Importing Layers in Mental Canvas

This tutorial shows the process of importing a layers stack into Mental Canvas and using the projection tools to turn it into a spatial scene. This is featuring the newest update on iOS which enables group image import. We hope you’ll give it a try & enjoy!
This was shown using Procreate, but the process applies regardless of the software you use to create the layers: first you will export the layers as PNGs and then import them into Mental Canvas.
Thank you to Kamila Stankiewicz for illustrating this beautiful piece and sharing it with us for the tutorial!
Notes:
This is a new feature and it varies by OS:
iOS13 = limits to 1 image import at a time
iOS14 = New group import feature but it’s not ordered
iOS15 = New group import feature that allows the layers to be ordered
*Note there is an Apple Bug with iOS 15.1+ see below
If your images are coming in opaque rather than transparent, there are a couple things to check:
1) First, confirm that they have transparency in the photos album by tapping on them in the photos library (see 00:30). The background should turn black if they are transparent. If they are not transparent in the photos library, the issue could be due to the way you’re exporting the layers, or the Apple Photo library converting PNGs to JPG. In Procreate, make sure you have the background layer turned off to export with transparency. In your Photo Setting, make sure "Download and Keep Originals" is enabled.
2) If the images are transparent in the photos library, but they are not transparent when imported into Mental Canvas, this is likely due to an Apple bug with iOS 15.1 that causes image import to lose transparency. See here: developer.apple.com/forums/th.... We're hoping for a fix ASAP but in the meantime, we have disabled multi image import in 15.1 to avoid this issue. Users on iOS 15.1 will be able to import individual images with transparency. If you have not yet upgraded to iOS 15.1 and you want to use this workflow, we recommend waiting until it has been fixed. We will update this description and share when there is a fix.
Timestamps:
00:00 Intro & Exporting PNGs
00:47 Open Mental Canvas File
01:15 Import PNGs
02:13 Save Bookmark view
03:19 Hinge the Ground
04:50 Project Layers
07:00 Save Bookmarks to create the fly through
08:11 Additional Edits: Hinging the gate open
09:55 Exporting the Video & Notes

[@MentalCanvas]

In our latest update we moved the aspect ratio settings to the "Export" menu. If you don't see them in the bookmark settings as the tutorial shows, they will be under "Export" along with the video & image export!

[@Siyota]

I was just about to ask in the comments about this lol. Thank you 😊

[@sall8774]

I don’t have ratio in export menu just found (Resolution ) , I must subscribe to get this button?

[@MentalCanvas]

@@sall8774 No need to subscribe, this feature is available to everyone! If you're not seeing it in the export menu, just update your app from the App Store. On the older versions the aspect ratio setting is in the Bookmarks bar as shown in the video tutorial.

[@rahulgupta4234]

I had the same question. I did see the aspect ratio in the export option, however it messes up the parallax effect. Is there any way I can set a canvas to specific aspect ratio?

[@Alien.999.19]

F, f ‏‪3:و ؤطؤطؤطوََ طظططؤ ط َطـوووطططؤططؤطط ‏‪3:19‬‏ ظ 32‬‏ َ ​@@sall8774

[@johndeggendorf7826]

👍 Brilliant…simple & elegant interface. Never even heard of Mental Canvas, and 10 minutes later, I’m a raging fan. ✊☕️🎩🎩🎩

[@DavidBluelineGaming]

This is very helpful and inspiring - you have a lovely illustration style.

[@deerhorns3198]

Thank you so much for this video! Everything is so well explained and clear, keep it up!

[@argbanks]

This was very helpful and easy to follow - thank you!

[@EricDoggett]

This really is a great product, but $60/month is pricey if we are just using it to import layers and animate. Maybe consider having a cheaper tier that only includes the import/animation features (no drawing) so that we can do more affordable fly-throughs of our own art? I get that there are certain production houses that would warrant a $60/month fee, but there are also a lot of independents who love the animation component and aren't creating storyboards for Hollywood productions.

[@Edcabraltv]

I agree. It is same price as Adobe and Adobe you get a whole bunch of apps.

