Toon Boom
Harmony V15.0

Paint Application Reference Book

TOON BOOM ANIMATION INC.

+1 514 278 8666

4200 Saint-Laurent, Suite 1020
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
H2W 2R2

contact@toonboom.com
toonboom.com

Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

Legal Notices
Toon Boom Animation Inc.
4200 Saint-Laurent, Suite 1020
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
H2W 2R2
Tel: +1 514 278 8666
Fax: +1 514 278 2666
toonboom.com
Disclaimer
The content of this guide is covered by a specific limited warranty and exclusions and limit of liability under theapplicable License Agreement as supplemented by the special terms and conditions for Adobe®Flash ® File
Format (SWF). For details, refer to the License Agreement and to those special terms and conditions.
The content of this guide is the property of Toon Boom Animation Inc. and is copyrighted.
Any reproduction in whole or in part is strictly prohibited.
Trademarks
Harmony is a trademark of Toon Boom Animation Inc.
Publication Date
01-15-2020
Copyright © 2018 Toon Boom Animation Inc., a Corus Entertainment Inc. company. All rights reserved.

1

Table of Contents

Table of Contents
Table of Contents

2

Reference4

Chapter 1: Dialog Boxes

6

Advanced Save Dialog Box

7

Close Gaps Dialog Box

12

Configure Line Art to Colour Art Dialog Box

13

Create Palette Dialog Box

15

Database Selector Dialog Box

16

Onion Skin and Light Table Transparency Dialog Box

18

Palette Browser Dialog Box

19

Palette Operations Dialog Box

22

Preferences Dialog Box

24

Recolour Drawings Dialog Box

25

Remove Dirt Dialog Box

27

Remove Hair Dialog Box

28

Tint Offset/Blend Dialog Box

29

Toolbar Manager Dialog Box

31

Chapter 2: Tools Properties

32

Brush Tool Properties

34

Centerline Editor Tool Properties

54

Close Gap Tool Properties

56

Contour Editor Tool Properties

57

Cutter Tool Properties

60

Drawing Pivot Tool Properties

63

Dropper Tool Properties

65

Ellipse Tool Properties

66

Envelope Tool Properties

73

Eraser Tool Properties

762

Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

Ink Tool Properties

92

Line Tool Properties

94

Paint Tool Properties

102

Pencil Tool Properties

106

Pencil Editor Tool Properties

116

Perspective Tool Properties

122

Polyline Tool Properties

124

Rectangle Tool Properties

131

Reposition All Drawings Tool Properties

138

Select Tool Properties

140

Smooth Editor Tool Properties

149

Stroke Tool Properties

151

Text Tool Properties

153

Zoom Tool Properties

156

Chapter 3: Toolbars

158

Top Toolbars

159

Edit Toolbar

160

File Toolbar

161

Tool Presets Toolbar

162

Tools Toolbar

163

Workspace Toolbar

168

View Toolbars

169

Chapter 4: Views

170

Colour View

171

Drawing View

178

Integrated Help View

181

Message Log View

182

Model View

183

Tool Properties View

184

3

Reference

Reference
Harmony has several commands, dialog boxes, and buttons. The Reference section lists all of them along withthe matching definition. To understand how to use these functions in a production context, read the User
guide.
In the Reference guide, you will learn about the various parameters available in dialog boxes, menus, nodes,
toolbars, views, and windows.
The Preferences guide provides additional details about each individual preference.

4Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

5

Chapter 1: Dialog Boxes

Chapter 1: Dialog Boxes
Dialog boxes contain controls such as options and lists through which you can carry out a particular commandor task. For example, in the Scene Settings dialog box, you must indicate the resolution and alignment. A typicaldialog box looks as follows:
Advanced Save Dialog Box

7

Close Gaps Dialog Box

12

Configure Line Art to Colour Art Dialog Box

13

Create Palette Dialog Box

15

Database Selector Dialog Box

16

Onion Skin and Light Table Transparency Dialog Box

18

Palette Browser Dialog Box

19

Palette Operations Dialog Box

22

Preferences Dialog Box

24

Recolour Drawings Dialog Box

25

Remove Dirt Dialog Box

27

Remove Hair Dialog Box

28

Tint Offset/Blend Dialog Box

29

Toolbar Manager Dialog Box

31

6

Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

Advanced Save Dialog Box
In Harmony Server, the Advanced Save dialog box lets you save the scene as a new version, overwrite an
existing version, set a new current version, display a list of modified drawings, colour palettes, and modified
colour palette lists.

How to access the Advanced Save dialog Box
1. From the top menu, select File > Save....
The Advanced Save dialog appears.

7Chapter 1: Dialog Boxes

File Tab

Parameter

Description‣

Enable this option if you want to save the modifications made to thecurrent scene.

Save

‣

Deselect the Save option if you only want to save specific components ofyour scene listed in the Drawings, Palettes or Palette Lists tabs. This will
disable all option in the File tab.

This Version (number)

Saves the current version of the scene. You can rename the current version by
typing a new name into the field.

New Version (number)

Saves the current scene as a new version. You can name this new version by
typing a name into the field.

Overwrite Existing Version

Lets you select an existing version of your scene from the list to overwrite it.

Description

Use this field to add or edit an existing description for the scene version you wantto save.

Mark as Current

Lets you set this scene version as the current one. This version will be
automatically selected as the default current version when the scene is selected in
the Database Selector dialog box

8Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

Drawings (Harmony Server only)
The Drawings tab lists the modified drawings.

Parameter

Description

Drawing list

Lets you select the modified drawings to save, and deselect the ones you do notwant to save.

Select All

Selects all modified drawings in list.

Deselect All

Deselects all modified drawings in the list.

Palettes Tab
The Palette tab lists the modified colour palettes.

9Chapter 1: Dialog Boxes

Parameter

Description

Colour Palette list

Lets you select the colour palette to save, and deselect the ones you do not wantto save.

Show Recovered

Displays the recovered palettes in the list of modified palettes.

Select All

Selects all modified colour palettes in the palette list.

Deselect All

Deselects all modified colour palettes in the palette list.

Palette Lists Tab
The Palette Lists tab lists all the modified colour palette lists.

10Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

Parameter

Description

Palette Lists

Lets you select the modified palette list to save, and deselect the ones you do notwant to save.

Show Recovered

Displays the recovered palettes in the list of modified palettes.

Select All

Selects all modified palette lists in the list.

Deselect All

Deselects all modified palette lists in the list.

11Chapter 1: Dialog Boxes

Close Gaps Dialog Box
The Close Gaps dialog box lets you close up drawing areas that not are closed. This may sometimes happen
when painting. You can close small gaps in a drawing by creating small, invisible strokes between the two
closest points to close the colour zone. You do not need to trace directly over the gap. You can draw it a few
millimeters away. The two closest points automatically close the gap.

How to access the Close Gaps dialog box
1. Select View >Show Strokes or press K to see a preview of the result.
2. To flatten the strokes you draw, click the Auto-Flatten

button in the Tool Properties view.

3. Select Drawing > Close Gaps or press Shift + F10 (Windows/Linux only).
The Close Gaps dialog box opens.

Parameter

Description

Size

Lets you set the size of the gap you want to be closed.

Apply to all drawings

Closes all gaps in the drawing of the selected layer.

12Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

Configure Line Art to Colour Art Dialog Box
The Configure Line Art to Colour Art dialog box lets you modify settings for the Line Art and Colour Art layers.

How to access the Configure Line Art to Colour Art dialog box
1. In the Tools toolbar, select the Select tool.
2. In the Tool Properties view, hold down the Shift key and click on the Creatre Colour Art from LineArt button.

Parameter

Description

Use rendered version of thedrawing

Renders the drawing and vectorize it to calculate the position of the centrelinethat will produce the colour art stroke.

Maximum Resolution for
rendered image

The size of the rendered image.

Threshold for rendered image

The value of grey processed to create the rendered vectorized arts.

Fitting error for rendered
Beziers

This value represents how precise the fitting of the colour art zone in relation to
the line art will be.

Source layer

Lets you select the layer (Line Art, Colour Art, Underlay or Overlay) you want thecolour art to be created from.

Destination layer

Lets you select the layer (Line Art, Colour Art, Underlay or Overlay) you want thecolour art to be created on.

Clear Destination Art Layer

Deletes the content before the colour art is added. This is useful when you

13Chapter 1: Dialog Boxes

First

already have artwork on the destination layer.

Perform Line Art to Colour
Art Operation Immediately

Performs the Create Colour Art from Line Art command when you click OK.

14

Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

Create Palette Dialog Box
The Create Palette dialog box allows you to create a colour palette for your scene. Palettes created with this
dialog box are added to your scene's palette list, and stored in your scene's palette-library subdirectory.
The Create Palette dialog box is used by default to create palettes. If you have the Advanced Palette Lists
preference enabled, the Palette Browser dialog will open instead, which allows you to decide the level ofpalette list and storage desired for your palette—see Palette Browser Dialog Box.

How to access the Create Palette dialog box
1. Do one of the following:l

In the Colour View, click the New Palettebutton over the palette list.

lFrom the Colour view menu, select Palettes > New

Parameter

Description

New Palette Name

Lets you enter a name for the new palette.
Lets you choose one of the following palette types:lPalette TypelColour: A colour palette can contain colours, gradients and bitmap textures.
Pencil Texture: A pencil texture palette can contain textures to apply astransparency filters to pencil lines, in combination to their line colour, to create
various styles of pencil lines.

15

Chapter 1: Dialog Boxes

Database Selector Dialog Box
The Database Selector dialog box lets you connect to your studio's central database when working on
Harmony Server.
NOTE
When you connect to the database, you cannot create new scenes directly from Harmony. The
available scenes must have been already created using the Control Center module.

How to access the Database Selector dialog box
1. Start Harmony Paint
2. In the User Name field, type in your Harmony Server username.
3. Click on OK.
The Database Selector dialog box opens.

Parameter

Description

Environments

Lets you select the scene's environment (project, movie).

Jobs

Lets you select the scene's job (episode, sequence).

16

Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

ScenesLets you select the scene.

Get rights to modify thescene

Allows you to modify the selected version of the scene as well as to manage andoverwrite other versions. Other users will not be able to open a different versionof the scene until you close the scene.

Get rights to modify thescene version

Allows you to modify the currently selected scene version only. Unless the Get
rights to modify the scene option is also checked, you will not be able to change
other versions of the scene. This allows other users to modify different versionsof the scene while you are working on the selected version.

Get rights to modify all scene
assetsAutomatically gets the rights to modify all of the scene's assets, locking otherusers from making changes to them until you close the scene. This means thatyou will have the rights to modify all the scene's versions, drawings, palettes, its
palette list, but not its library folder. If this option is unchecked, drawings andpalettes will be locked unless you unlock them manually. This can allow anotheruser to work on the scene's drawings and palettes in Harmony Paint while you
are working on the scene's timing or staging in Harmony.

VersionIf you saved different versions of a scene, this lets you select one to open.

17

Chapter 1: Dialog Boxes

Onion Skin and Light Table Transparency Dialog Box
T-ANIMPA-006-009
This dialog box lets you adjust the Onion Skin and Light table transparency parameters.

How to access the Onion Skin and Light Table Transparency dialog boxl

In the Drawing view toolbar, click on the Top Lightbutton to open the Onion Skin and Light

Table Transparency dialog box.

Command

Description

Onion Skin Opacity

Sets the maximum opacity value for the onion skin opacity display. Moving theslider all the way to the left = 0% opacity. Moving the slider all the way to theright = 100% opacity.

Lighttable Opacity

Sets the maximum opacity value for the light table display. Moving the slider all
the way to the left = 0% opacity. Moving the slider all the way to the right =100% opacity.

LightTable Wash

Sets the washed-out value for the light table display. Moving the slider all theway to the left = 0% opacity. Moving the slider all the way to the right = 100%
opacity.

Bitmap Background
Wash

Sets the maximum opacity value for the background wash. Moving the slider all
the way to the left = 0% opacity. Moving the slider all the way to the right =100% opacity. Only works for bitmap layers.

Pencil Lines Opacity

Sets the maximum opacity value for central vector lines (lines made by the
Pencil or Shape tools). Moving the slider all the way to the left = 0% opacity.
Moving the slider all the way to the right = 100% opacity.

18Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

Palette Browser Dialog Box
The Palette Browser dialog allows you to decide the level of palette list and palette storage to use when you
want to create, clone, link to or import a palette.
This dialog only appears if you have the Advanced Palette Lists preference enabled, which is disabled bydefault. When Advanced Palette Lists mode is disabled, Harmony automatically stores palettes in a scene's
palette list, inside the scene's palette-library subdirectory.

How to access the Palette Browser dialog box
1. Start Harmony Paint and log in.
2. Close the Database Selector dialog box.
3. From the top menu, select Tools > Palette Operations.
1. In the Palette Operations dialog box that opens, select the palette you want to clone at the location andlevel in which it was stored.
2. Click Clone.
Parameter

Palette Location

Description
This allows you to browse for the physical location of the palette file in yourdatabase.
If you are using Harmony Stand Alone, you can still select the scene's own job or

19

Chapter 1: Dialog Boxes

environment as a location. Stand alone scenes have a provisional job andenvironment storage space inside the scene's directory. The files in these storage
spaces can be imported into a database scene's actual job and environment whenimporting the scene to a Harmony database. If you never intend to use Harmony
Server, you should keep your palettes inside your scene or element's palette
libraries.
Stores the palette file in the selected environment's palette library. Environments
are typically used to contain a whole production, series or feature film.
Environmentll

In Harmony Server, this stores the palette in /USA_DB/environments/[environment name]/palette-library.
In Harmony Stand Alone, this stores the palette inside the scene's
directory, under environments/Digital/palette-library.

Stores the palette file in the selected job's palette library. Jobs are typically used tocontain episodes in a series, or any set of scenes that is intended to be put in thesame sequence.
Job
l

l

In Harmony Server /USA_DB/jobs/[job name]/palette-library.
In Harmony Stand Alone, this stores the palette inside the scene's
directory, under jobs/Digital/palette-library.

Scene

Stores the palette file in the selected scene's palette library, which is thepalette-library subdirectory of the scene's directory.

Element

Stores the palette file inside the selected element's palette library. This library is
located inside the scene's directory, under elements/[elementname]/palette-library.

PaletteThis lists the existing palettes in the selected location.

New Palette Name

If you are creating or cloning a palette, use this field to enter the palette file's
name. The palette will be listed under this name in your palette list. On your filesystem, it will be named after its palette name, followed by the extension .plt.
When creating a palette, you can choose between the following palette types:lPalette TypelColour: A colour palette can contain colours, gradients and bitmap
textures.
Pencil Texture: A pencil texture palette can contain textures to apply astransparency filters to pencil lines, in combination to their line colour, tocreate various styles of pencil lines.

20Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

Palette List

Scene Palette List

This allows you to decide if you want the palette to be added to your scene's
palette list, or to the currently selected element's palette list.
Adds the palette to the scene's palette list. Palettes in the scene's palette list areavailable to all the elements in your scene. This is especially useful if you aredoing digital animation, where character models can be made of many layers thatneed to use the same palette.
Adds the palette to the currently selected element's palette list. Palettes in an

Element Palette List

element's palette list can only be used by the drawings in this element, and will
only be listed in the Colour view when this element is selected. This can be useful
if you are doing traditional animation, where each character is usually drawn on asingle layer, and you want each layer to have its own palette.

21Chapter 1: Dialog Boxes

Palette Operations Dialog Box
When you start Toon Boom Harmony connected to the database, you can access the Palette Operations dialog
box which lets you clone, rename, or delete palettes in your database, without having to open a scene orbrowse the database's file system in your operating system's shell.
In Harmony, palettes are individual *.plt files that can be copied, transferred and stored. When a palette is
created from Harmony, it needs to be stored somewhere. By default, the palette file is stored in the scene
directory in a palette-library folder unless you specify a different location.
There are four locations where you can find palette-library folders: Element, Scene, Job and Environment.

How to access the Palette Operations dialog box
1. Start Harmony Paint and log in.
2. Close the Database Selector dialog box.
3. From the top menu, select Tools > Palette Operations.

Parameter

Description

Environment

The production, project, feature film or series.

Job

The episode and sequence from each environment.

Scene

The scenes from each job.

Element

The layers and columns in each scene.

PaletteThe scene palettes.

22

Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

Description

Notes, if any, of the project.

Clone

Opens the Palette Browser dialog box from which you can select the level inwhich to store the palette file.

RenameLets you rename a palette.
Lets you delete a palette.

DeleteNOTE
It is not recommended to disable the warning message that appears when
you are attempting to delete a palette as this operation cannot be undone.

Close

Closes the Palette Operations dialog box.

23

Chapter 1: Dialog Boxes

Preferences Dialog Box
The Preferences dialog box lets you adjust preferences to suit your work style, allowing you to work more
efficiently.
NOTE
To learn more about the individual preferences, refer to the Preferences guide.

NOTE
Some preferences require you to exit and restart the application, or close a view and reopen it.

How to access the Preferences dialog box
Do one of the following:lSelect Edit > Preferences (Windows/Linux) or Harmony [Edition] > Preferences (macOS).

l

Press Ctrl + U (Windows/Linux) or ⌘ + U (macOS).

24

Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

Recolour Drawings Dialog Box
The Recolour Drawing dialog box allows you to replace all instances of a colour or texture in drawings with adifferent colour or texture swatch in one of the scene's palettes. This replaces the colours or textures in thedrawings without requiring you to modify the palettes. You can use this dialog to perform colour replacement in
the current drawing, in all the drawings in one or several layers or in all drawings in your scene.
This dialog will replace the colour or texture that is currently selected in the Colour view with the colour or
texture that you select inside the dialog.

How to access the Recolour Drawings dialog
1. In the Colour view, select the colour or texture swatch you want to replace by doing one of thefollowing:lSelect the palette in which the colour or texture swatch is located, then select the swatch you
wish to replace.

l

If the drawing in the Camera or Drawing view contains the colour or texture you want toreplace, select the Dropper

tool in the Tools toolbar, then click on that colour or texture in

the drawing. The Colour view will automatically select that colour or texture's palette as wellas that colour or texture's swatch.

