Onion Skin Mode

MediBang Paint for Steam is excited to introduce a new feature in version 2.0, Onion Skinning.

The Onion Skin tool serves the purpose of previewing both preceding and succeeding drawings using a translucent mode. This is an invaluable tool for animators that allows users to view multiple frames simultaneously.

Unlike dedicated animation software, MediBang Paint for Steam doesn’t have a specific frame management tool. However, by treating layers as frames, users can leverage this feature to seamlessly animate.

For instance, consider the illustration below where the different colored layers depicts a slightly shifted chibi. When these layers are blended onto the canvas, all three images become visible.

You can activate Onion Skin Mode by selecting it from the “View” drop down menu.

This action causes only the active layer to appear, while the previous and subsequent layers are displayed in shades of green and pink, offering a simultaneous view of several frames.

To navigate between previous and subsequent frames, use Ctrl + up arrow key and Ctrl + down arrow key (For Mac users, command + up arrow key and command + down arrow key).

To review the animation, go to “View” in the top menu and select “AutoPlay,” allowing you to specify the frame speed. Turning off Onion Skin Mode will restore the canvas to its regular display.

Upon completing your animation, export it as a PNG format in sequence numbers or as an MP4 file. Navigate to “File” in the top menu, select “Export Layers (PNG sequence),” or “Export Layers (MP4),” and choose an export destination on your PC.