[@xokhaliah]

yeah the pricing is absolutely ridiculous, especially since you can buy the creative cloud for the same price and get a multitude of apps and do this same thing in photoshop and after effects…. should be a one time purchase honestly subscriptions are such a disappointing feature (adobe isn’t exempt)

[@hellboundtruck123]

@@xokhaliah yepp, totally agree.

[@Scrunchiebyjess]

I agree even procreate itself is way cheaper and includes the brushes that paid too

[@avamipo]

Is paid? I started using it with no payment, just needed to sign up with an email and the code I got from the app that was sent to my email account.

[@MikkoTyllinen]

Thats awesome! Thank you!

[@Edcabraltv]

Good job on your tutorial. Thanks for the help. Now I know what to do. Lools pretty straight forward.🥰😋

[@filiaikasyilviani408]

Thanks for the tutorial

[@aycegungor3823]

BROTHER, YOU ARE THE BEST!!! You oooh really helped me!! THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

[@karishma7316]

Generally I don’t comment on videos but this is very informative and well explained.Thank you

[@ahamarlin1]

Very informative, thank you!

[@Lenniefinch]

Make sure you turn of the background layer in Procreate. I missed this

[@enziees]

Thank you so much, you’re a lifesaver

[@Kiki-bp2zx]

Just downloaded the app really loved it hope I will get more features ❤❤❤

[@LEEKEE_0209]

Thanks you for sharing information:)

[@makovaya_bulochka]

Thanks for tutorial))

[@staywithjude5634]

I wish there where more tutorials this is a great software T^T

[@LEMBAH_HITAM]

very helpfull video, thank's a lot

[@openbook8068]

Unbelievable amazing

[@user-ug5zo5ey3p]

I looooove it 😍

[@ANDREZMARZOyt]

Thank you !!!!!!

[@andreyarborough]

Thanks a lot

[@IASpt365]

Pls reduce the price.. Make it like Procreate or double the price Procreate for liftetime version . lots of people will gonna buy it, there will be your monopoly in this area, Otherwise somebody will come into this area with affordable price and your beautiful monopoly will collapse . Pls i request you at lease make it 40$ for life time version. Your current 60$ per month is too much

[@sobatmanga1012]

Up

[@SpadeApeiron]

exactly What Blender did in 3D industry lol ~ I love this & didn't understand there one price which is reasonable for permanent and then subscription. So of course i was amazed by it and forgot about it when it showed me watermark. After effects can do the same but here its less burdening so, they made it expensive. its weird to support beautiful things with a catch like tht.

[@Vectormaestros]

game changer!

[@PanjiBanner]

more simple than with AE! 😍

[@liliyalady7004]

Это не реально крутая программа 🔥🔥🔥❤️❤️❤️ Как же она мне нравится!!! Спасибо, программисты!

[@WatercoloristSyangtan]

awesome...!

[@yiviarts]

Downloaded today. Its extremely fascinating what you can do there. And it's still free. You guys are the best!

[@liliyalady7004]

Как? Где вы скачали этому программу бесплатно? У меня не получается

[@thatpersonyoudidntknowexis149]

@@liliyalady7004 It's free on windows but for some reason the interface is not so different from the ipad version. It's a bit disadvantage to use on PC coz there's things you can't do. Like zooming in and out.

[@dievaderwanti6741]

you can actually zoom in and out by pressing alt and swipe ur pen tablet up and down

[@marala11]

Awesome presentation and explanation of how to use leyera in this app! Thanks for sharing!

[@lelex5790]

It would be great if this app can add layer animation editing function

[@jonathandcm9058]

that would be game-changing. I’d love to try it

[@antholinmamugay8745]

Amazing this is really good tutorial!

[@breleleu]

Perfect

[@levanamashukeli]

cool very informative Than you

[@lefthandstory1280]

Very nice sharing😃✌️..

[@PatilEditor]

Thanks 🙏

[@matador.oficial]

Great!