25

Chapter 1: Dialog Boxes

2. Do one of the following:l

Right-click on the swatches list, then select Recolour Drawings.

lOpen the Colour view menu

Parameter, then select Colours > Recolour Drawings.

Description
Allows you to select which drawings will be affected by the colour replacement:ll

Replace Colour In

Current drawing: Replaces the selected colour in the currently selecteddrawing only.
All drawings in the currently selected layers: Replaces the selected colour
in all the drawings in the layer that is currently selected in the Timelime or
Xsheet view.

NOTE
This option can work with several drawing layers selected.

lReplacement Colour

All drawings in the scene: Replaces the selected colour in every drawing
in the current scene.

Allows you to select the palette and colour or texture swatch to replace theselected colour or texture with.

26

Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

Remove Dirt Dialog Box
The Remove Dirt dialog box lets you select small dots and hairs on a drawing for removal.

When paper drawings are passed through a scanner, there can be some hair and dirt scattered across them.
These lines and dots need to be cleaned. Harmony provides different tools to help get rid of them quickly.

How to access the Remove Dirt dialog box
1. Do one of the following:l

From the top menu, select Drawing > Remove Dirt.

l

Press Shift + D.

Parameter

Description
Lets you adjust the amount of detail removed from the layer.

SliderRaising the Remove Dirt level will select bigger dots. When selecting larger dots,
be careful not to lose small details like pupils and nostrils. Once you have chosen
the level, you can apply it to the current drawing or the entire animation sequence.
This is a quick way to get rid of most dirt and dust.
During this process, the dirt that will be removed is highlighted in red.

Apply to all drawings

Applies the operation to all drawings in the layer.

27

Chapter 1: Dialog Boxes

Remove Hair Dialog Box
The Remove Hair dialog box lets you remove any small strokes created in the Colour Art layer from very thicklines or filled zones. Increasing the Remove Hair level value will select larger strokes for removal from thedrawing.

When paper drawings are passed through a scanner, there can be some hair and dirt scattered across them.
These lines and dots need to be cleaned. Harmony provides different tools to help get rid of them quickly.

How to access the Remove Hair dialog box
1. Select the drawing containing the drawing to clean.
2. From the top menu, select View > Show Strokes to display the invisible lines or press K.
3. In the top menu, select Drawing > Remove Hair.

Parameter

Description

SliderLets you adjust the number of length of hairs selected.

Apply to all drawings

Applies the operation to all drawings in the layer.

28

Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

Tint Offset/Blend Dialog Box
You can offset, blend, or mix the colours in a colour palette using the sliders and increasing the Amount value.

How to access the Tint Offset/Blend dialog box
1. From the Colour View menu, select Palettes > Tint Panel or right-click and select Tint Panel.
The Blend/Offset Tint panel opens.

Parameter

Description

OffsetOffsets the selected colours by the adjustments made using the HSB and RGB
sliders. Use the Amount slider to adjust the degree of offset. Use the Alpha slider
to adjust the opacity of the selected colour.

Blend

Blends the selected colours with the colour swatch in the top-right corner. Use
the Amount slider to adjust the degree of blend. A blend of 100% turns theselected colours into the same colour as the swatch. Adjusting the HSB and RGB
sliders affect the swatch colour, which in turn affects the selected colours on theleft. Use the Alpha slider to adjust the opacity of the swatch.

Mixer

Select a Base and Tint colour to form a third colour swatch. Use the slider justbeneath to mix the Base and Tint colours by different amounts. This will affect themixed swatch whether it is selected or not. Select either the Tint or Base swatch
and use the HSB and RGB sliders to adjust its colour. This will affect the mixed

29

Chapter 1: Dialog Boxes

swatch colour, which in turn affects the selected colours on the left.

30Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

Toolbar Manager Dialog Box
The Toolbar Manager dialog box lets you customize the toolbar in any of the views. You can add your favourite
tools to a toolbar for an efficient workflow.

How to access the Toolbar Manager dialog box
1. Right-click on a toolbar in any view and select Customize. Note that the menu will not appear if you
right-click on a disabled icon.

Parameter

Description

Available Tools

Displays the complete list of tools available for customizing a toolbar.

Toolbar

Displays a list of the tools currently available on the toolbar.

Default

Restores the toolbar with its default items.

31

Chapter 2: Tools Properties

Chapter 2: Tools Properties
Harmony has a wide variety of drawing and manipulation tools and each one of them has a series of options
and modes available in the Tool Properties view. This section covers these options.

Brush Tool Properties

34

Centerline Editor Tool Properties

54

Close Gap Tool Properties

56

Contour Editor Tool Properties

57

Cutter Tool Properties

60

Drawing Pivot Tool Properties

63

Dropper Tool Properties

65

Ellipse Tool Properties

66

Envelope Tool Properties

73

Eraser Tool Properties

76

Ink Tool Properties

92

Line Tool Properties

94

Paint Tool Properties

102

Pencil Tool Properties

106

Pencil Editor Tool Properties

116

Perspective Tool Properties

122

Polyline Tool Properties

124

Rectangle Tool Properties

131

Reposition All Drawings Tool Properties

138

32

Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

Select Tool Properties

140

Smooth Editor Tool Properties

149

Stroke Tool Properties

151

Text Tool Properties

153

Zoom Tool Properties

156

33

Chapter 2: Tools Properties

Brush Tool Properties
When you select the Brush

tool, its properties and options appears in the Tool Properties view.

Brush Properties
The following properties affect the brush's size, smoothing and other properties for the drawing style of yourbrush. Those properties can be saved into brush presets for later use.
Icon

Property

Description
The Preview area lets you see a preview of the stroke your drawing tool
will make.

Preview Area

The arrow button right of the preview area opens the Brush Properties
dialog.
Brush Properties Dialog

34

Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

While the Tool Properties view only gives you access to a few of thebrush properties, a list of brush presets and other drawing options, theBrush Properties dialog gives you access to all the available options foryour brush's tip and texture. For more information on
the Pencil Properties dialog, see the Brush Properties Dialogsection
below.
Defines the maximum width of brush strokes.
Maximum Size

If the tool is used with a pressure sensitive pen tablet, the width of thestroke will vary between its maximum size and minimum size dependingon the amount of pressure used. If used with a mouse, the width of thestroke will always be its maximum size.
Defines the number of control points added to the centre line. The fewer
the control points the smoother (but less faithful) the line.

Smoothing

NOTE
This option is only available when drawing on a vector layer.

Lets you set the opacity for each instance of the brush tip that gets printed
into your canvas. Contrary to the Opacity parameter, the flow parameterFlow

has a cumulative effect. This means that a lower flow will make your brushstrokes more transparent towards its extremities and more opaque in its
center. Your stroke's flow will also accumulate if you draw over it. By
default, your brush's flow varies with the amount of pressure you put on
your tablet pen.

NOTE
This option is only displayed in the Tool Properties view whendrawing on a bitmap layer.

Opacity

The Opacity parameter are where Lets you set the opacity of your brushstrokes. Contrary to the Flow parameter, the Opacity parameter is noncumulative. Your whole brush stroke's opacity will not exceed the Opacity
parameter. By default, the Opacity parameter varies depending on theamount of pressure you put on your tablet pen.

NOTE
This option is only displayed in the Tool Properties view whendrawing on a bitmap layer.

35

Chapter 2: Tools Properties

Brush Presets
These options allow you to select, create and manage pencil presets.
Icon

Property

Description
By default, Harmony has preloaded brush presets. You can also create
your own brush presets by configuring your brush, then saving its
properties into a new preset. It is also possible to export and import brush
presets.

Presets list

New Brush Preset

Creates a new preset based on the current brush properties.

Creates a dynamic brush preset based on the selected drawing. A
dynamic brush is a drawing that you can paint or stamp.

New Dynamic BrushNOTE
You can also create a dynamic brush preset that cycles throughseveral drawings. To do this, create the drawings on several
layers, then select them all using the Select tool in the Camera
view, with the Single mode option disabled.

Delete Brush

Deletes the currently selected preset.

Rename Brush

Deletes the currently selected preset.

Import Brushes

Allows you to import brush presets exported from Harmony.

Export Brushes

Allows you to export your brush presets into an .xml file.

Small Thumbnail

Displays presets in a grid of small thumbnails with a preview of their tip.

36

Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

Large Thumbnail

Displays presets in a grid of big thumbnails, with their name and apreview of their tip.

Stroke View

Displays presets in a list, with their name and a preview of a stroke donewith each preset. This is the default setting.

Drawing Options
These options affect the way your drawing strokes are integrated into your artwork.
Icon

Property

Description
When enabled, your brush strokes will appear behind the existingartwork. Note that they will appear over your artwork while drawing yourstroke, until you release the brush.

Draw Behind

When enabled, your brush strokes will only repaint existing artwork andwill not add colour to empty areas. If you repaint semi-transparent
artwork, your artwork will not become more opaque than it already is.
Repaint BrushAs you draw in the Line Art layer, the Automatically Create Colour Art
option instantly creates the corresponding strokes in the Colour Art layer.

Automatically Create
Colour Art

NOTEThis option is only available when drawing on a vector layer.

37

Chapter 2: Tools Properties

By default, when drawing, each new stroke is created as a separate
drawing object, which can be edited independently from other parts of
the artwork. When enabled, the Auto-Flatten option automatically merges
strokes into existing artwork.
Auto-Flatten Mode

NOTE
This option is only available when drawing on a vector layer.
When drawing on a bitmap layer, artwork is always flattened.

In the Colour view, it is possible to make some of the colours in yourpalettes protected from change. When enabled, the Respect Protected
Colour option will prevent the brush tool from drawing over areas filledwith a protected colour.
Respect Protected
ColourNOTE
This option is only available when drawing on a vector layer.
When drawing on a bitmap layer, colour is not linked to yourpalettes and cannot be protected.

The Use Stored Colour Gradient option can be used when painting with agradient colour to always position the gradient in the same way it was

Use Stored Colour
Gradient

stored, making it consistent across brush strokes. You can store a
gradient by selecting a zone painted with a gradient with the Select tool,
then clicking on Store Colour Gradientin the Tool Properties view.

NOTE
This option is only available when drawing on a vector layer.

Brush Properties Dialog
Brushes have an extensive set of options and properties that are not displayed in the Tool Properties view, butrather, in a dialog you can access from it. To open the Brush Properties dialog, click on the arrow button right ofthe stroke display area.

The Brush Properties dialog has five different tabs, minus the Smoothing tab if you are working on a bitmap
layers. Below is detailed information about the options available in each tab:38

Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guidel

Tip Tab on page 39lSmoothing Tab on page 44lTransparency Tab on page 45l

Dual Tip Tab on page 48

lPaper Texture Tab on page 51

Tip TabThe Tip tab allows you to configure the shape, size, hardness and spacing of your brush tip.

39

Chapter 2: Tools Properties

Property

Description
Allows you to select between one of the following brush types:lBrush Type

Solid Vector Brush: Creates vector shapes filled with a solid colour.
Makes artwork lightweight, scalable and easy to tweak. Since this kind ofbrush can only create solid colour shapes, solid vector brushes have alimited set of options including size, roundness, angle, centerline
smoothing and contour smoothing.

40Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guidel

Textured Vector Brush: Creates vector shapes filled with a texture. This
gives you access to bitmap brush tips, paper textures, transparency andseveral other options.

NOTE
This option is not available when working on a bitmap layer. With bitmap
layers, brushes are always textured, and textured brush options arealways available.

Brush Tip LibraryThis is where you select the shape of the brush tip. By default it is round. Notethat some tips are designed to have semitransparent areas, even when the
maximum brush opacity is set to 100%.
To create a custom brush tip, you must prepare the file ahead of time, either inHarmony or in a third-party software, such as Adobe Photoshop. Colour is notsupported and transparency is not supported in the traditional sense. Black
appears as 100% opaque, white appears as 100% transparent and all the shadesof grey in between appear as varying degrees of semitransparency. A range of fileformats are supported—.jpeg, .png, .tif, .psd, .tga to name a few. Alpha channels
are disregarded on import. It is recommended that your file be between 100 x
100 pixels and 400 x 400 pixels.
You can also import brush tips that you exported from Harmony, so you canshare them with colleagues.
The minimum and maximum sizes of your drawing tool produce the thick andthin effect on your stroke. This works with the pressure sensitivity of a pen
tablet.
ll

Minimum and Maximum Size

Maximum Size: Defines the maximum width of the stroke.
Minimum Size: Defines the minimum width of the stroke in relation toand as a percentage of the maximum size.

NOTE
Setting the Minimum Size value to 100% eliminates the possibility ofcreating width variation on your stroke. In other words, you would be
forcing a uniform line width using the Maximum Size value.

41

Chapter 2: Tools Properties

The Roundness and Angle parameters allow you to change the shape andorientation of the tip.
lRoundness and AnglelRoundness: Squashes the height of the tip from its centre point. 100%roundness = the native height of the tip. A smaller percentage will makethe brush tip look flatter and more narrow. The squashing is NOT relative
to the angle value—if the tip is rotated, the squashing function still uses
the brush tip's original orientation.
Angle: Rotates the brush tip counter-clockwise. 0° = the tip's nativeorientation.

The Hardness and Spacing parameters allow you to change the softness andspacing of the marks made by the brush tip. You can preview the hardness andspacing at the top of the Brush Properties window, stroke preview area.

Hardness

The hardness value corresponds to the softness of the brush tip's edges. The
lower the value, the softer the tip edge. The higher the value, the sharper the tipedge. Be aware that some brush tips are not 100% opaque, so they will always
appear somewhat soft, even at 100% hardness.

Defines the amount of space between each stamp of the brush. A value of 100%
sets the stamp marks edge to edge, if there is no white space around the shape.
The larger the value, the greater the space between marks. A really large value
can make the brush stroke appear as a string of individual marks. Conversely, asmall spacing value will give the appearance of a fluid brush stroke.
Spacing is only evident when making a continuous stroke.
Spacing42

Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

Randomness

The Randomness parameters let you create a varied brush stroke. Refining these
options can give your stroke a lovely, non-mechanical look.
You can create variation between the thick and thin of your brush stroke just by
setting the Maximum and Minimum Size values. If you add randomness to themix, pressure sensitivity from your drawing tablet will still be applied. Lightpressure will create random values around the minimum, while heavy pressure
will create random values closer to the maximum. The larger the percentage, thelarger the range of random variation.

Random Size

NOTE
Setting the Minimum Size to 100% eliminates the possibility of creating
width variation on your stroke, whether you are applying randomness ornot. Therefore, you would be forcing a uniform line width using theMaximum Size value.

Sets the range for random rotation around the set Angle value. For example, if
the Angle is set to 45° and the Random Angle set to 10°, the software will
choose values between 40°–50° (plus or minus 5 degrees, equaling a total of 10
degrees).

Random Angle

Random Spacing

Sets the range for random spacing around the set Spacing value. For example, if
the Spacing is set to 50% and the Random Spacing is set to 10%, then Harmony

43

Chapter 2: Tools Properties

will choose values between 45%–55% (plus or minus 5 percent, equaling a totalof 10 percent).

Smoothing Tab
The Smoothing tab contains options to configure how Harmony should automatically smooth your brushstrokes as you paint.

NOTE
The Smoothing tab is only available when working on a vector layer, as bitmap layers do notsupport smoothing.

Property

Description

Centerline Smoothing

Defines the amount of smoothing Harmony should perform on your brush stroke's
direction, curves and corners. A higher setting will prevent your line from being
shaky, but is liable to reduce drawing precision and turn sharp angles into curves.

44Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

Contour Smoothing

Defines the amount of smoothing Harmony should perform on outer contour of thebrush stroke. A higher setting will round sharp corners and reduce the amount ofcontrol points for the resulting vector shape.

Transparency Tab
The Transparency tab allows you to decide if your brush has antialiasing as well as to set its flow and opacity
settings.

NOTE
The Transparency tab's options are only available on vector layers if the Brush Type option of the
Tip tab is set to Textured Vector Brush. On bitmap layers, those options are always available.

Property

Description
Enabled by default. This option causes the contours of the brush strokes toblend with the surrounding colours, to create an illusion of smoothness
otherwise not possible due to the picture resolution.

Antialiasing

If antialiasing is disabled, the brush's texture will only render fully transparent or
fully opaque pixels. Disabling this option can be useful if you need your outlines
to be very crisp, if you want to make pixel art or if you need your brush strokes torender in solid colors with no variation, which makes them easier to repaint orprocess in third party software.

NOTE
When disabled, all other options in the Transparency tab are disabled.

45

Chapter 2: Tools Properties

The Maximum and Minimum Flow parameters let you set the range for the rate at
which paint flows from your brush. The analogy works better with a pen. The
greater the flow, the more ink comes out, hence the more consistent the colour
and texture of the line. If the flow is light, then the colour and texture of the line
may look spotty. This feature works with the pressure sensitivity of a pen tablet.
llMaximum and Minimum Flow

Maximum Flow: Sets the maximum rate at which colour and texture areapplied as you create a fluid stroke.
Minimum Flow: Sets the minimum rate at which colour and texture areapplied as you create a fluid stroke. It is defined as a percentage of theMaximum Flow value. If the Minimum Flow value is set to 100%, thentablet pressure sensitivity will no longer be applicable. The flow will be
set to the constant rate of the Maximum Flow value.

The Maximum and Minimum Opacity parameters are where you set the opacity
range for a brush mark. This works with the pressure sensitivity of a pen tablet.
llMaximum Opacity and
Minimum Opacity

Randomness

Maximum Opacity: Sets the transparency limit of the brush mark when
the pressure is heavy.
Minimum Opacity: Sets the transparency limit of the brush mark when thepressure is very light. It is defined as a percentage of the Maximum
Opacity value. If the Minimum Opacity value is set to 100%, then tablet
pressure sensitivity will no longer be applicable. The opacity will be set tothe constant rate of the Maximum Opacity value.

