Introduction: Using the Symmetry Tool in SketchBook Pro to Design Clothing

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About: I went to school for animation and visual effects. Follow me on twitter, tumblr, and DA!! https://twitter.com/reneedicherri http://blog.reneedicherri.com/ http://reneedicherri.deviantart.com/

The symmetry tool is a really unique feature to SketchBook Pro! It cuts your drawing time in half, which allows you to create all sorts of neat designs fast!

I especially love drawing clothing with the symmetry tools. Here's how you might do that. 


Step 1: Tool Overview

In SketchBook Pro we have two different lines of symmetry to use- X and Y.

They can be accessed from the top toolbar.


If the top toolbar is hidden, you can go to Window -> Toolbar to bring it up.

Y symmetry will mirror your strokes as you draw vertically. Click this button to activate it:

It's perfect for drawing clothing and faces!

The X symmetry will mirror your strokes horizontally. Click this button to activate it:

I might use this to create a neat reflection, like in water!

Step 2: Drawing Clothing!

With the symmetry Y turned on, I'll use the pencil tool to sketch out my clothing. It's easy because I only have to draw one side and SketchBook Pro takes care of the rest!

Step 3: Cleaning Up the Sketch

My sketch is cool, but I want nice lines.

I'll duplicate the sketch, and use a careful hand to add nice lines.

To duplicate a layer, you'll need to make sure the Layer Editor is open. You can access it by selecting Windows -> Layer Editor. It looks like this:



hover over the layer and click in the circle to bring up the pop-up menu. 
Hold and drag over the option that says "Duplicate."



I'm using a black pencil brush and going around the edges of the artwork to make the lines are smooth and nice.

I'm constantly going back and forth- erasing and re-drawing to keep the lines clean.
This part of the process takes a long time for me, which is why the symmetry tool makes it faster!


Step 4: Nice and Smooth

Now that the lines are all done, I want to add some color.  

I'll create a layer just for that and make sure it's under my line art. To create a new layer, press the "+" button at the top of the layer editor:


You can then use the arrow button to re-order the layer.
I'm going to put it underneath my lineart, so I can color underneath!

Step 5: Color!

First I lay down a base color. I use a really big base brush and fill in my lines. (Don't forget to make sure you're on the color layer!)

I think I'm going to make this a cloud themed hoodie, so I'm picking a pretty blue color from the copic marker library as my base.
Then I use white to add clouds, and green to put some cute grass at the bottom.

Step 6: Final Details

Every good piece of clothing has a story, so here's mine: this hoodie hides THE STORM WITHIN. The outside is happy and bright, and the inside conceals your true nature.

So I add some extra shading & details, and put some text on the my hoodie to help describe it.  This way, if someone wanted to make my hoodie real, they'd understand exactly what I wanted!

Things such as material type & quality are very important. Is something soft or shiny? Velvet or fleece? These choices could have a real impact on the final product, even if its the same basic design.