[@acybirdy]

Thanks

[@JOESeunghee]

I don't have an ipad nor that mental canvas app. and I don't know why I'm watching this but it's interesting

[@arvenasaur]

How is this program even free?!! Mental Canvas is amazing and a blast to use!

[@Quetciel]

It is’nt free. You must pay $60 per month when the free trial ends

[@fatemenasiri3285]

@@Quetciel after how long does the free period ends?

[@ManicMuppit]

OH MY GOD THATS HIW YOU TURN IT INTO A SQUARE 😂 Thank you! It was driving me mad!

[@awanyustira5594]

Maturnuwun lik

[@KomediKuncir]

Makasih...

[@huesandtones]

Yesterday…. What is this thing called Mental Canvas? Today… did my first project using MCD and loving it! Thank you for the wonderful tutorial!

[@NinskyGoc]

je me retrouve toujours avec un fond blanc sur mes PNG importé, dommage :/ (Ipad pro M1)

[@inbalmoses6634]

It doesn't work with transparent for me..what can I do? I did exactly she said

[@MentalCanvas]

Unfortunately, there is an Apple bug in the latest iOS release 15.1 which causes image import to lose transparency. We've added more detail in the description and will update when there is a fix

[@hoctainhagioiphapha2667]

see you again, thank you

[@danumarendraw6233]

nica, looks like a pack of simple layer animation in after effect

[@alejandrovazquez2208]

es muy caro (casi u$s 600anual) y no hay nada que no pueda hacer el After. Odio que me pongan las marcas de agua de publicidad. así como lo descargue lo borre.

[@Vo-iDstudio]

Thx

[@hellboundtruck123]

$673 for subscription is nuts!!

[@ainimight]

Hello, can someone help me in finding the settings options in the bookmark area where she resizes the canvas?

[@rax_fe]

My images are coming in a white background even though I check that they have transparency in the photos library 💔

[@rainygraphic9531]

Same issue! How to fix this 🥴😭?

[@MentalCanvas]

Unfortunately, there is an Apple bug in the latest iOS release 15.1 which causes image import to lose transparency. We've added more detail in the description and will update when there is a fix.

[@rainygraphic9531]

@@MentalCanvas thank you!

[@mkalakaar]

Yupp same problem after update it's not working

[@Julian.V99]

Amazing!! Is there any way this would be available to phone users as well? It would be of so much help❤

[@sobatmanga1012]

Up

[@MentalCanvas]

We are interested in exploring opportunities with the phone but it would be a very different experience from the larger tablet interface. Drawing can be challenging on such a small device but there are still some interesting possibilities even with the smaller screen. We will take your feedback into consideration.

[@melaniestable8742]

Hi did the same thing to exports the layer png and when I go to picture I isn’t transparency. Do you know what to do?

[@skeletonmadruga9387]

Hey will this be added to android too? I would love to use it

[@lfm6628]

Thank you for making this tutor video🤍

[@unmeshshirsath8937]

hello a quick question. my png layers after hinging or moving gets disappeared from layers menu and also it fades a bit. can you help me with this?

[@ZBlastGamer]

can u add alpha matte videos as a feature in the future

[@MohammedAli-zi2dp]

I use windows why not all captions are available , I download it from Microsoft stor

[@miranda4270]

It would be cool if its available on android i really want to try it

[@corbillat6718]

I don't have a preview like on the video mine has everything in transparent, very not practical to see corretly, how can I fix it?

[@triutamiharun5364]

Hello, how can I found setting for my ratio? In doesnt appear on my canvas :(

[@TamayoAnimation]

The aspect ratio doesn’t seem to be located you find it in the video, I just downloaded this program on my Microsoft surface studio 2+ and am trying to import photos from Krita, help me please!

[@MentalCanvas]

Hi, in our latest update we moved the aspect ratio settings to the "Export" menu. If you don't see them in the bookmark settings as the tutorial shows, they will be under "Export" along with the video & image export!

[@hasoevo]

After a project is completed in Mental Canvas, what can be done with it? I haven't seen anything covering sharing or exporting Mental Canvas projects.