Th Randomness parameter lets you set the range for the randomness of the flow
and opacity. This works with the pressure sensitivity of a pen tablet.

46

Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

You can create variation in the flow of your brush stroke just by setting theMaximum and Minimum Flow values. If you add randomness to the mix, pressure
sensitivity from your drawing tablet will still be applied. Light pressure will create
random values around the minimum, while heavy pressure will create random
values closer to the maximum. The larger the percentage, the larger the range ofrandom variation.

Randomness Flow

NOTE
Setting the Minimum Flow value to 100% eliminates the possibility ofcreating flow variation on your stroke, whether you are applying
randomness or not. That is, you would be forcing a uniform flow using theMaximum Flow value.

Random Opacity

You can create variation in the opacity of your brush stroke just by setting theMaximum and Minimum Opacity values. If you add randomness to the mix,pressure sensitivity from your drawing tablet will still be applied. Light pressure
will create random values around the minimum, while heavy pressure will create
random values closer to the maximum. The larger the percentage, the larger therange of random variation.

47

Chapter 2: Tools Properties

NOTE
Setting the Minimum Opacity value to 100% eliminates the possibility ofcreating opacity variation on your stroke, whether you are applying
randomness or not. That is, you would be forcing a uniform opacity using
the Maximum Opacity value.

Dual Tip Tab
The Dual Tip tab lets you set the parameters for creating a dual tip brush. The primary bitmap brush tip and thedual tip always work together. You can set the parameters for the primary tip in the Tip tab and those for thedual tip in the Dual Tip tab. The Blend mode you select determines how the tips are combined.
By default, the Blend Mode is set to Multiply and the Random Angle to 360°.

48

Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

NOTE
To use a Dual Tip, you must enable option by checking the checkbox inside the Dual Tip tab.
Additionally, if you are working on a vector layer, the Brush Type option of the Tip tab must be set
to Textured Vector Brush.

Property

Description

Enable/Disable

The checkbox inside the tab allows you to decide whether or not your brush uses adual tip. If this checkbox is unchecked, the options in the Dual Tip tab will bedisabled.

Blend Mode

The Blend modes let you decide how the primary tip and the dual tip are combined.

Multiply

This is the default blend mode. When the two brush tips are combined in this mode,
they essentially cut each other out in overlapping areas, where one or both tips havean area of 100% transparency. The less opaque the brush tips are, the lighter their
combination.

49

Chapter 2: Tools Properties

In this mode, the primary tip cuts out the shape of the dual tip. Where the tip shapes
overlap, within the boundaries of the primary shape, the colour and opacity appear
darker.

Colour Dodge

50

Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

This mode treats the two tips as two different and separate brushes that have thesame colour and follow the same path.

CombinePaper Texture Tab
The Paper Texture tab lets you configure a paper-like texture for your brush. You can also add textures byimporting image files, or import paper textures that were previously exported from Harmony.

51

Chapter 2: Tools Properties

NOTE
To use a Paper Texture, you must enable option by checking the checkbox inside the Paper
Texture tab. Additionally, if you are working on a vector layer, the Brush Type option of the Tip tab
must be set to Textured Vector Brush.

Property

Description

Enable/Disable

The checkbox inside the tab allows you to decide whether or not your brush uses apaper texture. If this checkbox is unchecked, the options in the Paper Texture tab will
be disabled.

Texture Scale

Increase or decreases the size of the paper texture.

Additive

This option layers the texture on top of itself as you scribble overlapping lines in one
continuous stroke. If this option is turned off, areas of overlapping lines from a single,
continuous stroke will appear the same, in terms of darkness and texture, as nonoverlapping areas.

52Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

This option defines the way separate, overlapping strokes behave. If this option isenabled, the paper texture's position does not change with each sweep of the brush.
If this option is disabled, each sweep of the brush produces a different texture
position. The texture orientation always stays the same.

Aligned53

Chapter 2: Tools Properties

Centerline Editor Tool Properties
When you select the Centerline Editor tool, its properties and options appear in the Tool Properties view.

Tool Options
Icon

Property

Description
Sets the selection mode to Lasso, which allows you to selectmultiple items by drawing a lasso around them.

Lasso

TIP
When this option is enabled, you can press and hold theAlt key to temporarily use Marquee mode.

Sets the selection mode to Marquee, which allows you to selectmultiple items by drawing a rectangle around them.
Marquee

TIP
When this option is enabled, you can press and hold theAlt key to temporarily use Lasso mode.

When enabled, selecting several control points will make amanipulator bounding box appear. You can use this manipulator
to scale and rotate the selection of points.

Show Centerline Editor Controls

Apply to Line and Colour Art

Allows you to perform drawing operations on both the Line Art
and Colour Art layers of your drawing simultaneously.

54

Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

NOTE
If you have Overlay and Underlay Art layers enabled,
they will also be affected when this option is enabled.

55

Chapter 2: Tools Properties

Close Gap Tool Properties
When you select the Close Gap tool, its properties and options appears in the Tool Properties view.

Tool Options
Icon

Property

Description

Auto-Flatten Mode

By default, when drawing on a vector layer, each new
stroke is created as a separate drawing object, which
can be edited independently from other parts of theartwork. When enabled, the Auto-Flatten option
automatically merges strokes into existing artwork.

56

Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

Contour Editor Tool Properties
When you select the Contour Editor tool, its properties and options appear in the Tool Properties view.

Tool Options
Icon

Property

Description
Sets the selection mode to Lasso, which allows you to select multiple
items by drawing a lasso around them.

Lasso

TIP
When this option is enabled, you can press and hold the Alt
key to temporarily use Marquee mode.

Sets the selection mode to Marquee, which allows you to selectmultiple items by drawing a rectangle around them.
Marquee

TIP
When this option is enabled, you can press and hold the Alt
key to temporarily use Lasso mode.

Snaps your selection or point to any line you position it on. As soon as
you move it close enough to another line, your point or selection will
snap to it.
Snap to Contour

Snap and Align

Snaps the selected anchor point to any existing line while displaying
temporary rulers as a guide that you can also snap your anchor pointto.

57

Chapter 2: Tools Properties

When enabled, selecting several control points will make a manipulator
bounding box appear. You can use this manipulator to scale and rotate
the selection of points.

Show Contour Editor
Controls

Allows you to perform drawing operations on both the Line Art andColour Art layers of your drawing simultaneously.
Apply to Line and Colour
Art

NOTE
If you have Overlay and Underlay Art layers enabled, they will
also be affected when this option is enabled.

Operations
Icon

Property

Description
The Smooth operation lets you smooth out selected drawing strokes
and remove extra points.
l

From the top menu, select Selected > Smooth or press Alt +Shift + S.

Smooth Selection

Split Pencil Line and Join
Pencil Lines

When drawing with the Polyline tool, your drawing has an even line
thickness. You can use the Pencil Editor to adjust the thickness point
by point, but if you want to adjust it quicker, you can use the Split
Pencil Line and Point Pencil Lines options to create segments and58Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

apply a pencil stencil to your drawing. Note that if you did not join the
pencil lines on your polyline stroke, the segments between the points
will act as separated segments.

59

Chapter 2: Tools Properties

Cutter Tool Properties
When you select the Cutter tool, its properties and options appear in the Tool Properties view.

Tool Options
Icon

Property

Description
Sets the selection mode to Lasso, which allows you to select multiple items bydrawing a lasso around them.

Lasso

TIP
When this option is enabled, you can press and hold the Alt key totemporarily use Marquee mode.

Sets the selection mode to Marquee, which allows you to select multiple items
by drawing a rectangle around them.
Marquee

TIP
When this option is enabled, you can press and hold the Alt key totemporarily use Lasso mode.

Allows you to perform drawing operations on both the Line Art and Colour Art
layers of your drawing simultaneously.
Apply to Line andColour Art

NOTE
If you have Overlay and Underlay Art layers enabled, they will also beaffected when this option is enabled.

Use Mouse
GestureWhen using the Lasso selection type, the Use Mouse Gesture option lets you
automatically delete any extra sections of line in your artwork by simply dragging
your mouse over it.

60Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

NOTE
For this operation to work, you lines CANNOT be flattened.

When using the Lasso selection type, the Use Mouse Gesture Breaker Mode
option lets you draw an invisible stroke on a pencil line to cut it in two individual
objects. Once a pencil line is cut with this option, you will be able to select thetwo portions independently with either the Cutter tool, Pencil Editor tool or
Select tool.
Use Mouse
Gesture Breaker
Mode

NOTE
This option only works with pencil lines.

If you erase the end of a pencil line or erase a pencil line through the centre, newline tips or line ends are created. Use the Tip Style option to customize the shapeof the new line tips that are created.
Tip Style

Antialiasing

When drawing on a bitmap layer, lines are no longer clean vector shapes. For theedges to be smooth, a slight amount of antialiasing is used. When using the
Cutter tool, you can cut a portion of your drawing with or without antialiasing.
By default, the option is enabled. If you want to cut your drawing using a hardedge, you can select the Antialiasing Off option.

61

Chapter 2: Tools Properties

Operations
Icon

Property

Description

Flip Horizontal

Flips the current selection horizontally.

Flip Vertical

Flips the current selection vertically.

Rotate 90 Degrees
CW

Rotates the current selection 90 degrees clockwise.

Rotate 90 Degrees
CCW

Rotates the current selection 90 degrees counter-clockwise.

62

Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

Drawing Pivot Tool Properties
The Drawing Pivot tool lets you set the pivots on your character. You can set the drawing pivots on drawings
and symbols.

Tool Options
Icon

Property

Description
The Set the Pivot for Symbol on All Frames option isenabled by default. When you set a drawing pivot on
a symbol, all of its cells use the same drawing pivot.
This means you do not have to set a drawing pivot on
all frames. Once you set it, it is done.
If you prefer to set a different drawing pivot for aseries of cells, you can deselect the option and set
your pivots on each cell or cell range.

Setting the Drawing Pivot for Symbols on
All Frames

NOTE
If you have already set several different
pivots on your symbol's cells and selected
the Set the Pivot for Symbol on All Frames
option, once you set a new pivot on thesame symbol, all of its pivots will be reset
and will use your new pivot.

Snap to Contour

Snaps your selection or point to any line you position
it on. As soon as you move it close enough to anotherline, your point or selection will snap to it.

Snap and Align

Snaps the selected anchor point to any existing line
while displaying temporary rulers as a guide that you
can also snap your anchor point to.

Snap to Grid

Snaps your selection following the currently enabled
grid.

63

Chapter 2: Tools Properties

When you click the Reset Pivot option, the drawing
Reset Pivot

pivot of the selected drawing or symbol is reset to thecentre of the Camera view.
When you import new extra drawings, such as hands
and mouths, you can use the drawing pivot that wasset on your drawings and report them to the symbol's
cells. Use the Copy Pivot to Parent Symbol commandfor this.

NOTE

Copying Pivot on Parent Symbol

When you copy drawing pivots to the parent
symbol, there is no link between thedrawings' pivots and the symbol's pivots. If
you modify the drawing pivot later, it will
not link to the symbol. You would need toperform the operation again. If you need tomodify the symbol's pivots, you can do it
directly on the symbol's cells.

64Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

Dropper Tool Properties
When you select the Dropper tool, its properties and options appears in the Tool Properties view.

Tool Options
Icon

Property

Description

Sample All Layers

On bitmap layers, if strokes with transparency located on separated art
layers overlap, the Dropper will pick the combination of the two colours.
When disabled, the Dropper will pick the colour on the current art layer.

Do not Pick
Transparency

On bitmap layers, when enabled, the dropper will pick the colour at 100%of opacity even if the selection has some transparency.

65

Chapter 2: Tools Properties

Ellipse Tool Properties
When you select the Ellipse tool, its properties and options appear in the Tool Properties view. There are a few
less options available when working on a bitmap layer.

Icon

Tool Name

Description
The Preview area lets you see a preview of the stroke your drawing tool
will make.

Previewing the Stroke

Size

Defines the width of the pencil line used to draw the circle.

Shape

You can adjust the start, end, and join style of a pencil line.

66Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

l

l

l

Presets

Start: Lets you select the style of the start tip, which is the first tip
you drew. You can choose between Round or Flat style.
End: Lets you select the style of the end tip, which is the last tip
you drew. You can choose between Round or Flat style.
Join: Lets you select the joint style. The joints are where the line
curves abruptly. You could also define the Join style as the cornerstyle. You can choose between Round, Mitre and Bevel style.

Harmony provides a variety of presets and also lets you create and saveyour own. It is a good idea to create and save pencils with precise sizes
and parameters when you draw and design for efficiency andconsistency.
All tools using pencil lines share the same preset list. Therefore, thePolyline, Line, Rectangle, Ellipse, and Pencil tools share the same preset
list.

New Brush

Creates a new preset based on the current brush properties.

Delete Brush

Deletes the currently selected preset.

Rename Brush

Deletes the currently selected preset.

Import Brushes

Allows you to import brush presets exported from Harmony.

Export Brushes

Allows you to export your brush presets into an .xml file.

Small Thumbnail, Large
Thumbnail, and Stroke
View

Allows you to display the presets as small square thumbnails, large
square thumbnails or a list of stroke preview.

Draw Behind

When enabled, your brush strokes will appear behind the existingartwork. Note that they will appear over your artwork while drawing yourstroke, until you release the brush.

67

Chapter 2: Tools Properties

Use the Automatic Filling option to automatically fill your shape with theselected colour as you draw. By default, the Shape tool creates the outlineof an empty shape that you can later fill using the Paint tool. This option
is unavailable for the line tool.
Automatic Filling

Snap to Contour

Snaps your selection or point to any line you position it on. As soon as
you move it close enough to another line, your point or selection will snap
to it.

Snap and Align

Snaps the selected anchor point to any existing line while displaying
temporary rulers as a guide that you can also snap your anchor point to.
Snaps your selection following the currently enabled grid.

Snap to Grid

As you draw in the Line Art layer, the Automatically Create Colour Art
option instantly creates the corresponding strokes in the Colour Art layer.
Automatically Create
Colour Art

68

Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

By default, when drawing on a vector layer, each new stroke is created asa separate drawing object, which can be edited independently from otherparts of the artwork. When enabled, the Auto-Flatten option
automatically merges strokes into existing artwork.

Auto-Flatten Mode

NOTE
Using the Select tool, you can use select and remove a segmentof flattened pencil lines. Overlapping pencil lines drawn with theAuto-Flatten mode are essentially cut into segments by theoverlap and can be treated as individual lines.

Use Stored Colour
Gradient

The Use Stored Colour Gradient option can be used when painting with agradient colour to always position the gradient in the same way it wasstored, making it consistent across brush strokes. You can store a
gradient by selecting a zone painted with a gradient with the Select tool,
then clicking on Store Colour Gradient

Draw Circle

in the Tool Properties view.

Enable this option to draw perfect circle (ratio 1:1) without holding any
keyboard shortcuts. As an alternative, you can hold down the Shift key.

Pencil Properties Dialog
The Ellipse tool draws the same type of line as the Pencil tool. Hence, you can configure the Ellipse tool's lines
using the Pencil Properties dialog, which you can open by clicking on the arrow button right of the stroke
display area in the Tool Properties view.

Size and Smoothness Tab
The Size and Smoothness tab allows you to select your pencil's size, its smoothing parameters as well as theshape of its tips and corners.

69

Chapter 2: Tools Properties

Tool Name

Description

Maximum Size

Defines the maximum size of the pencil line. If the tool is used with a pressure
sensitive pen tablet, the width of the stroke will vary between its maximum size andminimum size depending on the amount of pressure used. If used with a mouse, thewidth of the stroke will always be its maximum size.

Minimum Size

Defines the minimum size of your stroke as a percentage of the maximum size. If you
do not have pressure sensitivity from a pen table, the minimum size value will beignored.

Smoothing

Defines the number of control points added to the centre line. The fewer the control
points the smoother (but less faithful) the line.

Contour Smoothing

Defines the number of points on the contour share of your stroke. This will smoothout the bumps and waves on tour contour shape of your brush strokes.
You can adjust the start, end, and join style of a pencil line.

Shape
l

l

l

Start: Lets you select the style of the start tip, which is the first tip you drew.
You can choose between Round or Flat style.
End: Lets you select the style of the end tip, which is the last tip you drew.
You can choose between Round or Flat style.
Join: Lets you select the joint style. The joints are where the line curves
abruptly. You could also define the Join style as the corner style. You can

70Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

choose between Round, Mitre and Bevel style.

Texture Tab
In the Pencil Properties view, the Texture tab allows you to select a pencil texture from the currently selected
pencil texture palette to use with the Pencil tool. You can also add, remove or rename textures, save the current
pencil texture palette as the default one, or import the pencil texture palette into your scene.
The pencil texture palette used in the Texture tab of the Pencil Properties dialog is the one selected in the
Colour view. You can select a pencil texture palette by selecting it from the pencil texture palette list in the
Colour view—see Colour View on page 171.

Icon

Tool Name

Description

Use as Default Pencil
Texture Palette

Sets the currently selected pencil texture palette as the default pencil
texture palette in your user preferences. The default pencil texture paletteis added to every scene you create in Harmony. The palette is copied inyour preferences, so it will be added to your new scenes in the exact state
it is when you make it the default pencil texture palette.

Reload Default Texture
PaletteImports the default pencil texture palette as a new pencil texture palette
into your scene's palette list, and selects it as the current pencil texture
palette.

New Texture

Allows you to import an image file into a new pencil texture swatch in thecurrent pencil texture palette. The pencil texture's effect on your pencil line
will be based on the image's transparency channel, and will follow your71

Chapter 2: Tools Properties

pencil lines on its horizontal axis.

Delete Texture

Deletes a pencil texture swatch from the current pencil texture palette.

Rename Texture

Renames the selected pencil texture swatch in the current pencil texture
palette.

Pencil Texture List

Displays the pencil textures in the current pencil texture palette and allows
you to select one to use with the Pencil tool.

Pencil Texture Palette

Displays the name of the currently selectedpencil texture palette, forreference. To select a different pencil texture palette, you must select it in
the Colour view—see Colour View on page 171.

