Sketch Knowledge
Kip Landergren
(Updated: )
My Sketch knowledge base explaining key concepts like layers, components, and vector content.
Contents
Overview
Sketch is software for designing digital content like interfaces, glyphs, and icons.
Core Idea
Provide a vector-capable editor with:
- convenient primitives for reusing components
- built-in collaboration tools
- easy export of content for platform-specific integration
Key Concepts
For a functionality-based overview, refer to the Sketch Reference Manual.
Layer
A layer represents the contents of the XY-plane for a specific Z coordinate. All designs you create with Sketch will be comprised of layers stacked one on top of another. Sketch provides various layer types (like Shapes or Artboards) to act as building blocks for your designs.
Components
Reusable entities that are either groups of layers themselves (Symbols) or properties applicable to layers (Text Styles and Layer Styles).
Vector Content
A method of creating shapes by defining points and paths, allowing for infinitely scalable, high resolution content. Fonts are often vector-based content.
Bitmap Content
A method of creating shapes by associating color information with specific pixels. Images are often bitmap-based content.
Sketch Document / Sketch Library
This is the .sketch file that stores your design. A Sketch Library is a special version of a Sketch Document that allows for referencing components, colors, and other content from other Sketch Documents.
Terminology
- alpha channel
- 1.
Range representing the opacity, typically from 0.0 (completely transparent) to 1.0 (completely opaque). comes from the use of mattes in photography and filmmaking applied to digital images.
- artboard
- 1.
Layer that crops a canvas to a specific dimension; may not contain other artboards.
Broader:
Related:
- bounding box
- 1.
The perimeter of the layer with 8 selection handles.
Related:
- CIELAB (Lab)
- 1.
- CMY (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow)
- 1.
- CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Key (black))
- 1.
- canvas
- 1.
Drawing area.
Related:
- component
- 1.
A reusable entity; may be specialized into a symbol, text style, or layer style.
Narrower:
- data
- 1.
- fill
- 1.
Shape style property that comprises the interior content; may be solid or gradient.
Related:
- grid
- 1.
The lines of an x, y coordinate system; may be specialized into a Square Grid or Layout Grid.
Related:
- guide
- 1.
Canvas tool to display a fixed line, typically at a measured distance.
Related:
- HSL
- 1.
Hue, Saturation, {Lightness, Brightness, Value}
Also: HSB, HSV
- hue
- 1.
The variation of a color independent of its brightness.
- layer
- 1.
The contents of a single x, y plane on the z axis; may be specialized into types: shape, symbol, image, artboard, and others.
Narrower:
Related:
- layer style
- 1.
A reusable set of layer-specific properties.
Broader:
- page
- 1.
Mechanism to group work within a Sketch document.
- plugin
- 1.
3rd party software to automate or enhance some aspect of Sketch.
- resizing constraints
- 1.
Rules that dictate how a layer behaves when its parent is resized.
Related:
- ruler
- 1.
Canvas tool to display distance.
Related:
- Sketch Document
- 1.
The .sketch file containing your work.
Related:
- Sketch Library
- 1.
A specialized Sketch Document able to be referenced by other Sketch Documents, providing access to its components and colors.
Related:
- shade
- 1.
The result of mixing a color with black.
Related:
- shape
- 1.
A vector layer.
Broader:
- smart distribute
- 1.
Means of arranging multiple layers by their horizontal or vertical gaps.
Related:
- smart guide
- 1.
A Sketch-suggested location for a layer.
Related:
- snapping
- 1.
The act of a layer moving to a predetermined point instead of what is indicated by the user’s mouse.
Related:
- sRGB (Standard RGB (Red, Green, Blue) Color Space)
- 1.
- style
- 1.
A set of properties that contribute to the look of a layer.
Narrower:
Related:
- symbol
- 1.
A single, reusable, layer comprised of a flattened layer hierarchy; exists as a single master instance with multiple instance copies created wherever used.
Broader:
- text style
- 1.
A reusable set of text-specific properties.
Broader:
- tidy
- 1.
Means of arranging layers into a grid.
Related:
- tint
- 1.
The result of mixing a color with white.
Related:
- tint
- 1.
The mixture of a color with white.
Compare:
- tint slider
- 1.
Corrects colors along the green / magenta axis.
- tone
- 1.
The result of mixing a color with gray.
Related:
- vector
- 1.
A layer comprised of points connected by paths.
Broader: