15 Reference Import

Ch. 15 🖼️ Reference Image & Import

What you'll learn: How to load a reference image for tracing or study, and how to import oversized images with interactive placement, rotation, and flipping.

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Reference Image — Tracing Made Easy

🎯 Goal: Use reference images for tracing and study.

Press Ctrl+R to toggle a reference image. The reference renders behind every layer with adjustable opacity, so it never interferes with the artwork you're producing.

Action	Shortcut
Toggle reference image	Ctrl+R
Adjust reference opacity	Ctrl+Shift+Wheel (5–100%)
Reposition / zoom / nudge	Reference toolbar buttons

Reference image state is persisted in the .draw file along with its opacity, position, and zoom — so a project's tracing setup is never lost.

🎨 Try it — pixel art from a photo

1. Load a photo as a reference image.
2. Set opacity to 50%.
3. Pick a limited palette (e.g., Endesga 32).
4. Trace key shapes on a layer above with the line and polygon tools.
5. Fill regions with flood fill.
6. Hide the reference (Ctrl+R) to evaluate the standalone result.

Image Import — Oversized Placement & Transform

🎯 Goal: Import and position external images.

File → Import Image is different from File → Open Image. Open replaces your canvas; Import places the incoming image as a floating overlay that you position interactively before it commits as a layer.

While in import mode:

• Pan and zoom inside the imported image to crop tightly.
• Rotate 90° CW / CCW with the import toolbar buttons.
• Flip horizontal / vertical.
• Drag the destination box's resize handles to scale the placement.
• Live preview reflects every transform.

This is the cleanest way to bring an external sprite into a project at the right size and orientation, without permanent destructive resampling.

Aseprite & Photoshop

DRAW reads .ase / .aseprite and .psd files directly via File → Open Aseprite and File → Open Photoshop. Layers are preserved (where they map cleanly to DRAW's blend mode set) and re-exposed as native DRAW layers.

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➡️ Next: Chapter 16 — Keyboard Shortcuts & Command Palette