layering elements: Frames are composed of many elements which are layered to create the illusion of depth in 2D. Timeline layering in TBS is from the top down as listed vertically. So elements at the top of the timeline are closer to the viewer and elements at the bottom of the timeline are farther away from the viewer. Layering in the exposure sheet is from the reader’s left to right. (This is a change from earlier versions of TBS which were ordered from right to left). So elements on the exposure sheet which are on the reader’s left are closer to the camera then columns (elements) to the right.


One interesting difference in TBS is that you can designate a “positioning” type for an element that will establish it as a “foreground” or “background” element or just a “normal” element. (Elements are “normal” by default.) Foreground elements are automatically seen in front of other elements and background elements are automatically behind other elements, although there can still be hierarchical layering in the foreground “group” of elements and in the background “group” of elements.



Again this hierarchy is based on each group member element’s relative position with respect to other member elements of the same “positioning” type in the timeline and the exposure sheet. So some foreground elements can be positioned to display in front of other foreground elements and the same for background elements overlapping other background elements. Normal elements fall in between foreground elements and background elements for viewing.

The "z" Direction of 3D Space

There is another degree of layering available in Toon Boom beyond ordering in the exposure sheet or the time line track list and it involves using the "z" direction of 3D space also referred to as the Front/ Back position of the element. Elements in the exposure sheet or time line track list all start out with the same Front/Back position in 3D space. Essentially they are all on the same picture plane even though they are in a stack. So their relative layering order can be adjusted by positioning an element forward or backward by a fractional amount.

The Front/Back position of an element can be changed by using the scene planning “Select” tool (6). Select your object. Go to the Properties panel under the Drawing tab change the offset for the Z-direction which is the last Offset input box to the viewer’s right. Just a slight change of a .01 units either F (front) or B (back) is all that is required.

You can also move elements back and forth along the Z axis while in Camera View. Useful keyboard shortcuts are [Alt] + [Down Arrow] to bring the element one increment closer to the camera, and [Alt] + [Up Arrow] to push the element one increment back away from the camera. Using these shortcuts in Camera View will move elements in .01 increments. Again, you need to use the scene planning “Select” tool to select the desired element in the Camera view panel before trying to adjust its Front/Back position.


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