2D Layer System

[Auric Carnage]

In other programs, separate layers are used to help draw clothing or the outline of something. When I try to create a new layer, I see the same figure but I'm unable to use the same colored pencil. In fact, I can't seem to change any colors, brushes or much of anything at all. Is there another way to access the "layers" or is Blender 2D incapable of handling something that all other 2D software does as a fundamental part of their program?

edited to add more than brushes that can't seem to be switched or accessed while in another layer.

[still__alive]

I do not know very much about the grease pencil system at all. I took a quick look though, and I have a suspicion of what you might be doing wrong.

So if you make your grease pencil object, and then tab in edit mode, you get the annotate marker or whatever that seems like it is letting you draw. However, seems to me that this isn't actually in the drawing mode. If you look up at the UI dropdown, you can switch from edit or object mode to draw mode.

Once I put it in draw mode, the layers worked and changing the brush worked too, far as I could tell with my quick tryout.

[Auric Carnage]

Originally posted by still__alive:

I do not know very much about the grease pencil system at all. I took a quick look though, and I have a suspicion of what you might be doing wrong.

So if you make your grease pencil object, and then tab in edit mode, you get the annotate marker or whatever that seems like it is letting you draw. However, seems to me that this isn't actually in the drawing mode. If you look up at the UI dropdown, you can switch from edit or object mode to draw mode.

Once I put it in draw mode, the layers worked and changing the brush worked too, far as I could tell with my quick tryout.

Nope... I'm talking about layers in top right. Although unrelated to my issue, I learned something new from you. Pressing tab switches a bunch of stuff out... I'm not sure if that'll be useful in the future but thanks I guess... In any case, pressing tab doesn't work if you add another layer for drawing though. In order to do what I'm doing, I clicked on 2D animation in the splash screen for drawing and animating.

Artists that create digital drawings use layers in order to split their drawings into separate pieces to tackle among other reasons. I can't do that unless the layer system works properly. Again. I'm working with 2D and not the 3D system.

[still__alive]

Originally posted by Auric Carnage:

Originally posted by still__alive:

I do not know very much about the grease pencil system at all. I took a quick look though, and I have a suspicion of what you might be doing wrong.

So if you make your grease pencil object, and then tab in edit mode, you get the annotate marker or whatever that seems like it is letting you draw. However, seems to me that this isn't actually in the drawing mode. If you look up at the UI dropdown, you can switch from edit or object mode to draw mode.

Once I put it in draw mode, the layers worked and changing the brush worked too, far as I could tell with my quick tryout.

Nope... I'm talking about layers in top right. Although unrelated to my issue, I learned something new from you. Pressing tab switches a bunch of stuff out... I'm not sure if that'll be useful in the future but thanks I guess... In any case, pressing tab doesn't work if you add another layer for drawing though. In order to do what I'm doing, I clicked on 2D animation in the splash screen for drawing and animating.

Artists that create digital drawings use layers in order to split their drawings into separate pieces to tackle among other reasons. I can't do that unless the layer system works properly. Again. I'm working with 2D and not the 3D system.

You mean the collections? That is the 3d layer system, there seems to be a separate 2d layer system. Its on the side, in one of those tabs that are underneath the collections window. That tab will/should only show up while you have a grease pencil object selected. I'll see if I can grab a screen here.

Tab is the hotkey to switch between object and edit mode, for 3d objects. No idea if there is a hotkey for switching to draw mode, because I don't use the grease pencil stuff. Some tools are mode specific which is why stuff changes depending on which tool and mode you are working with.

I do know what layers are, I've dabbled with 2d stuff too. Just not in Blender. :P

[still__alive]

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2384067688

1. You have to switch to draw mode with the grease pencil object selected. Pretty sure that draw mode won't show otherwise. Oh and you have to add a grease pencil object, with shift+a.

2. You have to switch to this tab to find the layers.

3. This is one of the brush options, you can set it to draw with materials or with vertex colors. If you have it set to materials, then I'm pretty sure you'll have to make those materials in the same way you would for 3d objects. For "normal" drawing looks like you set it to vertex colors.

Edit: Also, I'm not sure the colors actually show up properly unless you set the viewport to material display mode or rendered display mode.

[The Renderer]

still__alive already kind of said it, but this is important, so I'll say it again: The collections (in the top right) is NOT a layer system. At all. Not even for 3D. It's simply like a file explorer with folders, just not for files but for Blender objects. There is no layering here.

Also, there is no "Blender 2D", I am not even sure what you are talking about. Yes, there is the grease pencil system, but even that is kind of 3D. If you want a pure 2D drawing program you might want to look elsewhere?

[Auric Carnage]

Originally posted by The Renderer:

<snip> Yes, there is the grease pencil system, but even that is kind of 3D. If you want a pure 2D drawing program you might want to look elsewhere?

Blender has a very well-designed 2D drawing system that even allows for animation:

https://youtu.be/TW5_32K0_xs

I just can't figure out how to use layers like other 2D software has. It would be pointless to work in those other programs if I can't easily import files to work in Blender for animation. No indeed... I'd like to work in Blender only. If you have a solution, please don't hesitate to add something productive. Thank you for your time!

[The Renderer]

Look, I was just trying to clear up your misunderstanding about the collections system and ask (sincerely) whether you are using the right program since you wouldn't be the first to be confused about that (which you obviously aren't but that wasn't clear from your other posts). If that is not productive enough for you then, well, I'm sorry?

Unfortunately I cannot help you with the grease pencil system itself since I haven't used it much either.