Color grading & final checks

While later versions added cloud sync and synthetic brushes, version 9 introduced features that felt revolutionary at the time and remain highly functional today.

You can now apply a stroke directly to an active selection line. By using the settings of your active brush (including erasers or airbrushes), this feature can create anything from sharp outlines to soft glow effects.

Sketchbook has always been a favorite for architectural and environment concept artists. Sketchbook Pro 9 brought a massive upgrade to the perspective guides. You could now drop a 1-point, 2-point, or 3-point perspective grid onto your canvas, lock your brush strokes to those vanishing points, and even draw ellipses in perspective. The "Fisheye" perspective mode, unique to this era, allowed for 5-point perspective drawing, which is essential for wide-angle concept art.

You might think using a decade-old app is foolish. However, for specific workflows, it is unmatched.