[@hasoevo]

@Cory Brown thnx for the info., much appreciated. 🍻😎👍 I'm more of a AR/VR artist. I was hoping to be able to export for that reason. I still like Memes Canvas and I think it will be a useful tool for AR/VR projects. 👍

[@paulareyesrosales7998]

I can´t import png files! why?

[@MentalCanvas]

Unfortunately, there is an Apple bug in the latest iOS release 15.1 which causes image import to lose transparency. We've added more detail in the description and will update when there is a fix.

[@TheArtofJayaGoutham]

Hi i couldn't find the setting in bookmark where i need to change the aspect ratio

[@MentalCanvas]

Hi, in our latest update we moved the aspect ratio settings to the "Export" menu. If you don't see them in the bookmark settings as the tutorial shows, they will be under "Export" along with the video & image export!

[@simabegum39]

I can’t get my aspect ratio right for the piece that I want to convert

[@thomass7140]

I can’t figure out how to import more images after the initial 5

[@kuhelidutta8152]

Just need your app on android ❤️

[@user-rp9rx4ur5v]

Where can I get accessories and images like these? Can you tell me please?😊

[@qudsna11]

Welcome How can I export the project to the phone? To create a wedding invitation, for example

[@JonIzen-xh2yz]

Question for you. When I move a layer forward in the projection menu and hit validate, it does not hold its new position/ does not create a new canvas. Any clue what I am doing wrong?

[@MentalCanvas]

Hi, if you're still experiencing this issue feel free to send us a screen recording to [e-mail] and we'd be happy to take a look!

[@gebimoyart7127]

why my bookmarks dont have settings, is just timeline and visibility? can someone help please

[@MentalCanvas]

Hi, in our latest update we moved the aspect ratio settings to the "Export" menu. You can find them there along with the video & screenshot export - hope this helps!

[@staywithjude5634]

hey there, I have problem importing pngs in Room template:( Dunno how to change the size it never fits:( Can you guys help me?

[@MentalCanvas]

Hello, you can select the image and use the "move" tool to scale/rotate/move. Please see the "selecting and editing" video to learn more

[@tsmith4361]

So i tried to do this and i can only see one layer at a time. i thought i exported them wrong but i triple check this. am i missing something?

[@MentalCanvas]

Unfortunately, there is an Apple bug in the latest iOS release 15.1 which causes image import to lose transparency. We've added more detail in the description above and will update when there is a fix. For the time being, we've released an update that will fix transparency but limit image import to one at a time

[@user-ws1bj4pu5r]

Will mental canvas be available for iphones?

[@MentalCanvas]

We are interested in exploring opportunities with the phone but it would be a very different experience from the larger tablet interface. Drawing can be challenging on such a small device but there are still some interesting possibilities even with the smaller screen. We appreciate the feedback and will keep it in mind as we continue to develop the software.

[@husamminawi]

It’s a nightmare that I just downloaded the app and can’t do nothing without a specific pen :/

[@KimHaKimHa]

Is it possible on ipad?

[@Shin-fn7vk]

Hi i need help, i tried to export png files from procreate but everytime i upload to mental canvas it has a white background

[@MentalCanvas]

Unfortunately, there is an Apple bug in the latest iOS release 15.1 which causes image import to lose transparency. We've added more detail in the description and will update when there is a fix.

[@Shin-fn7vk]

@@MentalCanvas oh i see, will it be uipdated soon? id really love to use mental canvas

[@MentalCanvas]

@@Shin-fn7vk We will update the message in our description when the Apple bug gets fixed. We encourage you to keep using Mental Canvas, even without the multi-image import function until there is a fix.

[@wardsultan8527]

please help - i cant find aspect ratio in the most recent version. i am losing my mind

[@MentalCanvas]

Hi, in our latest update we moved the aspect ratio settings to the "Export" menu. If you don't see them in the bookmark settings as the tutorial shows, they will be under "Export" along with the video & image export!