72

Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

Envelope Tool Properties
Selecting the Envelope tool displays its properties and options in the Tool Properties view.

Icon

Tool Name

Description
Increase the width and height values to add morecolumns and rows to the deformation grids.

Width and Height

Sets the selection mode to Lasso, which allows you toselect multiple items by drawing a lasso around them.

TIP

Lasso

When this option is enabled, you can press
and hold the Alt key to temporarily use
Marquee mode.

Sets the selection mode to Marquee, which allows you
to select multiple items by drawing a rectangle aroundthem.

Marquee73Chapter 2: Tools Properties

TIP
When this option is enabled, you can press
and hold the Alt key to temporarily use
Lasso mode.

Snap to Contour

Snaps your selection or point to any line you position
it on. As soon as you move it close enough to anotherline, your point or selection will snap to it.

Snap and Align

Snaps the selected anchor point to any existing line
while displaying temporary rulers as a guide that you
can also snap your anchor point to.
Snaps your selection following the currently enabled
grid.

Snap to Grid

To display more controls,you can click on the Show
Advanced Controls button.

Show Advanced Controls

Allows you to perform drawing operations on boththe Line Art and Colour Art layers of your drawing
simultaneously.

Apply to Line and Colour
Art

74

Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

NOTE
If you have Overlay and Underlay Art layers
enabled, they will also be affected when thisoption is enabled.

Flip Horizontal

Flips the current selection horizontally.

Flip Vertical

Flips the current selection vertically.

Rotate 90 Degrees CW

Rotates the current selection 90 degrees clockwise.

Rotate 90 Degrees CCW

Rotates the current selection 90 degrees counterclockwise.
You can modify the central line smoothness of yourline using this option. This parameter smooths thedeformed lines. Increasing the value will result in asmoother line with fewer control points. The more you
increase the value, the less details and curves you willget. Use the left and right arrows to increment the

Smoothvalue by one full unit. Use the Up - Down slider toquickly increment the value.

75

Chapter 2: Tools Properties

Eraser Tool Properties
When you select the Eraser

tool, its properties and options appear in the Tool Properties view.

The Eraser tool properties are almost identical to the Brush tool properties.

Icon

Tool Name

Description
The Preview area lets you see a preview of the stroke your drawing tool
will make.

Stroke Preview Area

Eraser Properties
Dialog

The arrow button right of the display area opens the Eraser Properties
dialog, which gives you access to all the parameters and options for youreraser. The Tool Properties view only gives you access to a few of theeraser properties, a list of eraser presets and options for the Eraser toolthat are not related to the eraser properties. For more information on
the Eraser Properties dialog, see the Eraser Tool Properties section below.

Maximum Size

Defines the maximum size of the eraser.

76

Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

If the tool is used with a pressure sensitive pen tablet, the width of thestroke will vary between its maximum size and minimum size dependingon the amount of pressure used. If used with a mouse, the width of thestroke will always be its maximum size.

Smoothing

Defines the number of control points added to the centre line. The fewer
the control points the smoother (but less faithful) the line.
Lets you set the opacity for each instance of the eraser tip that gets erased

Flowfrom your artwork. Contrary to the Opacity parameter, the flow parameterhas a cumulative effect. This means that a lower flow will make youreraser strokes less effective towards its extremities and more effective inits center. Your stroke's flow will also accumulate if you draw over it. By
default, your eraser's flow varies with the amount of pressure you put on
your tablet pen.

NOTE
This option is only displayed in the Tool Properties view whendrawing on a bitmap layer.

The Opacity parameter are where Lets you set the opacity of your brushstrokes. Contrary to the Flow parameter, the Opacity parameter is non-Opacity

cumulative. Your whole brush stroke's opacity will not exceed the Opacity
parameter. By default, the Opacity parameter varies depending on theamount of pressure you put on your tablet pen.

NOTE
This option is only displayed in the Tool Properties view whendrawing on a bitmap layer.

New Eraser

Creates a new preset based on the current eraser properties.

Delete Eraser

Deletes the currently selected preset.

Rename Eraser

Deletes the currently selected preset.

Import Erasers

Allows you to import brush presets exported from Harmony.

Export Erasers

Allows you to export your brush presets into an .xml file.

77

Chapter 2: Tools Properties

Small Thumbnail, Large
Thumbnail, and Stroke
View

Allows you to display the presets as small square thumbnails, large
square thumbnails or a list of stroke preview.

Allows you to perform drawing operations on both the Line Art andColour Art layers of your drawing simultaneously.
Apply to Line andColour Art

NOTE
If you have Overlay and Underlay Art layers enabled, they will
also be affected when this option is enabled.

If you erase the end of a pencil line or erase a pencil line through thecentre, new line tips or line ends are created. Use the Tip Style option tocustomize the shape of the new line tips that are created.
Tip Style

Apply to Synced
Drawing Layers

When working on a synced layer, the tool is applied to the current layer
and all the layers that are synced to it. This option only works in the
Camera view.

Eraser Properties Dialog
Erasers have an extensive set of options and properties that are not displayed in the Tool Properties view, butrather, in a dialog you can access from it. To open the Eraser Properties dialog, click on the arrow button right ofthe stroke display area.

The Eraser Properties dialog has five different tabs, minus the Smoothing tab if you are working on a bitmap
layers. Below is detailed information about the options available in each tab:l

Tip Tab on page 79

lSmoothing Tab on page 83

lTransparency Tab on page 84

78

Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guidel

Dual Tip Tab on page 87lPaper Texture Tab on page 90

Tip TabThe Tip tab allows you to configure the shape, size, hardness and spacing of your eraser tip.

Tool Name

Description
Allows you to select between one of the following eraser types:lEraser Typel

Solid Vector: Simply cuts out the eraser stroke's shape fromthe vector artwork. A solid vector eraser always completely
erase the artworks leaving hard seams.
Textured Eraser: Allows to configure the eraser with thesame options as with a textured brush. A textured eraser will
decrease the opacity of bitmap textures in textured brushstrokes if it doesn't completely erase it. If it completely
erases a brush stroke, it will cut out the erased part from thevector artwork.

79Chapter 2: Tools PropertieslTextured, Preserve Vector: Like a Textured Eraser, exceptthat it will not cut out from the vector shapes, even if it fully
erases pixels in a textured brush stroke's texture.

NOTE
Textured erasers only work as expected on textured brushstrokes. Using a Textured eraser on a solid vector brushstroke or on a pencil line will only cut the eraser stroke's
shape out of it. If you use a Textured, Preserve Vector typeeraser on a solid vector shape or on a pencil line, the eraser
will not erase anything.

NOTE
This option is not available when working on a bitmap
layer. With bitmap layers, erasers are always textured, andtextured eraser options are always available.

This is where you select the shape of the eraser tip. By default, it isround. Note that some tips are designed to have semitransparent
areas, even when the maximum eraser opacity is set to 100%.
Eraser Tip Library

To create a custom eraser tip, you must prepare the file ahead oftime, either in Harmony or in a third-party software, such as Adobe
Photoshop. Colour is not supported and transparency is notsupported in the traditional sense. Black appears as 100% opaque,white appears as 100% transparent and all the shades of grey inbetween appear as varying degrees of semitransparency. A range offile formats are supported—.jpeg, .png, .tif, .psd, .tga to name a few.
Alpha channels are disregarded on import. It is recommended thatyour file be between 100 x 100 pixels and 400 x 400 pixels.
You can also import eraser tips that you exported from Harmony, so
you can share them with colleagues.

Minimum and Maximum Size

The minimum and maximum sizes of your drawing tool produce thethick and thin effect on your stroke. This works with the pressure
sensitivity of a pen tablet.

80Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference GuidellMaximum Size: Defines the maximum width of the stroke.
Minimum Size: Defines the minimum width of the stroke inrelation to and as a percentage of the maximum size.

NOTE
Setting the Minimum Size value to 100% eliminates thepossibility of creating width variation on your stroke. In
other words, you would be forcing a uniform line width
using the Maximum Size value.

The Roundness and Angle parameters allow you to change theshape and orientation of the tip.
lRoundness and AnglelRoundness: Squashes the height of the tip from its centre
point. 100% roundness = the native height of the tip. A
smaller percentage will make the brush tip look flatter andmore narrow. The squashing is NOT relative to the angle
value—if the tip is rotated, the squashing function still uses
the brush tip's original orientation.
Angle: Rotates the brush tip counter-clockwise. 0° = thetip's native orientation.

The Hardness and Spacing parameters allow you to change thesoftness and spacing of the marks made by the eraser tip. You canpreview the hardness and spacing at the top of the Eraser
Properties window, stroke preview area.

Hardness

Spacing

The hardness value corresponds to the softness of the eraser tip's
edges. The lower the value, the softer the tip edge. The higher thevalue, the sharper the tip edge. Be aware that some eraser tips are
not 100% opaque, so they will always appear somewhat soft, evenat 100% hardness.

Defines the amount of space between each stamp of the eraser. A

81Chapter 2: Tools Properties

value of 100% sets the stamp marks edge to edge, if there is no
white space around the shape. The larger the value, the greater the
space between marks. A really large value can make the eraser
stroke appear as a string of individual marks. Conversely, a small
spacing value will give the appearance of a fluid brush stroke.
Spacing is only evident when making a continuous stroke.

Randomness

The Randomness parameters let you create a varied bitmap eraser
stroke. Refining these options can give your stroke a lovely, nonmechanical look.
You can create variation between the thick and thin of your eraser
stroke just by setting the Maximum and Minimum Size values. If you
add randomness to the mix, pressure sensitivity from your drawing
tablet will still be applied. Light pressure will create random values
around the minimum, while heavy pressure will create random
values closer to the maximum. The larger the percentage, the larger
the range of random variation.

Random Size

NOTE
Setting the Minimum Size to 100% eliminates thepossibility of creating width variation on your stroke,
whether you are applying randomness or not. Therefore,
you would be forcing a uniform line width using theMaximum Size value.

Random Angle

Sets the range for random rotation around the set Angle value. For

82

Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

example, if the Angle is set to 45° and the Random Angle set to 10°,the software will choose values between 40°–50° (plus or minus 5
degrees, equaling a total of 10 degrees).

Sets the range for random spacing around the set Spacing value.
For example, if the Spacing is set to 50% and the Random Spacing
is set to 10%, then Harmony will choose values between 45%–55%(plus or minus 5 percent, equaling a total of 10 percent).

Random Spacing

Smoothing Tab
The Smoothing tab contains options to configure how Harmony should automatically smooth your eraser
strokes as you paint.

83

Chapter 2: Tools PropertiesNOTE
The Smoothing tab is only available when working on a vector layer, as bitmap layers do notsupport smoothing.

Tool Name

Description

Centerline Smoothing

Defines the amount of smoothing Harmony should perform on your eraser stroke's
direction, curves and corners. A higher setting will prevent your line from being
shaky, but is liable to reduce drawing precision and turn sharp angles into curves.

Contour Smoothing

Defines the amount of smoothing Harmony should perform on outer contour of theeraser stroke. A higher setting will round sharp corners and reduce the amount ofcontrol points for the resulting vector shape.

Transparency Tab
The Transparency tab allows you to decide if your eraser has antialiasing as well as to set its flow and opacity
settings.

84

Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

NOTE
The Transparency tab's options are only available on vector layers if the Eraser Type option of the
Tip tab is set to Textured Vector or Textured, Preserve Vector.. On bitmap layers, those options
are always available.

Tool Name

Description
Enabled by default. This option causes the contours of the eraser strokes toblend with the surrounding colours, to create an illusion of smoothness
otherwise not possible due to the picture resolution.

Antialiasing

If antialiasing is disabled, the eraser will either fully erase pixels or leave themintact.

NOTE
When disabled, all other options in the Transparency tab are disabled.

The Maximum and Minimum Flow parameters let you set the range for the rate at
which your eraser's effect flows. The greater the flow, the more consistent theeffect is. If the flow is light, then the effect may look spotty. This feature works
with the pressure sensitivity of a pen tablet.
llMaximum and Minimum Flow

Maximum Opacity and
Minimum Opacity

Maximum Flow: Sets the maximum rate at which colour and texture areapplied as you create a fluid stroke.
Minimum Flow: Sets the minimum rate at which colour and texture areapplied as you create a fluid stroke. It is defined as a percentage of theMaximum Flow value. If the Minimum Flow value is set to 100%, thentablet pressure sensitivity will no longer be applicable. The flow will be
set to the constant rate of the Maximum Flow value.

The Maximum and Minimum Opacity parameters are where you set the opacity
range for a eraser mark. This works with the pressure sensitivity of a pen tablet.
l

Maximum Opacity: Sets the transparency limit of the eraser mark when
the pressure is heavy.

85

Chapter 2: Tools PropertieslRandomness

Minimum Opacity: Sets the transparency limit of the eraser mark when
the pressure is very light. It is defined as a percentage of the Maximum
Opacity value. If the Minimum Opacity value is set to 100%, then tablet
pressure sensitivity will no longer be applicable. The opacity will be set tothe constant rate of the Maximum Opacity value.

Th Randomness parameter lets you set the range for the randomness of the flow
and opacity. This works with the pressure sensitivity of a pen tablet.
You can create variation in the flow of your eraser stroke just by setting theMaximum and Minimum Flow values. If you add randomness to the mix, pressure
sensitivity from your drawing tablet will still be applied. Light pressure will create
random values around the minimum, while heavy pressure will create random
values closer to the maximum. The larger the percentage, the larger the range ofrandom variation.

Randomness Flow

NOTE
Setting the Minimum Flow value to 100% eliminates the possibility ofcreating flow variation on your stroke, whether you are applying
randomness or not. That is, you would be forcing a uniform flow using theMaximum Flow value.

86Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

Maximum and Minimum Opacity values. If you add randomness to the mix,pressure sensitivity from your drawing tablet will still be applied. Light pressure
will create random values around the minimum, while heavy pressure will create
random values closer to the maximum. The larger the percentage, the larger therange of random variation.

NOTE
Setting the Minimum Opacity value to 100% eliminates the possibility ofcreating opacity variation on your stroke, whether you are applying
randomness or not. That is, you would be forcing a uniform opacity using
the Maximum Opacity value.

Dual Tip Tab
The Dual Tip tab lets you set the parameters for creating a dual tip eraser. The primary bitmap eraser tip andthe dual tip always work together. You can set the parameters for the primary tip in the Tip tab and those forthe dual tip in the Dual Tip tab. The Blend mode you select determines how the tips are combined.
By default, the Blend Mode is set to Multiply and the Random Angle to 360°.

87Chapter 2: Tools Properties

NOTE
To use a Dual Tip, you must enable option by checking the checkbox inside the Dual Tip tab.
Additionally, if you are working on a vector layer, the Eraser Type option of the Tip tab must be set
to Textured Vector or Textured, Preserve Vector.

Tool Name

Description

Enable/Disable

The checkbox inside the tab allows you to decide whether or not your eraser uses adual tip. If this checkbox is unchecked, the options in the Dual Tip tab will bedisabled.

Blend Mode

The Blend modes let you decide how the primary tip and the dual tip are combined.

Multiply

This is the default blend mode. When the two eraser tips are combined in this mode,
they essentially cut each other out in overlapping areas, where one or both tips havean area of 100% transparency. The less opaque the eraser tips are, the lighter their
combination.

88Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

In this mode, the primary tip cuts out the shape of the dual tip. Where the tip shapes
overlap, within the boundaries of the primary shape, the colour and opacity appear
darker.

Colour Dodge

89

Chapter 2: Tools Properties

This mode treats the two tips as two different and separate erasers that have thesame colour and follow the same path.

CombinePaper Texture Tab
The Paper Texture tab lets you configure a paper-like texture for your eraser. You can also add textures byimporting image files, or import paper textures that were previously exported from Harmony.

90Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

NOTE
To use a Paper Texture, you must enable option by checking the checkbox inside the Paper
Texture tab. Additionally, if you are working on a vector layer, the Eraser Type option of the Tip tab
must be set to Textured Vector or Textured, Preserve Vector.

Tool Name

Description
The checkbox inside the tab allows you to decide whether or not your eraser uses a

Enable/Disable

paper texture. If this checkbox is unchecked, the options in the Paper Texture tab will
be disabled.

Texture Scale

Increase or decreases the size of the paper texture.
This option layers the texture on top of itself as you scribble overlapping lines in one
continuous stroke. If this option is turned off, areas of overlapping lines from a single,
continuous stroke will appear the same, in terms of darkness and texture, as nonoverlapping areas.

Additive

This option defines the way separate, overlapping strokes behave. If this option isenabled, the paper texture's position does not change with each sweep of the eraser.
If this option is disabled, each sweep of the eraser produces a different texture
position. The texture orientation always stays the same.

Aligned91

Chapter 2: Tools Properties

Ink Tool Properties
When you select the Ink tool, its properties and options appear in the Tool Properties view.

Icon

Tool Name

Tool
Sets the selection mode to Lasso, which allows
you to select multiple items by drawing a lasso
around them.

Lasso

TIP
When this option is enabled, you canpress and hold the Alt key to temporarily
use Marquee mode.

Sets the selection mode to Marquee, which allows
you to select multiple items by drawing a rectangle
around them.
Marquee

TIP
When this option is enabled, you canpress and hold the Alt key to temporarily
use Lasso mode.

Show Inkable Lines

Highlights all pencil lines (no brush strokes) on theselected layer. Pencil line segments that are alreadyinked with the selected swatch colour from thecolour palette are also not highlighted.

Be Smart on Connecting Lines

As you hover and move the cursor acrossintersecting pencil lines, the path that you create
will be highlighted. When you click on your mouseor stylus the highlighted segments are inked. With
this option disabled, all the intersecting segmentsthat your cursor comes near will be highlighted
and become part of the selection, even if they were
not situated in the direction of the chosen path.

92

Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

NOTE
This option only works if the Ink tool is in
Hover mode.

Use this mode instead of the Hover Mode. In the
Hover Mode, any potentially inkable pencil line will
have its central vector line highlighted as the Inktool’s cursor hovers over it. Use Ctrl

Select Mode(Windows/Linux) or ⌘ (macOS) to toggle between
the two modes.
In the Paint tool properties, this option keeps aselection highlighted around the latest paintedzone after using the Paint, Repaint, Unpaint, orPaint Unpainted tool.

Select Newly Painted, Repainted,
and Unpainted Contours/LinesRaise

As you ink the pencil line, the segment will be
moved on top of the other intersecting strokes.
Disable this option for the line to be sent behind.
Hold down the Alt key to perform the opposite
operation as you ink.

Mitre

As you hover over two perpendicular or nearly
perpendicular segments, a highlighted path with acorner is created. Clicking on these highlighted
segments inks both segments and makes themappear as a single stroke with a corner or bend.
Options include: As Is, Round, Miter, and Bevel.

Tip StyleLets you customize the edge of the Ink tool.
Options include: Round, Flat, and Bevel.

93Chapter 2: Tools Properties

Line Tool Properties
When you select the Line tool, its properties and options appear in the Tool Properties view. There are a few
less options available when working on a bitmap layer.

Icon

Tool Name

Description
The Preview area lets you see a preview of the stroke your drawing tool
will make.

Previewing the Stroke

Size

Defines the width of the pencil line used to draw the line.

Shape

You can adjust the start, end, and join style of a pencil line.

94Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

l

l

l

Presets

Start: Lets you select the style of the start tip, which is the first tip
you drew. You can choose between Round or Flat style.
End: Lets you select the style of the end tip, which is the last tip
you drew. You can choose between Round or Flat style.
Join: Lets you select the joint style. The joints are where the line
curves abruptly. You could also define the Join style as the cornerstyle. You can choose between Round, Mitre and Bevel style.

Harmony provides a variety of presets and also lets you create and saveyour own. It is a good idea to create and save pencils with precise sizes
and parameters when you draw and design for efficiency andconsistency.
All tools using pencil lines share the same preset list. Therefore, thePolyline, Line, Rectangle, Ellipse, and Pencil tools share the same preset
list.

New Brush

Creates a new preset based on the current brush properties.

Delete Brush

Deletes the currently selected preset.

Rename Brush

Deletes the currently selected preset.

Import Brushes

Allows you to import brush presets exported from Harmony.

Export Brushes

Allows you to export your brush presets into an .xml file.

Small Thumbnail, Large
Thumbnail, and Stroke
View

Allows you to display the presets as small square thumbnails, large
square thumbnails or a list of stroke preview.

Draw Behind

When enabled, your brush strokes will appear behind the existingartwork. Note that they will appear over your artwork while drawing yourstroke, until you release the brush.

95

Chapter 2: Tools Properties

Snap to Contour

Snaps your selection or point to any line you position it on. As soon as
you move it close enough to another line, your point or selection will snap
to it.

Snap and Align

Snaps the selected anchor point to any existing line while displaying
temporary rulers as a guide that you can also snap your anchor point to.
Snaps your selection following the currently enabled grid.

Snap to Grid

As you draw in the Line Art layer, the Automatically Create Colour Art
option instantly creates the corresponding strokes in the Colour Art layer.
Automatically Create
Colour Art

By default, when drawing on a vector layer, each new stroke is created asa separate drawing object, which can be edited independently from otherparts of the artwork. When enabled, the Auto-Flatten option
automatically merges strokes into existing artwork.
Auto-Flatten Mode96

Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

NOTE
Using the Select tool, you can use select and remove a segmentof flattened pencil lines. Overlapping pencil lines drawn with theAuto-Flatten mode are essentially cut into segments by theoverlap and can be treated as individual lines.

When using the pencil tool, you can automatically close strokes with aninvisible stroke.

Auto-Close Gap

It is recommended to keep this option enabled when drawing with thePencil tool.
The Line Building mode is very useful when drawing long lines andcurves in small increments with pencil lines or the Line tool. As the pencil
lines are central vector lines, it may be difficult to align the line tips
perfectly to create a uniform stroke and close all gaps.
In this mode, you can draw lines in small increments and the tips are
merge into one single stroke.

Line Building Mode

NOTE
This mode only works with pencil lines or the line tool.

Use Stored Colour
Gradient

The Use Stored Colour Gradient option can be used when painting with agradient colour to always position the gradient in the same way it wasstored, making it consistent across brush strokes. You can store a
gradient by selecting a zone painted with a gradient with the Select tool,97

Chapter 2: Tools Properties

then clicking on Store Colour Gradientin the Tool Properties view.

Enable this option to draw perfect circle (ratio 1:1) without holding any
keyboard shortcuts. As an alternative, you can hold down the Shift key.

Draw Circle

Pencil Properties Dialog
Since the Line tool draws pencil lines, you can use the Pencil Properties dialog to customize the type of lines it
draws. To open the Pencil Properties dialog, click on the arrow button right of the stroke display area.

Size and Smoothness Tab
The Size and Smoothness tab allows you to select your pencil's size, its smoothing parameters as well as theshape of its tips and corners.

Tool Name

Description

Maximum Size

Defines the maximum size of the pencil line. If the tool is used with a pressure
sensitive pen tablet, the width of the stroke will vary between its maximum size andminimum size depending on the amount of pressure used. If used with a mouse, thewidth of the stroke will always be its maximum size.

Minimum Size

Defines the minimum size of your stroke as a percentage of the maximum size. If you
do not have pressure sensitivity from a pen table, the minimum size value will beignored.

98Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

Smoothing

Defines the number of control points added to the centre line. The fewer the control
points the smoother (but less faithful) the line.

Contour Smoothing

Defines the number of points on the contour share of your stroke. This will smoothout the bumps and waves on tour contour shape of your brush strokes.
You can adjust the start, end, and join style of a pencil line.

Shape

l

l

l

Start: Lets you select the style of the start tip, which is the first tip you drew.
You can choose between Round or Flat style.
End: Lets you select the style of the end tip, which is the last tip you drew.
You can choose between Round or Flat style.
Join: Lets you select the joint style. The joints are where the line curves
abruptly. You could also define the Join style as the corner style. You canchoose between Round, Mitre and Bevel style.

Texture Tab
In the Pencil Properties view, the Texture tab allows you to select a pencil texture from the currently selected
pencil texture palette to use with the Pencil tool. You can also add, remove or rename textures, save the current
pencil texture palette as the default one, or import the pencil texture palette into your scene.
The pencil texture palette used in the Texture tab of the Pencil Properties dialog is the one selected in the
Colour view. You can select a pencil texture palette by selecting it from the pencil texture palette list in the
Colour view—see Colour View on page 171.

99

Chapter 2: Tools Properties

Icon

Tool Name

Use as Default Pencil
Texture Palette

Description
Sets the currently selected pencil texture palette as the default pencil
texture palette in your user preferences. The default pencil texture paletteis added to every scene you create in Harmony. The palette is copied inyour preferences, so it will be added to your new scenes in the exact state
it is when you make it the default pencil texture palette.

Reload Default Texture
PaletteImports the default pencil texture palette as a new pencil texture palette
into your scene's palette list, and selects it as the current pencil texture
palette.

New Texture

Allows you to import an image file into a new pencil texture swatch in thecurrent pencil texture palette. The pencil texture's effect on your pencil line
will be based on the image's transparency channel, and will follow yourpencil lines on its horizontal axis.

Delete Texture

Deletes a pencil texture swatch from the current pencil texture palette.

Rename Texture

Renames the selected pencil texture swatch in the current pencil texture
palette.

Pencil Texture List

Displays the pencil textures in the current pencil texture palette and allows
you to select one to use with the Pencil tool.

Pencil Texture Palette

Displays the name of the currently selectedpencil texture palette, for100Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guidereference. To select a different pencil texture palette, you must select it in
the Colour view—see Colour View on page 171.

101

Chapter 2: Tools Properties

Paint Tool Properties
When you select the Paint tool, its properties and options appears in the Tools Properties view.

Icon

Tool Name

Description
Sets the selection mode to Lasso, which allows you toselect multiple items by drawing a lasso around them.

TIP

Lasso

When this option is enabled, you can press
and hold the Alt key to temporarily use
Marquee mode.

Sets the selection mode to Marquee, which allows you
to select multiple items by drawing a rectangle aroundthem.
Marquee

TIP
When this option is enabled, you can press
and hold the Alt key to temporarily use
Lasso mode.

The Paint tool has four different modes available:llPaint Modes
l

l

102

The Paint mode paints everything it touches,
including empty and filled zones.
The Paint Unpainted mode paints only empty
zones. Any line or filled zone will remainunchanged.
The Repaint mode paints everything it touches
except empty zones. Any zone that is notpainted will remain intact.
The Unpaint mode unpaints everything ittouches, including empty and filled zones.

Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

The Paint and Remove Texture option is used when
you vectorized images as greyscale texture style. An
image vectorized as texture is a mix of bitmap filling
encapsulated in a vector-based frame. Painting a
textured zones with the Paint tool will change the tintof the textured lines. Painting the textured zones using
the Paint and Remove Texture option transforms thebitmap filling into a 100% vector based zone and fills
it with a solid colour.
Paint and Remove
Textures

The Apply to Multiple Drawings option is used for fast
painting in hand-drawn animation. When you want topaint several drawings in a same layer at once, such asa walk cycle, you can enable this option and make aselection in the Drawing view. All the closed zones
located within your Paint tool selection are painted
with the selected colour swatch.

Apply to Multiple
Drawings

You do not need to enable the Onion Skin preview to
use this option. The option will stay enabled only forthe next action. If you want to use it again, you mustclick on the Apply to Multiple Drawings button again,or press Alt + A.
The Respect Protected Colour option is enabled by

Respect Protected Colour

103Chapter 2: Tools Properties

default. In your Colour view, you can protect somecolour swatches to avoid repainting or unpainting thezones linked to that swatch.
If you disable this option the Paint tool will not follow
the protect colour rule and will repaint or unpaint theprotected colours on your drawings until you enable
the option again.
When you paint a zone with a gradient or textured
colour swatch, the gradient or texture’s position is set
relative to the size of the zone you are painting. If you
want the Paint tool to use a particular size andposition, you must first store your desired positionand size using the Select tool and then enable the UseStored Colour Gradient option in the Paint tool
properties.
Use Stored Colour
Gradient

In the Paint tool properties, this option keeps aselection highlighted around the latest painted zone
after using the Paint, Repaint, Unpaint, or Paint
Unpainted tool.

Select Newly Painted,
Repainted, and Unpainted
Contours/Lines

The Close Gap option has four modes available. Whenthe option is enabled, Harmony will consume moreresources while painting.

Close Gap

104

Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

l

l

l

l

105

No Close Gap: The moment a zone has a gap in
it, the Paint tool will not fill the area.
Close Small Gap: If a zone has a small gap in it,
the Paint tool will fill the area. You can zoom
out to make the gap appear smaller and the
Paint tool will paint.
Close Medium Gap: If a zone has a medium gap
in it, the Paint tool will fill the area. You canzoom out to make the gap appear smaller and
the Paint tool will paint.
Close Large Gap: If a zone has a large gap in it,
the Paint tool will fill the area. You can zoom
out to make the gap appear smaller and the
Paint tool will paint.

Chapter 2: Tools Properties

Pencil Tool Properties
When you select the Pencil

tool, its properties and options appears in the Tool Properties view.

Pencil Properties
The following properties affect the pencil's size, smoothing, shape and other properties for the drawing style ofyour pencil. Those properties can be saved into pencil presets for later use.
Icon

Tool Name

Description
The Preview area lets you see a preview of the stroke your drawing tool
will make.

Preview Area

The arrow button right of the preview area opens the Pencil Properties
dialog.
Pencil Properties
DialogWhile the Tool Properties view only gives you access to a few of the106Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

pencil properties, a list of pencil presets and other drawing options, thePencil Properties dialog gives you access to all the available options foryour pencil's shape and texture. For more information on
the Pencil Properties dialog, see the Pencil Properties Dialog section
below.
Defines the maximum width of the pencil line.
Maximum Size

If the tool is used with a pressure sensitive pen tablet, the width of thestroke will vary between its maximum size and minimum size dependingon the amount of pressure used. If used with a mouse, the width of thestroke will always be its maximum size.

Smoothing

Defines the number of control points added to the centre line. The fewer
the control points the smoother (but less faithful) the line.
You can adjust the start, end, and join style of a pencil line.

Shape

l

l

l

Start: Lets you select the style of the start tip, which is the first tip
you drew. You can choose between Round or Flat style.
End: Lets you select the style of the end tip, which is the last tip
you drew. You can choose between Round or Flat style.
Join: Lets you select the joint style. The joints are where the line
curves abruptly. You could also define the Join style as the cornerstyle. You can choose between Round, Mitre and Bevel style.

Pencil Presets
These options allow you to select, create and manage pencil presets.
Icon

Tool Name

Description

Presets list

Harmony provides a variety of pencil presets and thickness stencils andalso lets you create and save your own. It is a good idea to create andsave pencils with precise sizes and parameters when you draw anddesign for efficiency and consistency.
A thickness stencil saves the thickness information across the length ofthe line. When drawing with a thickness stencil, the pressure sensitivity

107

Chapter 2: Tools Propertiesof the tablet is discarded. A thickness stencil can be used while drawing,or applied afterwards.
You also have the possibility to apply different textures to your lines byeither using the default presets or importing your own.
You can export the pencil presets that you have created and import thosethat others have created. This is a good way for you and project
collaborators to keep a consistent look for the project.

New Preset

Creates a new preset based on the current brush properties.

Delete Preset

Deletes the currently selected preset.

Presets Menu

Gives access to more options for managing presets.

Rename Brush

Deletes the currently selected preset.

Import Brushes

Allows you to import brush presets exported from Harmony.

Export Brushes

Allows you to export your brush presets into an .xml file.

Small Thumbnail

Displays presets in a grid of small thumbnails with a preview of their tip.

Large Thumbnail

Displays presets in a grid of big thumbnails, with their name and apreview of their tip.

Stroke View

Displays presets in a list, with their name and a preview of a stroke donewith each preset. This is the default setting.

Drawing Options
These options affect the way your drawing strokes are integrated into your artwork.
When enabled, your brush strokes will appear behind the existingartwork. Note that they will appear over your artwork while drawing yourstroke, until you release the brush.
Draw Behind108Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

When enabled, drawing a closed shape will automatically fill it with thecurrently selected Paint colour.

Auto Fill

TIP
By default the pencil line and its fill will be the same colour. If
you want to select different colours for the pencil line and its fill,
you can click on the Unlock Three Colours

button in the

Colour view, then select different colours for Brush strokes, Pencil lines

and Paint fills.

When enabled, drawing a closed shape will automatically remove theoutstanding lines.
Trim Extra Lines

When the Trim Extra Lines option is enabled, enable this option to makethe point where the beginning and end of the stroke meet into a smooth
curve rather than a hard corner.

Align Handles After
Trim

Automatically Create
Colour Art

As you draw in the Line Art layer, the Automatically Create Colour Art
option instantly creates the corresponding strokes in the Colour Art layer.

109

Chapter 2: Tools Properties

By default, when drawing on a vector layer, each new stroke is created asa separate drawing object, which can be edited independently from otherparts of the artwork. When enabled, the Auto-Flatten option
automatically merges strokes into existing artwork.

Auto-Flatten Mode

NOTE
Using the Select tool, you can use select and remove a segmentof flattened pencil lines. Overlapping pencil lines drawn with theAuto-Flatten mode are essentially cut into segments by theoverlap and can be treated as individual lines.

When using the pencil tool, you can automatically close strokes with aninvisible stroke.

Auto-Close Gap

It is recommended to keep this option enabled when drawing with thePencil tool.

Line Building Mode

The Line Building mode is very useful when drawing long lines andcurves in small increments with pencil lines or the Line tool. As the pencil
lines are central vector lines, it may be difficult to align the line tips
perfectly to create a uniform stroke and close all gaps.
In this mode, you can draw lines in small increments and the tips are
merge into one single stroke.

110Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

NOTE
This mode only works with pencil lines or the line tool.

The Auto Adjust Thickness tool is useful when you want to render aportion of a line thicker. When tracing a drawing on paper, you will often
go back to a section of a curve to make it thicker to add dynamism to theline. Using the Auto Adjust Thickness tool, you can draw highlightstrokes over the section to make thicker. Once you release the pen or
mouse, the line becomes thicker following the shape and curve of theoriginal stroke. This way is much faster and smoother than using thePencil Editor tool. You do not have to add extra points and adjust theposition and Bezier handles.
Auto Adjust Thickness

The default overlay colour is light yellow. If this colour is difficult to see
because of the background or drawing colour, you can adjust the colour.

Line Pushing Mode

The Line Pushing Mode option lets you draw highlight strokes overexisting pencil lines. You can reshape the curves. Depending how you
draw the pushing stroke over your line, the highlighted section will bereshaped in one direction or the other.
The default overlay colour is light yellow. If this colour is difficult to see
because of the background or drawing colour, you can adjust the colour.

ColourYou can change the colour of the temporary strokes that appear in thedrawing space when using the Line Pushing Mode or the Auto Adjust

111

Chapter 2: Tools Properties

Thickness option by clicking on the Colour swatch and selecting a newcolour in the Colour Picker dialog.

Pencil Properties Dialog
Pencils have extra parameters which are not accessible from the Tool Properties view. To open the Pencil
Properties dialog, click on the arrow button right of the stroke display area.

Size and Smoothness Tab
The Size and Smoothness tab allows you to select your pencil's size, its smoothing parameters as well as theshape of its tips and corners.

Tool Name

Description

Maximum Size

Defines the maximum size of the pencil line. If the tool is used with a pressure
sensitive pen tablet, the width of the stroke will vary between its maximum size andminimum size depending on the amount of pressure used. If used with a mouse, thewidth of the stroke will always be its maximum size.

Minimum Size

Defines the minimum size of your stroke as a percentage of the maximum size. If you
do not have pressure sensitivity from a pen table, the minimum size value will be

112

Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

ignored.

Smoothing

Defines the number of control points added to the centre line. The fewer the control
points the smoother (but less faithful) the line.

