Draft Layers
Draft layers let you keep work-in-progress content visible on canvas while automatically excluding it from exports. Perfect for sketches, notes, or unfinished elements.
Marking a Layer as Draft
To set a layer as a draft:
- Select the layer in the Layers panel
- Click the draft toggle in the panel header (the button reads "Mark as Draft")
Selecting several layers first marks them all in one go, and the toggle only turns off once every layer in the selection is a draft.
Visual indicator: Draft layers display a draft icon in the Layers panel, making
it easy to identify which layers are marked as drafts.
How Draft Layers Work
| Behavior | Description |
|---|---|
| Visible on canvas | Draft layers render normally while you work |
| Excluded from export | Draft layers are automatically hidden during PNG, GIF, and other exports |
| Left out of the Preview panel | The preview shows the export picture, so drafts stay out of it. Turn on "Show draft layers" in the preview settings to see them there too |
| Saved with project | Draft status is preserved when you save and reopen the file |
Common Uses
- Rough sketches — Keep initial sketches visible for reference while finalizing artwork
- Construction lines — Draw guides and helper lines that won't appear in exports
- Work in progress — Mark unfinished elements that aren't ready for the final output
- Notes and annotations — Add text notes or markers for yourself
- Alternative versions — Keep alternate designs visible for comparison
Removing Draft Status
To convert a draft layer back to a normal layer:
- Select the draft layer
- Click the same draft toggle again (it now reads "Unmark as Draft")
The layer will then be included in exports like any other visible layer.
Note: Tracing layers are always drafts by design and cannot be toggled out of draft
mode. The draft toggle greys out when the selection is nothing but tracing layers.
Draft Layers vs Hidden Layers
Both draft and hidden layers are excluded from exports, but they serve different purposes:
| Feature | Draft Layer | Hidden Layer |
|---|---|---|
| Visible while working | Yes | No |
| Included in export | No | No |
| Best for | WIP content you need to see | Finished content you don't need right now |
Tips
- Use draft layers for sketches you're tracing over—they stay visible but won't export.
- Combine with layer groups to organize all draft content together.
- Draft status persists when you save, so your workflow is preserved.
- You can have multiple draft layers in a single project.