[@darwinfishstix]

It only lets me import one layer at a time and they get messed up and I'm extremely frustrated 😠

[@MentalCanvas]

What iOS version are you using? Have you updated to the latest version of Mental Canvas? Feel free to email us at [e-mail] so we can help troubleshoot

[@omarolvera5440]

I can’t see the settings on the bookmark

[@hellboundtruck123]

This is waaay more expensive in India, it’s a cool concept but sheesh I won’t pay that much for a single feature, I’s rather do frame by frame in a video editor

[@rebeccarosenft]

How do I fix this error message when trying to export screenshots from mental canvas? “Error: could not display the share sheet- list of screenshot urls is empty”? I’ve tried everything I can think of.

[@MentalCanvas]

Hi, thank you for bringing this to our attention! Our engineers would love to look into this - could you send us the .mcs file for your project and information about your device and Mental Canvas Draw version to [e-mail]? In the meantime, you can try restarting the app and making sure you have bookmarks in the scene you're trying to export.

[@user-yd4td8bh1q]

Hi ;why I can’t drawing in mental canvas

[@brandorial-design]

So sad, that its just working on iPad and other hardware like that. On a "normal" PC there are so many important tools missing :(

[@MentalCanvas]

The Windows version does not lack any of the tools available on the iOS version. It was designed for touchscreen & pen devices, just like iOS, so it is not recommended for devices without touch/pen. Let us know what issues you're experiencing on the Windows version.

[@sobatmanga1012]

@@MentalCanvas Pls give permission to Iphone device to install this apps, why iphone user can't install this apps

[@paimonofficial9593]

Please make mental canvas for samsung please

[@owaisarshad4328]

Can you only change canvas settings if you have paid version ¿ ?

[@MentalCanvas]

No, it's available in free version as well! In our latest update we moved the aspect ratio settings to the "Export" menu. If you don't see them in the bookmark settings as the tutorial shows, they will be under "Export" along with the video & image export!

[@Girrlliiss]

Where to get the template ?

[@motionsam]

Please add some controls for non-touch windows devices in future. Thank you. I was shocked that you can't draw using wacom tablet.

[@MentalCanvas]

The software was designed for pen & touch interaction directly with the screen so we don’t recommend a Wacom drawing tablet without a screen. That said, you can give it a try. Here are the “express keys” to use with a Wacom tablet: Pan: Ctrl + pen gesture Zoom: Alt + pen gesture Twist: Shift + pen gesture

[@motionsam]

@@MentalCanvas thank you for your answer. I downloaded MC via Microsoft Store. Pen didn't draw at all. And hotkeys mentioned didn't move anything unfortunately (( Only rotation was available around the center.

[@MentalCanvas]

@@motionsam Please email us at [e-mail] so we can provide you with more information

[@hoctainhagioiphapha2667]

Good luck

[@user-pe6wg2cz5i]

这个软件非常强大，希望下个版本能支持中文，我可以提供翻译。This app is the greatest magic. I hope that can support Chinese in the next version, I can provide translation.

[@manilasimon5174]

Bookmark SETTING is missing in my mental canvas

[@MentalCanvas]

In our latest update we moved the aspect ratio settings to the "Export" menu. If you don't see them in the bookmark settings as the tutorial shows, they will be under "Export" along with the video & image export!

[@xijianchen6538]

你们的这个软件现在在中国很火，希望你们能出中文版的。 Your software is very popular in China, and I hope you can produce a Chinese version.

[@revanart6]

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️🌹👍👍👍

[@bdanimation2801]

Does it have frame by frame animation??

[@MentalCanvas]

You can use our visibility tool to create an animated flythrough of your Mental Canvas scene.

[@canoychristine981]

I truly need this on android plsss...

[@kdogzick5998]

today i can't import png from procreate why???

[@MentalCanvas]

Unfortunately, there is an Apple bug in the latest iOS release 15.1 which causes image import to lose transparency. We've added more detail in the description and will update when there is a fix.

[@willis2780]

My images aren't importing in MC like yours.

[@whitedevil-io2cr]

How to download mantal canvas in Android