Contour Smoothing

Defines the number of points on the contour share of your stroke. This will smoothout the bumps and waves on tour contour shape of your brush strokes.
You can adjust the start, end, and join style of a pencil line.

Shape

l

l

l

Start: Lets you select the style of the start tip, which is the first tip you drew.
You can choose between Round or Flat style.
End: Lets you select the style of the end tip, which is the last tip you drew.
You can choose between Round or Flat style.
Join: Lets you select the joint style. The joints are where the line curves
abruptly. You could also define the Join style as the corner style. You canchoose between Round, Mitre and Bevel style.

Texture Tab
In the Pencil Properties view, the Texture tab allows you to select a pencil texture from the currently selected
pencil texture palette to use with the Pencil tool. You can also add, remove or rename textures, save the current
pencil texture palette as the default one, or import the pencil texture palette into your scene.
The pencil texture palette used in the Texture tab of the Pencil Properties dialog is the one selected in the
Colour view. You can select a pencil texture palette by selecting it from the pencil texture palette list in the
Colour view—see Colour View on page 171.

113

Chapter 2: Tools Properties

Icon

Tool Name

Use as Default Pencil
Texture Palette

Description
Sets the currently selected pencil texture palette as the default pencil
texture palette in your user preferences. The default pencil texture paletteis added to every scene you create in Harmony. The palette is copied inyour preferences, so it will be added to your new scenes in the exact state
it is when you make it the default pencil texture palette.

Reload Default Texture
PaletteImports the default pencil texture palette as a new pencil texture palette
into your scene's palette list, and selects it as the current pencil texture
palette.

New Texture

Allows you to import an image file into a new pencil texture swatch in thecurrent pencil texture palette. The pencil texture's effect on your pencil line
will be based on the image's transparency channel, and will follow yourpencil lines on its horizontal axis.

Delete Texture

Deletes a pencil texture swatch from the current pencil texture palette.

Rename Texture

Renames the selected pencil texture swatch in the current pencil texture
palette.

Pencil Texture List

Displays the pencil textures in the current pencil texture palette and allows
you to select one to use with the Pencil tool.

Pencil Texture Palette

Displays the name of the currently selectedpencil texture palette, for114

Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guidereference. To select a different pencil texture palette, you must select it in
the Colour view—see Colour View on page 171.

115

Chapter 2: Tools Properties

Pencil Editor Tool Properties
When you select the Pencil Editor tool, its properties and options appear in the Tool Properties view.

116Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

117

Chapter 2: Tools Properties

Icon

Tool Name

Description
Sets the selection mode to Lasso, which allows you to select multiple
items by drawing a lasso around them.

Lasso

TIP
When this option is enabled, you can press and hold the Alt key
to temporarily use Marquee mode.

Sets the selection mode to Marquee, which allows you to select multiple
items by drawing a rectangle around them.
Marquee

TIP
When this option is enabled, you can press and hold the Alt key
to temporarily use Lasso mode.

Defines the maximum width of the pencil line.
Maximum Size

If the pencil line has a constant size, this will define the width of thepencil line all over. If the pencil line has a varying size, this will define thewidth of its larger areas. Areas that are in-between the maximum andminimum size will be resized proportionally.

Minimum Size

Defines the minimum width of the pencil line. If the pencil line has avarying size, this will define the width of its smaller areas. Areas that are
in-betwen the maximum and minimum size will be resized proportionally.
You can adjust the start, end, and join style of a pencil line.

Shape

l

l

l

Start: Lets you select the style of the start tip, which is the first tip
you drew. You can choose between Round or Flat style.
End: Lets you select the style of the end tip, which is the last tip
you drew. You can choose between Round or Flat style.
Join: Lets you select the joint style. The joints are where the line
curves abruptly. You could also define the Join style as the cornerstyle. You can choose between Round, Mitre and Bevel style.

118Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

Harmony provides a variety of pencil presets and thickness stencils andalso lets you create and save your own. It is a good idea to create andsave pencils with precise sizes and parameters when you draw anddesign for efficiency and consistency.

Presets

A thickness stencil saves the thickness information across the length ofthe line. When drawing with a thickness stencil, the pressure sensitivityof the tablet is discarded. A thickness stencil can be used while drawing,or applied afterwards.
You also have the possibility to apply different textures to your lines byeither using the default presets or importing your own.
You can export the pencil presets that you have created and import thosethat others have created. This is a good way for you and project
collaborators to keep a consistent look for the project.

New Brush

Allows to create a new preset from the selected pencil line.

Delete Brush

Deletes the currently selected preset.

Rename Brush

Deletes the currently selected preset.

Small Thumbnail, Large
Thumbnail, and Stroke
View

Allows you to display the presets as small square thumbnails, large
square thumbnails or a list of stroke preview.

Use as Default Pencil
Texture Palette

Sets the currently selected pencil texture palette as the default pencil
texture palette in your user preferences. The default pencil texture paletteis added to every scene you create in Harmony. The palette is copied inyour preferences, so it will be added to your new scenes in the exact state
it is when you make it the default pencil texture palette.

Reload Default Texture
PaletteImports the default pencil texture palette as a new pencil texture palette
into your scene's palette list, and selects it as the current pencil texture
palette.

New Texture

Adds a new custom pencil texture to the list.

Delete Texture

Deletes a texture preset from the list.

Rename Texture

Renames the selected texture to keep the list organized.

Presets

Harmony provides a variety of pencil texture presets and also lets you

119Chapter 2: Tools Properties

create and save your own.

Pencil Texture Palette

Displays the colour palette assigned to hold the pencil textures. Use theColour View menu to assign a new palette.
The Smooth operation lets you smooth out selected drawing strokes andremove extra points.
l

From the top menu, select Selected > Smooth or press Alt + Shift+ S.

Smooth Selection

The Pump Pencil Pressure option is used to increase the line thickness ofa selected area on a pencil line.

Pump Pencil Pressure

The Deflate Pencil Pressure option is used to decrease the line thicknessof a selected area on a pencil line.

Deflate Pencil Pressure

Merge Pencil Lines

Pencil lines are central vector lines and it might be difficult to match
pencil line’s tips properly to align them and make it look like it is one120Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guidesingle line. With the Select tool, you can select several pencil lines andmerge them as one single object using the Merge Pencil Lines option. The
ends of your lines are adjusted to form one single line.

The Reverse Pencil Thickness option inverts the thick and thin section ona selected pencil line. This option will take the thickest size on the line
and apply it to the thinnest, and it will apply the thinnest to the thickest.

Reverse Pencil Thickness

121

Chapter 2: Tools Properties

Perspective Tool Properties
Selecting the Perspective tool displays its properties and options in the Tool Properties view.

Icon

Tool Name

Description

Selection Tool Options
Sets the selection mode to Lasso, which allows you toselect multiple items by drawing a lasso around them.

TIP

Lasso

When this option is enabled, you can press
and hold the Alt key to temporarily use
Marquee mode.

Sets the selection mode to Marquee, which allows you
to select multiple items by drawing a rectangle aroundthem.
Marquee

TIP
When this option is enabled, you can press
and hold the Alt key to temporarily use
Lasso mode.

Snap to Contour

Snaps your selection or point to any line you position
it on. As soon as you move it close enough to anotherline, your point or selection will snap to it.

Snap and Align

Snaps the selected anchor point to any existing line
while displaying temporary rulers as a guide that you
can also snap your anchor point to.

Snap to Grid

Snaps your selection following the currently enabled122Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

grid.

Allows you to perform drawing operations on both theLine Art and Colour Art layers of your drawing
simultaneously.
Apply to Line and Colour
Art

NOTE
If you have Overlay and Underlay Art layers
enabled, they will also be affected when thisoption is enabled.

Flip Horizontal

Flips the current selection horizontally.

Flip Vertical

Flips the current selection vertically.

Rotate 90 Degrees CW

Rotates the current selection 90 degrees clockwise.

Rotate 90 Degrees CCW

Rotates the current selection 90 degrees counterclockwise.

123Chapter 2: Tools Properties

Polyline Tool Properties
When you select the Polyline tool, its properties and options appear in the Tool Properties view.
NOTE
Like other shape tools, the Polyline tool creates pencil lines. Hence, its tool properties are similar tothe ones of the Pencil tool and it can be used with pencil presets.

Pencil Properties
Icon

Property

Description
The Preview area lets you see a preview of the stroke your drawing tool
will make.

Preview Area

Pencil Properties
Dialog

The arrow button right of the preview area opens the Pencil Properties
dialog.

124

Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

While the Tool Properties view only gives you access to the pencil size, alist of pencil presets and other drawing options, the Pencil Properties
dialog gives you access to all the available options for your pencil's shapeand texture. For more information on the Pencil Properties dialog, see the
Polyline Tool Properties section below.
Size

Defines the width of the pencil line used to draw the shape.

Pencil Presets
Icon

Property

Description

Presets list

Harmony provides a variety of presets and also lets you create and saveyour own. It is a good idea to create and save pencils with precise sizes
and parameters when you draw and design for efficiency andconsistency.
All tools using pencil lines share the same preset list. Therefore, thePolyline, Line, Rectangle, Ellipse, and Pencil tools share the same preset
list.

New Preset

Creates a new preset based on the current brush properties.

Delete Preset

Deletes the currently selected preset.

Presets Menu

Gives access to more options for managing presets.

Rename Brush

Deletes the currently selected preset.

Import Brushes

Allows you to import brush presets exported from Harmony.

Export Brushes

Allows you to export your brush presets into an .xml file.

Small Thumbnail

Displays presets in a grid of small thumbnails with a preview of their tip.

Large Thumbnail

Displays presets in a grid of big thumbnails, with their name and a

125

Chapter 2: Tools Properties

preview of their tip.

Stroke View

Displays presets in a list, with their name and a preview of a stroke donewith each preset. This is the default setting.

Drawing Options
Icon

Property

Description

Snap to Contour

Snaps your selection or point to any line you position it on. As soon as
you move it close enough to another line, your point or selection will snap
to it.
When enabled, drawing a closed shape will automatically fill it with thecurrently selected Paint colour.

Auto Fill

TIP
By default the pencil line and its fill will be the same colour. If
you want to select different colours for the pencil line and its fill,
you can click on the Unlock Three Colours

button in the

Colour view, then select different colours for Brush strokes, Pencil lines

and Paint fills.

When enabled, drawing a closed shape will automatically remove theoutstanding lines.
Trim Extra Lines

Align Handles After
Trim

When the Trim Extra Lines option is enabled, enable this option to makethe point where the beginning and end of the stroke meet into a smooth
curve rather than a hard corner.

126

Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

As you draw in the Line Art layer, the Automatically Create Colour Art
option instantly creates the corresponding strokes in the Colour Art layer.
Automatically Create
Colour Art

By default, when drawing on a vector layer, each new stroke is created asa separate drawing object, which can be edited independently from otherparts of the artwork. When enabled, the Auto-Flatten option
automatically merges strokes into existing artwork.

Auto-Flatten Mode

NOTE
Using the Select tool, you can use select and remove a segmentof flattened pencil lines. Overlapping pencil lines drawn with theAuto-Flatten mode are essentially cut into segments by theoverlap and can be treated as individual lines.

Pencil Properties Dialog
The Polyline tool draws the same type of line as the Pencil tool. Hence, you can configure the Polyline tool'slines using the Pencil Properties dialog, which you can open by clicking on the arrow button right of the stroke
display area in the Tool Properties view.

127Chapter 2: Tools Properties

Size and Smoothness Tab
The Size and Smoothness tab allows you to select your pencil's size, its smoothing parameters as well as theshape of its tips and corners.

Tool Name

Description

Maximum Size

Defines the maximum size of the pencil line. If the tool is used with a pressure
sensitive pen tablet, the width of the stroke will vary between its maximum size andminimum size depending on the amount of pressure used. If used with a mouse, thewidth of the stroke will always be its maximum size.

Minimum Size

Defines the minimum size of your stroke as a percentage of the maximum size. If you
do not have pressure sensitivity from a pen table, the minimum size value will beignored.

Smoothing

Defines the number of control points added to the centre line. The fewer the control
points the smoother (but less faithful) the line.

Contour Smoothing

Defines the number of points on the contour share of your stroke. This will smoothout the bumps and waves on tour contour shape of your brush strokes.
You can adjust the start, end, and join style of a pencil line.

Shape

l

Start: Lets you select the style of the start tip, which is the first tip you drew.
You can choose between Round or Flat style.

128Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guidell

End: Lets you select the style of the end tip, which is the last tip you drew.
You can choose between Round or Flat style.
Join: Lets you select the joint style. The joints are where the line curves
abruptly. You could also define the Join style as the corner style. You canchoose between Round, Mitre and Bevel style.

Texture Tab
In the Pencil Properties view, the Texture tab allows you to select a pencil texture from the currently selected
pencil texture palette to use with the Pencil tool. You can also add, remove or rename textures, save the current
pencil texture palette as the default one, or import the pencil texture palette into your scene.
The pencil texture palette used in the Texture tab of the Pencil Properties dialog is the one selected in the
Colour view. You can select a pencil texture palette by selecting it from the pencil texture palette list in the
Colour view—see Colour View on page 171.

Icon

Tool Name

Description

Use as Default Pencil
Texture Palette

Sets the currently selected pencil texture palette as the default pencil
texture palette in your user preferences. The default pencil texture paletteis added to every scene you create in Harmony. The palette is copied inyour preferences, so it will be added to your new scenes in the exact state
it is when you make it the default pencil texture palette.

Reload Default Texture
PaletteImports the default pencil texture palette as a new pencil texture palette
into your scene's palette list, and selects it as the current pencil texture
palette.

129

Chapter 2: Tools Properties

New Texture

Allows you to import an image file into a new pencil texture swatch in thecurrent pencil texture palette. The pencil texture's effect on your pencil line
will be based on the image's transparency channel, and will follow yourpencil lines on its horizontal axis.

Delete Texture

Deletes a pencil texture swatch from the current pencil texture palette.

Rename Texture

Renames the selected pencil texture swatch in the current pencil texture
palette.

Pencil Texture List

Displays the pencil textures in the current pencil texture palette and allows
you to select one to use with the Pencil tool.

Pencil Texture Palette

Displays the name of the currently selectedpencil texture palette, forreference. To select a different pencil texture palette, you must select it in
the Colour view—see Colour View on page 171.

130

Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

Rectangle Tool Properties
When you select the Rectangle tool, its properties and options appear in the Tool Properties view. There are a
few less options available when working on a bitmap layer.

Icon

Tool Name

Description
The Preview area lets you see a preview of the stroke your drawing tool
will make.

Previewing the Stroke

Size

Defines the width of the pencil line used to draw the rectangle.
You can adjust the start, end, and join style of a pencil line.

Shape

l

Start: Lets you select the style of the start tip, which is the first tip

131

Chapter 2: Tools Properties

you drew. You can choose between Round or Flat style.
ll

End: Lets you select the style of the end tip, which is the last tip
you drew. You can choose between Round or Flat style.
Join: Lets you select the joint style. The joints are where the line
curves abruptly. You could also define the Join style as the cornerstyle. You can choose between Round, Mitre and Bevel style.

Harmony provides a variety of presets and also lets you create and saveyour own. It is a good idea to create and save pencils with precise sizes
Presets

and parameters when you draw and design for efficiency andconsistency.
All tools using pencil lines share the same preset list. Therefore, thePolyline, Line, Rectangle, Ellipse, and Pencil tools share the same preset
list.

New Brush

Creates a new preset based on the current brush properties.

Delete Brush

Deletes the currently selected preset.

Rename Brush

Deletes the currently selected preset.

Import Brushes

Allows you to import brush presets exported from Harmony.

Export Brushes

Allows you to export your brush presets into an .xml file.

Small Thumbnail, Large
Thumbnail, and Stroke
View

Allows you to display the presets as small square thumbnails, large
square thumbnails or a list of stroke preview.

When enabled, your brush strokes will appear behind the existingartwork. Note that they will appear over your artwork while drawing yourstroke, until you release the brush.
Draw Behind

Automatic Filling

Use the Automatic Filling option to automatically fill your shape with theselected colour as you draw. By default, the Shape tool creates the outlineof an empty shape that you can later fill using the Paint tool. This option
is unavailable for the line tool.

132

Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

Snap to Contour

Snaps your selection or point to any line you position it on. As soon as
you move it close enough to another line, your point or selection will snap
to it.

Snap and Align

Snaps the selected anchor point to any existing line while displaying
temporary rulers as a guide that you can also snap your anchor point to.
Snaps your selection following the currently enabled grid.

Snap to Grid

As you draw in the Line Art layer, the Automatically Create Colour Art
option instantly creates the corresponding strokes in the Colour Art layer.
Automatically Create
Colour Art

By default, when drawing on a vector layer, each new stroke is created asa separate drawing object, which can be edited independently from otherparts of the artwork. When enabled, the Auto-Flatten option
automatically merges strokes into existing artwork.
Auto-Flatten Mode

133

Chapter 2: Tools Properties

NOTE
Using the Select tool, you can use select and remove a segmentof flattened pencil lines. Overlapping pencil lines drawn with theAuto-Flatten mode are essentially cut into segments by theoverlap and can be treated as individual lines.

Use Stored Colour
Gradient

The Use Stored Colour Gradient option can be used when painting with agradient colour to always position the gradient in the same way it wasstored, making it consistent across brush strokes. You can store a
gradient by selecting a zone painted with a gradient with the Select tool,
then clicking on Store Colour Gradient

Draw Squarein the Tool Properties view.

Enable this option to draw perfect square (ratio 1:1) without holding any
keyboard shortcuts. As an alternative, you can hold down the Shift key.

Pencil Properties Dialog
The Rectangle tool draws the same type of line as the Pencil tool. Hence, you can configure the Rectangle tool'slines using the Pencil Properties dialog, which you can open by clicking on the arrow button right of the stroke
display area in the Tool Properties view.

Size and Smoothness Tab
The Size and Smoothness tab allows you to select your pencil's size, its smoothing parameters as well as theshape of its tips and corners.

134Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

Tool Name

Description

Maximum Size

Defines the maximum size of the pencil line. If the tool is used with a pressure
sensitive pen tablet, the width of the stroke will vary between its maximum size andminimum size depending on the amount of pressure used. If used with a mouse, thewidth of the stroke will always be its maximum size.

Minimum Size

Defines the minimum size of your stroke as a percentage of the maximum size. If you
do not have pressure sensitivity from a pen table, the minimum size value will beignored.

Smoothing

Defines the number of control points added to the centre line. The fewer the control
points the smoother (but less faithful) the line.

Contour Smoothing

Defines the number of points on the contour share of your stroke. This will smoothout the bumps and waves on tour contour shape of your brush strokes.
You can adjust the start, end, and join style of a pencil line.

Shape

l

l

l

Start: Lets you select the style of the start tip, which is the first tip you drew.
You can choose between Round or Flat style.
End: Lets you select the style of the end tip, which is the last tip you drew.
You can choose between Round or Flat style.
Join: Lets you select the joint style. The joints are where the line curves
abruptly. You could also define the Join style as the corner style. You canchoose between Round, Mitre and Bevel style.

Texture Tab
In the Pencil Properties view, the Texture tab allows you to select a pencil texture from the currently selected
pencil texture palette to use with the Pencil tool. You can also add, remove or rename textures, save the current
pencil texture palette as the default one, or import the pencil texture palette into your scene.
The pencil texture palette used in the Texture tab of the Pencil Properties dialog is the one selected in the
Colour view. You can select a pencil texture palette by selecting it from the pencil texture palette list in the
Colour view—see Colour View on page 171.

135

Chapter 2: Tools Properties

Icon

Tool Name

Use as Default Pencil
Texture Palette

Description
Sets the currently selected pencil texture palette as the default pencil
texture palette in your user preferences. The default pencil texture paletteis added to every scene you create in Harmony. The palette is copied inyour preferences, so it will be added to your new scenes in the exact state
it is when you make it the default pencil texture palette.

Reload Default Texture
PaletteImports the default pencil texture palette as a new pencil texture palette
into your scene's palette list, and selects it as the current pencil texture
palette.

New Texture

Allows you to import an image file into a new pencil texture swatch in thecurrent pencil texture palette. The pencil texture's effect on your pencil line
will be based on the image's transparency channel, and will follow yourpencil lines on its horizontal axis.

Delete Texture

Deletes a pencil texture swatch from the current pencil texture palette.

Rename Texture

Renames the selected pencil texture swatch in the current pencil texture
palette.

Pencil Texture List

Displays the pencil textures in the current pencil texture palette and allows
you to select one to use with the Pencil tool.

Pencil Texture Palette

Displays the name of the currently selectedpencil texture palette, for136

Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guidereference. To select a different pencil texture palette, you must select it in
the Colour view—see Colour View on page 171.

137

Chapter 2: Tools Properties

Reposition All Drawings Tool Properties
When you use the Reposition All Drawings tool, its properties and options appear in the Tool Properties view.

Icon

OptionDescription

Flip Horizontal

Flips the current selection horizontally.

Flip Vertical

Flips the current selection vertically.

Rotate 90 Degrees CW

Rotates the current selection 90 degrees
clockwise.

Rotate 90 Degrees CCW

Rotates the current selection 90 degrees
counter-clockwise.
Use the Offset X and Offset Y operation fields
to enter specific values and precisely
reposition the selected shape.

Offset X and Y
1. X: Type a value in this field toreposition your selection along the Xaxis.
2. Y: Type a value in this field toreposition your selection along the Y-138

Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guideaxis.
3. Up/Down arrows: Use the up anddown arrows to modify the value in the
X or Y value field.
Use the Width and Height operation fields toenter specific values to resize the selectedshape with precision.

1. Width: Type a value in this field toresize the width of your selection.

Width and Height

2. Height: Type a value in this field toresize the height of your selection.
3. Up/Down arrows: Use the up anddown arrows to modify the value in the
Width or Height fields.
4. Lock icon: Click the lock icon to lock or
unlock the ratio between the Widthand Height values.
The Angle operation lets you to enter specificvalues and accurately rotate the selectedshape.

Angle

1. Angle: Type a degree value in this field
to rotate your selection.
2. Up/Down arrows: Use the up anddown arrows to modify the value in theAngle value field.

139

Chapter 2: Tools Properties

Select Tool Properties
When you use the Select tool, its properties and options appear in the Tool Properties view.

Tool Options
Icon

Tool Name

Description
Sets the selection mode to Lasso, which allows you toselect multiple items by drawing a lasso around them.

TIP

Lasso

When this option is enabled, you can press
and hold the Alt key to temporarily use
Marquee mode.

Sets the selection mode to Marquee, which allows you
to select multiple items by drawing a rectangle aroundthem.

Marquee140Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

TIP
When this option is enabled, you can press
and hold the Alt key to temporarily use
Lasso mode.

Snap to Contour

Snaps your selection or point to any line you position
it on. As soon as you move it close enough to anotherline, your point or selection will snap to it.

Snap and Align

Snaps the selected anchor point to any existing line
while displaying temporary rulers as a guide that you
can also snap your anchor point to.
Snaps your selection following the currently enabled
grid.

Snap to Grid

Lets you select all the zones and lines in your drawing
painted with the same colour swatch.

Select by Colour

In the Drawing view, click on any zone or line in yourdrawing. All zones and lines of the same colour are
selected. Click the Select tool again to return to theregular Select mode.

141

Chapter 2: Tools Properties

NOTE
Only the zones painted with the SAME
colour swatch will be selected. If anotherzone is coloured with the exact same RGB
value (same colour), but not painted with thesame colour swatch, it will not be selected.

Lets you maintain a selection over multiple drawings.
Once this option is enabled, the selection zone madeusing the Select tool will remain as you navigate
through drawings of the same layer and drawings
from other drawing layers. This option can be used tosimultaneously delete artwork inside or outside of theselection on several drawings when combined with
the Apply to Multiple Drawings option.
Permanent Selection

The Apply to Multiple Drawings option is used toperform an action on all the drawings contained in alayer. With the Select tool, this option can be used to
select and remove vector shapes on all the drawings
contained in a layer. To use it, activate Permanent
Selection option and make a selection that can beapplied to all your drawings. Then, activate the Apply
to Multiple Drawings option and press delete. This will
delete all the shapes that would have been selected by
the permanent selection on every drawing in the layer.
This can be used for example to remove dirt andregistration on the same areas of all the drawings
simultaneously on a layer.

Apply to Multiple Drawings

The Apply to Multiple Drawings option disables itself
after each action.

142

Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

Allows you to perform drawing operations on both theLine Art and Colour Art layers of your drawing
simultaneously.
Apply to Line and Colour Art

NOTE
If you have Overlay and Underlay Art layers
enabled, they will also be affected when thisoption is enabled.

Operations
Icon

Tool Name

Description

Flip Horizontal

Flips the current selection horizontally.

Flip Vertical

Flips the current selection vertically.

Rotate 90 Degrees CW

Rotates the current selection 90 degrees clockwise.

Rotate 90 Degrees CCW

Rotates the current selection 90 degrees counterclockwise.
Smooth out selected drawing strokes and remove
extra points.

Smooth143

Chapter 2: Tools Properties

Merges drawing objects and brush strokes into asingle layer. If you draw new lines to fix a drawing orline with many brush strokes, it can be useful to flatten
them all into a single shape. By default, lines are drawn
one on top of each other. If you intend to repaint thelines or modify their shape, it will be easier if they areflattened.
FlattenLets you use the outline you traced on one of the four
embedded layers (line art, colour art, overlay, underlay)
and create invisible strokes to paint your drawings on
separate layers. This provides more inking andpainting flexibility.

Create Colour Art fromLine Art

You can also configure this option to create theinvisible strokes on any of the four embedded layers.
Use the Store Colour Gradient operation to record theselected gradient’s position. This reuses the storedposition of the gradient when drawing new brushlines or painting colour zones. Enable the Use Stored

Store Colour Gradient

Colour Gradientoption in the Paint or Brush Tool

Properties view to do this.
Converts the selected centre line pencil strokes into
contour strokes brush lines.

Pencil to Brush

Pencil lines are central vector lines and it might bedifficult to match pencil line’s tips properly to alignthem and make it look like it is one single line. With

Merge Pencil Lines144

Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

the Select tool, you can select several pencil lines andmerge them as one single object using the Merge
Pencil Lines option. The ends of your lines areadjusted to form one single line.

NOTE
Points must be close enough to be merged. If
there is a large gap between the lines, they
will not be merged.

The Reverse Pencil Thickness option inverts the thickand thin section on a selected pencil line. This option
will take the thickest size on the line and apply it to thethinnest, and it will apply the thinnest to the thickest.

Reverse Pencil Thickness

Use the Offset X and Offset Y operation fields to enter
specific values and precisely reposition the selectedshape.

Offset X and Y
1. X: Type a value in this field to reposition yourselection along the X-axis.
2. Y: Type a value in this field to reposition yourselection along the Y-axis.
3. Up/Down arrows: Use the up and down

145

Chapter 2: Tools Properties

arrows to modify the value in the X or Y value
field.
Use the Width and Height operation fields to enter
specific values to resize the selected shape with
precision.

1. Width: Type a value in this field to resize thewidth of your selection.

Width and Height

2. Height: Type a value in this field to resize theheight of your selection.
3. Up/Down arrows: Use the up and downarrows to modify the value in the Width or
Height fields.
4. Lock icon: Click the lock icon to lock or unlock
the ratio between the Width and Height values.
The Angle operation lets you to enter specific values
and accurately rotate the selected shape.

Angle

1. Angle: Type a degree value in this field torotate your selection.
2. Up/Down arrows: Use the up and downarrows to modify the value in the Angle value
field.
When you select a pencil line with the Select tool,
additional options appear in the Tool Properties view.

Adjusting the Pencil Line
Thickness

Use the Adjusting the Pencil Line Thickness operation
field to resize the selected centreline strokes. This
operation is not permitted on contour line shapes,
such as brush strokes or shape fills.

146

Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

1. Minimum Size: Type a value in this field to set
the minimum thickness of the selected
centreline stroke.
2. Maximum Size: Type a value in this field to set
the maximum thickness of the selected
centreline stroke.
3. Up/Down arrows: Use the up and downarrows to modify the value contained in the
Thickness value field.
You can adjust the start, end, and join style of a pencil
line.

l

Pencil Line ShapellStart: Lets you select the style of the start tip,which is the first tip you drew. You can choose
between Round or Flat style.
End: Lets you select the style of the end tip,which is the last tip you drew. You can choose
between Round or Flat style.
Join: Lets you select the joint style. The joints
are where the line curves abruptly. You could
also define the Join style as the corner style.
You can choose between Round, Mitre andBevel style.

Gives you the flexibility to change the style andthickness of your pencil lines even after they are
drawn. You can apply preset pencil stencils or create
your own.

Pencil Stencils

147

Chapter 2: Tools Properties

Pencil lines support texture. Once a pencil line isdrawn, you can apply a preset texture or load yourown. Textures are independent from pencil stencils.

Adding Texture to a
Pencil Line

When you select text with the Select tool, the tool
properties will display the Text tool options on thebottom of the view. You can also press Alt + 9 todisplay only the Text properties in the Tool Properties
view—see Text Tool Properties on page 153.
Adjusting the Text
Selection

148

Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

Smooth Editor Tool Properties
When you select the Smooth Editor tool, its properties and options appear in the Tool Properties view.

Icon

Tool Name

Description
The Smoothing Style options allow you to smooth aportion of your drawing by tracing a smoothing strokeover the zone to optimize or by selecting an area ofthe drawing with the Marquee or Lasso.
Note that by default, the Smooth Editor tool colour isyellow, it was changed to orange for screen grab
clarity.

Smoothing Style

The Show Control Points option allows you to showor hide the Bezier points around lines. When the
Bezier points are displayed, you can see the result ofyour smoothing and the number of points left on the
curve. When it is turned off, only the original artwork
is displayed.

Show Control Points

This is where you set the minimum and maximum
sizes of your drawing tool which will produce thethick and thin effect on your stroke. This works withthe pressure sensitivity of a pen tablet.

Minimum Size andMaximum Size

This options is available while using the Brush
Smoothing149

style.

Chapter 2: Tools Propertiesll

Maximum and Minimum Size: Defines the
maximum and minimum width of the stroke.
Up/Down arrows: Use the up and downarrows to set the minimum and maximum sizevalue.

The Smoothness impacts the strength of thesmoothing result. The higher the value, the morepoints are removed and the smoother the curve. The
Smoothness range is from 0 to 100; the default value
is 20.

Smoothness

You can modify the colour of the control points
displayed on the artwork while working with the
Smooth Editor tool by double-clicking on the colour
swatch.

Colour150

Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

Stroke Tool Properties
When you select the Stroke tool, its properties and options appears in the Tool Properties view.

Icon

Tool Name

Description

Draw Stroke as
Straight Lines

Enable the Draw Stroke as Straight Lines option if you want the new strokes
you draw to be a perfect straight line. Disable the option if you want thestroke to follow the mouse gesture.

Connect Line Ends

Enable the Connect Line Ends option if you want the start or end point of
your new stroke to connect to your existing strokes to make sure no gaps areleft in your drawing.
When enabled, drawing a closed shape will automatically fill it with thecurrently selected Paint colour.

Auto Fill

TIP
By default the pencil line and its fill will be the same colour. If you
want to select different colours for the pencil line and its fill, you canclick on the Unlock Three Colours

button in the Colour view, thenselect different colours for Brush strokes
Paint fills

Trim Extra Lines, Pencil lines

and.

When enabled, drawing a closed shape will automatically remove theoutstanding lines.

151

Chapter 2: Tools Properties

When the Trim Extra Lines option is enabled, enable this option to make thepoint where the beginning and end of the stroke meet into a smooth curve
rather than a hard corner.

Align Handles After
Trim

Auto-Flatten Mode

By default, when drawing on a vector layer, each new stroke is created as aseparate drawing object, which can be edited independently from other partsof the artwork. When enabled, the Auto-Flatten option automatically merges
strokes into existing artwork.
Allows you to perform drawing operations on both the Line Art and Colour
Art layers of your drawing simultaneously.

Apply to Line andColour Art

NOTE
If you have Overlay and Underlay Art layers enabled, they will also
be affected when this option is enabled.

Apply to Synced
Drawing Layers

When working on a synced layer, the tool is applied to the current layer andall the layers that are synced to it. This option only works in the Camera view.

Smoothness

You can modify the central line smoothness of your line using this option.
This parameter smooths the initial movement of your line. Increasing thevalue will result in a smoother line with fewer control points. Use the left andright arrows to increment the value by one full unit. Use the Up - Down slider
to quickly increment the value.

152

Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

Text Tool Properties
Use the Text tool's properties to select the font type and other formatting options you want to apply to thetext.
If you already wrote your text, you must first use the Text tool and select the text portion you want to format.
You can modify the parameters of an entire text box using the Select tool.

Icon

Tool Name

Description
Use the Font drop-down menu to select a font. OTF fonts are supported.

Font TypeUse this option to bold your text selection.
Bold

Use this option to italicize your text selection.
ItalicLeft Alignment

Use this option to left align the paragraph.

153

Chapter 2: Tools Properties

Use this option to center align the paragraph.

Centered
Alignment

Use this option to right align the paragraph.

Right Alignment

Use this option to justify align the paragraph.

Justified
Alignment

Enter a size for the text.
Font Size

Kerning

Use the kerning field to modify the spacing between letters and characters. You

154

Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

can select the Auto Kern option to set the kerning automatically based on the
font’s predefined standard. A negative value decreases spacing between eachcharacter, creating a letter overlap and a positive value increases it.

Enter a value in the Indent field to increase or decrease the indentation on the firstline of your text. A positive value sets the first line of your paragraph farther to theright and a negative value sets it farther to the left.
IndentEnter a value in the Line Spacing field to decrease or increase the space between
each line of text.

Line Spacing

155

Chapter 2: Tools Properties

Zoom Tool Properties
When you select the Zoom tool, its properties are displayed in the Tool Properties view.

Tool Options
Icon

Parameter

Description

Zoom In ModeUse the mouse cursor to zoom in to the Camera or Drawing view.

Zoom OutMode

Use the mouse cursor to zoom out of the Camera or Drawing view.

Operations
Icon

Parameter

Description

Perform Zoom
In

Zoom in the Camera or Drawing view.

Perform Zoom
Out

Zoom out the Camera or Drawing view.

Reset Zoom

Restores the current zoom level to 100%.

Reset View

Restores the original display by resetting any pan, rotation or zoom actions.

The keyboard shortcut is 2.

The keyboard shortcut is 1.

156

Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

157

Chapter 3: Toolbars

Chapter 3: Toolbars
Harmony contains toolbars which, by default, are located at the top of the interface. Some views also have a
toolbar which you can reposition to suit your work style. You can show or hide toolbars, as well as customize itwith the tools you use most often and hide the ones you don't.
Top Toolbars

159

Edit Toolbar

160

File Toolbar

161

Tool Presets Toolbar

162

Tools Toolbar

163

Workspace Toolbar

168

View Toolbars

169

158

Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

Top Toolbars
Harmony has a series of toolbars that are added by default at the top of the interface. These toolbars can be
moved on the sides of the interface as well as within specific views.
All top toolbars can be added through the top menu Windows > Toolbars > desired toolbar.
Edit Toolbar

160

File Toolbar

161

Tool Presets Toolbar

162

Tools Toolbar

163

Workspace Toolbar

168

159

Chapter 3: Toolbars

Edit Toolbar
The Edit toolbar contains common operations such as Copy, Paste, Cut, Undo and Redo. These options can also
be found in the Edit menu.

How to access the Edit toolbar
1. Select Windows > Toolbars > Edit.

Icon

Tool Name

Description

Undo

Removes the last change made to your project.
Harmony supports multiple undo, so you can undochanges you made in the order you made them.

Redo

Redoes an operation you have undone. This commandis active only after you use the Undo command.

