Archive notice: This article was originally published on June 21, 2005. Links and embedded videos are preserved as part of the historical record.
Sketchbook Pro is software for the quick, uncomplicated visualisation of ideas and concept designs on the computer and is particularly optimised for pen-based input. With the now available version 2, software manufacturer Alias has made the most comprehensive update since its market launch in 2001.
Among the new features is that, thanks to the expanded setting options for brushes, every standard brush can now be adjusted in size and up to 28 custom brushes can be created and saved according to individual needs.
Improvements in the layer area allow an unlimited number of layers to be created. A so-called “Layer Window” offers the Alias-typical marking menus for adding, hiding, locking, deleting, naming, moving and sorting layers and changing their tansparency value. Users can now also rotate and mirror their layers.
Alias Sketchbook Pro saves in the TIFF file format by default, but also reads and saves the BMP, GIF, JPG and PNG formats. There is now also the option of saving files as .PSD in order to use layer information in Adobe Photoshop.
Users can now import their images into a “Layer Stack” in order subsequently to move, scale or rotate them in addition it is now possible to select any shape in order to copy the selection to another layer.
Selected work areas can be scaled and rotated with the help of the modified pan and zoom tool. Through interactive adjustment of the brush thickness, the thickness of a brush can be changed in the shortest possible time without having to open the dialogue box.
The size of the output file or work surface can be set freely and up to 75 work steps can be deleted or restored. The undo function is possible with one click from the tool palette.
Alias Sketchbook Pro 2 is available for both the Windwos and Mac OS platforms and can be purchased through the Alias Online Store at a price of EUR 179.00 (plus VAT). A 14-day trial version is available on the Alias website
Further Links:
- Alias Sketch Book Pro 2
