its current incarnation: Sketchbook for Enterprise (this version of Sketchbook includes paid technical support as well as cross-functionality with other Autodesk software). In June 2021, Autodesk announced SketchBook would spin into an independent company, Sketchbook Inc. led by two former Autodesk SketchBook employees. On the 30th of that month, Sketchbook released an update which made the app unusable for any device using Android 11, causing all saved work to appear deleted and crashes upon opening. This was rectified two days later with an expedited update. It was later announced that Sketchbook Inc. would start charging users of Sketchbook Pro in order to fund the development of the application, however, they would not be using the previous subscription model and instead, charge a one-time payment for the software.

References

External links

Sketchbook, Inc.Autodesk Sketchbook ProAliasDesign DiscussionsSketchbook discussion forum
{{Autodesk products Autodesk discontinued products Android (operating system) software Graphics software IOS software Macintosh graphics software MacOS graphics software

Features

Versions

See also

References

External links