Cut

Removes selected objects. You can then paste theobject or its properties to another object.

Copy

Copies selected objects and properties.

Paste

Places an object you cut or copied into the location
you select in a view.

Create Symbol

Creates a symbol from selected drawing elements inthe Drawing or Camera view or a layer or cells in theTimeline view.

160Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

File Toolbar
The File toolbar contains the common file operations such as New, Save and Open. These options can also befound in the File menu.

How to access the File toolbar
1. Select Windows > Toolbars > File.

Icon

Tool Name

Description

Open

Displays the Open Scene dialog box where you can browse for a scene
file. You can open a new scene from the current one and the previous
scene will close.

Save

Saves all changes made to the opened scene, drawings, palettes, andpalette lists.

Load Background File

Allows you to select an image to temporarily add as a background to
your drawings, for reference. This background will not be in the scene.

161

Chapter 3: Toolbars

Tool Presets Toolbar
The Tool Presets toolbar lets you create new tool presets and manage them.

How to access the Tool Presets toolbar
1. Select Windows > Toolbars > Tool Presets.

Icon

Tool Name

Description

New Tool Preset

Creates a new tool preset from the current tool
settings.

Manage Presets

Opens the Manage Tool Preset dialog box where you
can update, organize, and delete existing presets.

162

Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

Tools Toolbar
The Tools toolbar contains all the main tools you need to work in Harmony. In the default workspace, thistoolbar located on the left-most side of the interface. A small triangle at the lower-right corner of a tool
indicates additional tools under the main tool. To access these tools, hold down the left mouse button until the
additional tools appear, then select one.
By default, the Tools toolbar displays several of its tools in pop-up menus that must be opened. It is possible to
make the Tools toolbar display every tool in its individual button instead by enabling the Flat Tools Toolbar
preference. This makes the selection of tools quicker. However, because there is not enough vertical space todisplay all tools, some tools will be hidden from the Tools toolbar by default. Which tools are displayed in the
Tools toolbar when Flat Tools Toolbar is enabled can be customized. The order in which tools are listed in Flat
Tools Toolbar mode can also be customized.

How to make every tool in the Tools toolbar display in buttons rather than pop-up
menus
1. Do one of the following:lSelect Edit > Preferences (Windows/Linux) or Harmony [Edition] > Preferences(macOS).

l

Press Ctrl + U (Windows/Linux) or ⌘ + U (macOS).

2. Select the General tab.
3. In the Options section, select the Flat Tool Toolbar option.

4. Click OK and restart Harmony.

How to customize which tools are displayed in the Tools toolbar when it is in Flat mode
1. Right-click on the Tools toolbar and select Customize.
The Toolbar Manager dialog appears.

163

Chapter 3: Toolbars

2. In the Available Tools list, select each tool that you want to add to the Tools toolbar, then click on
the Add the selected tool to the toolbar

button.

3. In the Toolbar list, select each tool that you want to remove from the Tools toolbar, then click on the
Remove the selected tool from the toolbar

Tool Name

Iconbutton.

Description
Allows you to select and reposition, scale, rotate and skew brush strokes,

Selectpencil lines, shapes and other parts of your artwork.

CutterAllows you to cut a part of your artwork, then reposition, scale, rotateand skew it.

Reposition All
Drawings

Allows you to reposition, scale, rotate and skew all drawings in thecurrent layer.

Contour Editor

Allows you to edit the vector contours of brush strokes, pencil lines andshapes in your artwork. You can add, remove, tweak and move vector
points, move the Bezier handles of the vector points as well as deform
vector outlines.

Centerline Editor

Allows you to tweak and deform a brush stroke by manipulating thepoints at the centre of its line rather than its contour.

Pencil Editor

Allows you to adjust the thickness of a pencil line at its different points
and corners, tweak the shape of its extremities and scale its texture.

164

Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

Smooth Editor

Allows you to optimize contours and lines by removing its extra points,
making them easier to edit.

Perspective

Allows you to deform artwork by applying a perspective effect on it.

Envelope

Allows you to deform and warp artwork by moving points and tweaking
lines in a grid.

Edit
Gradient/Texture

Allows you to adjust the position, angle and size of gradients andtextures in a colour zone.

Brush

A pressure-sensitive tool for creating a contour shape with a thick andthin line effect, as if created with a paint brush.

PencilA pressure-sensitive tool for drawing outlines. Pencil lines are made ofcentral vector lines, making them easier to tweak and edit than brushstrokes.

Text

Allows you to add text and to format it.

EraserA pressure-sensitive tool for erasing parts of a drawing.

Paint

Allows you to fill colour zones with a colour or texture.

Ink

Allows you to recolour pencil lines with precision by changing the colourof one segment at a time.

Paint Unpainted

Allows you to quickly fill empty zones in your artwork with a colour or
texture, leaving filled zones unchanged.

Repaint

Allows you to quickly repaint painted zones in your artwork. Empty
zones will remain empty.

Unpaint

Allows you to empty filled colour zones of their colour and texture.

StrokeAllows you to create invisible lines that can serve as colour zones thatcan be filled, or close the gaps in existing colour zones.

165

Chapter 3: Toolbars

Close Gap

Line

Allows you to close open shapes so that they can be filled with the Paint
tool. By drawing a stroke near a small gap in a shape, this tool will createa small invisible stroke connecting the two closest points around the gap.

Draws a straight line segment going from one point to the other.

Rectangle

Draws a rectangle.

EllipseDraws an ellipse.

Polyline

Allows you to draw shapes, segmented lines or complex curved lines byclicking to create each point in the sequence of line segments.

Dropper

Allows you to select a colour by clicking on a colour in your artwork.

Drawing Pivot

Allows you to position the pivot on a drawing layer by clicking where youwant its location to be.

Morphing

Allows you to create and configure a morphing sequence, which willautomatically generate the in-betweens between two drawings in thecurrent layer.

Hand

Allows you to pan the Camera and Drawing views.

Zoom

Allows you zoom in and out of the Camera and Drawing views.

Rotate View

Lets you rotate the Camera and Drawing views just like with a realanimation disc.

Animate Mode

Enables the Animate mode which records the position, rotation, scale,skew, etc. of objects as keyframes in the Timeline view. Turn off theAnimate mode to reposition objects for the entire scene. When the
Animate mode is disabled, keyframes are not created when an object's
parameters change.

Transform

Allows you to select drawing layers and position, rotate, scale and skew

166

Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

them.

Onion Skin

Displays the previous and next frames of an animation. Useful when
animating cut-out characters.

167

Chapter 3: Toolbars

Workspace Toolbar
The Workspace toolbar lets you load other workspaces. The first time you start Harmony, the default
workspace is loaded. Other workspaces are available such as the Hand-Drawn Animation and Compositing
workspaces; these display different views and toolbars. You can access these workspaces and any you create,from the Windows menu and the Workspace toolbar.

How to access the Workspace toolbar
1. Select Windows > Toolbars > Workspace.

Icon

Tool Name

Description

Workspace List

Allows you to select an existing workspace.

Workspace Manager

Opens the Workspace Manager where you canorganize, display, and remove workspace from yourlist.

Save Workspace

When the Automatically Save Workspace preferenceis disabled, the Save Workspace button becomes
available. This allows you to manually save your newworkspace configuration.

168

Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

View Toolbars
Harmony has a series of view specific toolbars that are only available in a given view. These toolbars can be
moved only within their view.
All view toolbars can be added, as long as the view is visible, through the top menu Windows > Toolbars >desired toolbar.

169

Chapter 4: Views

Chapter 4: Views
The Harmony interface is composed of different views, each one designed for a specific purpose. You can modify
the location of the views by adding a new view as a tab or as a window. You can also swap the location of aview.
When a view is active, a red rectangle appears around the view. Keyboard shortcuts and top menu options areassociated with the active view. If a menu option is greyed out, it means it does not apply to the layer, drawing
or other type of selection or the option does not apply to the active view.
Colour View

171

Drawing View

178

Integrated Help View

181

Message Log View

182

Model View

183

Tool Properties View

184

170

Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

Colour View
The Colour view is where you create colours and palettes and import existing palettes into your project. The
Colour view is also necessary for drawing, painting and creating colour styling.

How to access the Colour view
Do one of the following:l

From the top menu, select Windows > Colour.

lFrom any of the other views, click the Add View

button and select Colour.

Palette List Panel
Icon

OptionDescription

View Menu

The View menu contains all the commands and options that you canuse in the Colour view to manage colours and palettes.

171

Chapter 4: Views

Collapse/Expand Palette
List

Allows you to show or hide your palette list and its options. By default,
the palette list is displayed, but you may want to hide it if you areworking with a single palette and want to allow more vertical space forthe colour swatch list.

Add Palette

Allows you to create a new palette.

Deletes the currently selected palette. If the colour swatch is used inyour project, zones painted with colour swatches which have been
deleted will turn red, easily identifying them so you can repaint themwith another colour swatch.

Remove Palette

Link Palette

Allows you to add a palette from a different location, be it in a scene,
job, environment or even an element to your palette list. The palette will
be linked to its original location rather than copied to your scene's
folder. Hence, if you make changes to the original palette, it will affectthe colour of elements in your scene.
If you want to import a palette as a copy into your scene's palette library,right-click on your palette list and select Import. You can also link to apalette in any location on your machine or network by selecting Link
to External.
Moves palettes further up or down the palette list.

Order Palette List

Edit Palette List Mode
Indicator

If a palette has been cloned, the highest palette among the original
palette and its clone(s) will be used by Harmony.
In Harmony Server, this icon appears when you have the modifying
rights on your scene's palette list. While several users can work on ascene at the same time, only one user may have the right to modify apalette list at any given time.

172

Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

NOTE
In Harmony Stand Alone, you can always modify your scene's
palette list. On Harmony Server, you must unlock your palette
list before making modifications to it.

Show Colour Palettes

Shows only colour palettes in the palette list. This is the default option.

Show
Pencil Texture Palettes

Shows only pencil texture palettes in the palette list.

Show All Palettes

Shows both colour and pencil texture palettes in the palette list.

Palette List
Icon

Description

In Harmony Server, this indicates that you have the rights to modify the palette.

Indicates that the palette is stored at the same level as its palette list. For example, a palette that is stored
in the scene's palette library and which is listed in the scene's palette list, or a palette that is stored in anelement's palette library and which is listed in that same element's palette list.
Indicates that the palette file is stored in an external location, such as a different scene, an element in adifferent scene, a job other than the scene's job, or an environment other than the scene's environment.
This means the palette is liable to be missing if it is moved from its original location, or if the scene isexported from the database into an offline scene or to a different database.
This indicates that the palette is stored at a higher level than its palette list, making it a shared palette. For
example, a palette in your scene's palette list that is stored in the palette library of the scene's job or
environment, or a palette in an element's palette list that is stored in the palette library of the scene.
Indicates a potentially dangerous situation. For example, a palette file that is stored in one of the scene's
element folders, but which is added to your scene's palette list. The whole scene can use the palette, butsince it's stored inside an element, deleting that element will make your whole scene lose access to thatpalette.

173

Chapter 4: Views

Navigation Panel
Icon

OptionDescription

Previous Drawing

Navigates to the previous drawing in the loaded drawings list.

Next Drawing

Navigates to the next drawing in the loaded drawings list.

Previous Column

Switches to the previous column in the loaded columns.

Next Column

Switches to the next column in the loaded columns.

Line Art

View and edit the drawing's line art layer.

Colour Art

View and edit the drawing's colour art layer.

Preview Line Art and Colour Art

If enabled, both the drawing's line art and colour art layers will bevisible. If disabled, only the art layer you are currently working on
will be visible.

Colour Swatch List Panel
Icon

OptionDescription

Add Colour

Adds a new colour swatch to the bottom of your colour list.

Remove Colour

The Remove Colour button lets you delete the currently selectedcolour swatches. If the colour swatch is used in your project, andconfirmation dialog will appear prompting you to confirm that you
want to delete the colour. Zones painted with colour swatches whichhave been deleted will turn red, easily identifying them so you can
repaint them with another colour swatch.

174

Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

Allows you to import a bitmap image as a texture, which can be
painted with just like a colour. When used with the Brush or Paint
tools, bitmap textures are tiled inside the shape they fill. The scaling
and position of the texture inside their shape can be tweaked with theEdit Gradient/Texture tool. When used with the Pencil tool or one of
the Shape tools, a bitmap texture will follow the pencil line's
direction.

Add Texture

Set Current Brush Colour

When enabled, the colour you select in the colour view will beselected for the Brush tool.

Set Current Pencil Colour

When enabled, the colour you select in the colour view will beselected for the Pencil tool, as well as other tools that create pencil
lines, such as the Line, Rectangle, Ellipse and Polyline tools.

Set Current Paint Colour

When enabled, the colour you select in the colour view will beselected for the Paint tool.

175

Chapter 4: Views

When enabled, the colour you select will be selected for all drawing
tools. When disabled, you can select individual colours for the Brush,
Pencil and Paint tools.

Link/Unlink Three Colours

In Harmony Server, this allows you to get the modifying rights to theselected palettes.

Edit Palette Mode

Since several people can work on any given scene at the same time,and a palette can be shared between scenes, palettes may be loadedin read-only mode when opening a scene on a Harmony database.
Then, an user would only be able to edit a palette by first activating
Edit Palette Mode. This prevents several users from making changes
on the palette at the same time, since a user cannot activate Edit
Palette Mode on a palette that is already being edited by someone
else. This also prevents users from accidentally making modifications
on important palettes.
In Harmony Server, this icon appears when you have the modifying
rights on the currently selected palette.

Edit Palette Mode Indicator

NOTE
In Harmony Stand Alone, you can always modify yourpalettes.

Each colour swatch available in the Colour view can have its own
name, making it easy to identify which colour is used to paint whatpart of your character or background.

Colour Swatch NameNOTE
Two colours can have the same name. Harmony identifies
colours by an identification number.

176

Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

Also referred to as colour pots, the colour swatch is the actual colour
information for a colour in your palette. It is represented by arectangle displaying the colour in the list.
Colour Swatch

177Chapter 4: Views

Drawing View
Only the selected drawing is displayed by default in the Drawing view. You can use features, such as the lighttable to display the current drawing of all the enabled layers of your scene in washed-out colours, or the Onion
Skin to display the previous and next drawings of the currently selected drawing layer.

How to access the Drawing view
Do one of the following:l

From the top menu, select Windows > Drawing .

lFrom any of the other views, click the Add View

Icon

button and select Drawing.

SectionDescription

View Menu

The View menu contains all the tools and options thatyou can use in the Drawing view to draw, animate and178

Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

paint.
This is the main space in the Drawing view. It is where
you draw and where the drawings are displayed.

Drawing Area

The Zoom menu lets you enlarge or reduce the Camera
or Drawing view display.
To make the camera frame size always match the sizeof your view, select the Fit to View option. Click thedrop-down arrow and select a zoom level or press 1
and 2.

Zoom Menu

Drawing NameThe Drawing Name field displays the name of theselected drawing, as well as the layer containing it. If
the cell does not contain any drawing, an Empty
Cell text is shown in the field.

Tool Name

The Tool Name field displays the name of the selected
tool. If you temporarily override a drawing tool using akeyboard shortcut, the tool’s name will be highlighted
in red. You can temporarily override a tool by holding
its keyboard shortcut without the Alt key. For
example, the Select tool shortcut is Alt + S. If you holddown the S key, you will switch to the Select tool.
When you release the key, you will return to the tool
you were using.

Frame NumberThis field displays the current frame of the animation
you are working on.

Cursor Coordinates

This indicates the position of the your pointer in the179Chapter 4: Views

drawing area.
The Colour Picker allows you to select a colour for
drawing.

Colour Picker

The Drawing Thumbnails panel displays a list with
thumbnails of the loaded drawings. The highlighted
drawing is the one displayed in the drawing area. You
can select the drawing you want to paint directly from

Drawing Thumbnails
Panelthis list.

180

Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

Integrated Help View
Use the Integrated Help when you are unsure about what a certain menu item is or the function of a specificpreference in the Preferences panel.
If you keep the Integrated Help window open for the entire duration of your work session, then you can use theforward and backward arrows to scroll through a history of the help information that you called up during yoursession.

How to access the Integrated Help view
1. Do one of the following:l

From the top menu, select Windows > Integrated Help.

l

From any of the other views, click the Add View

181

button and select Integrated Help.

Chapter 4: Views

Message Log View
The Message log view displays information gathered during a render task, such as which frames and at whattime they were each rendered. The view also contains a list of the colour recovery operations.

How to access the Message Log view
Do one of the following:l

From the top menu, select Windows > Message Log.

l

From any of the other views, click the Add View

182

button and select Message Log.

Harmony 15.0 Paint Reference Guide

Model View
T-ANIMPA-004-004
Once you have a fully painted drawing, you can use it as a colour model and load it in the Model view. Thisdrawing can be used and loaded in any of your Harmony scenes.
Once a drawing is loaded in the Model view, you can use the Dropper

tool to select a colour from the modeland use it to paint in the Camera or Drawing view without having to pick the colour from the colour palette.

How to access the Model view
Do one of the following:l

From the top menu, select Windows > Model.

lFrom any of the other views, click the Add View

Icon

button and select Model.

SectionDescription

View Menu

The View menu contains all the tools and options thatyou can use to manage models.

Model View Toolbar

The Model View toolbar contains all the tools andoptions you can use in the Model view to navigate
through and manage models.

183

Chapter 4: Views

Tool Properties View
T-HFND-004-002
The Tool Properties view contains the most common options and operations related to the currently selected
tool. When you select a tool from the Tools toolbar, the Tool Properties view updates.
For example, if you choose the Select tool, the Tool Properties view will display the options and operations
related to it, such as Snap to Contour, Apply to All Drawings, Flip Horizontal, and Flatten.

NOTE
To learn more about the options appearing in the Tool Properties view, see Tools Properties on
page 32.

How to access the Tool Properties view
Do one of the following:l

From the top menu, select Windows > Tool Properties.

l

From any of the other views, click the Add View

184

button and select Tool Properties.