Documentation

Create a New Layer

TVPaint Animation offers the possibility to work with several layers. With a bit of practice, this will make your work much easier. You don't have any limits on the number of layers you can create.

To create a new layer you can:

• Select Anim Layer in the Layer > New Layer main menu.
• You can also use the keyboard shortcut [Ctrl+N]

Our Timeline now has two layers: the character's layer and the newly created layer.

You can also use the New button in the Timeline to create such a layer. As with the Layer menu, simply click on Anim Layer to do so. The other functions will be explained in the following lessons.

If you are an experienced user of TVPaint Animation, you knew the Image and XSheet layers.The Image layers are no longer used in the software.The XSheet layers are less and less used and will not be covered in this manual. The Timeline is indeed much more intuitive and user-friendly. This old feature is no longer displayed by default, as explained in lesson 1.

You may also have noticed a new layer type, called CTG (Colors and Texture Generator): it will be explained in lesson 7.


As mentioned in lesson 1, a checkers pattern will be applied on your layers’ empty instances thumbnails by default (in order to quickly spot them). You can also add a cross to make those empty instances thumbnails stand out more or disable those settings altogether from the Preferences > Display panel.


With the « Differentiate Empty Instances » option turned on


With the previous option and the « Put an X Mark... » option turned on


This video tutorial will also teach you how to create layers: