Things You Must Stop Doing in Sketch

“R is for rectangle, U is rounded rectangle, O is for oval. On your left is your layer list and on your right is the blending options for the layer”. This is how it all began, for a newcomer shifting from Photoshop to Sketch. I will admit the layout of the entire tool was fairly simple. But to complete an entire webpage in 3 hours was quite a daunting task.

4 years later, I’m inseparable from this tool. I can whip up anything on it, from the obvious UI screens to presentations, book covers, and maps for my tabletop gaming. I can handle it all. And over these years, I have built a regime when I use Sketch. This may or may not be useful to you, dear reader!

1. Did you know you can name your layers and groups? (sarcasm!)
   Over the past years, I have worked with small design teams with even shorter budgets. “So, you want me to spend time renaming all of these 32 screens?!” is typically the response I have received from my team members. As a result, we have sent out source files, or uploaded our files on Zeplin with kooky layer names like “Group 34 Copy 2, Rectangle 34 Copy 6”. Now, this gets me in my OCD feels. And here’s how I go about with this stuff:

This is how I typically get a sketch file :|

a) Rename the layer/group as soon as you create one. Trust me this helps. If you have no fancy naming conventions, then keep things simple. For those who like to click and not use keyboard shortcuts, try (⌘+G) to group your layers and then immediately (⌘+R) to rename it.
bg=background
img=image
ic=Icon
Card 1, Card 2

b) If you have no naming convention, then rename the design component to replicate the function it should serve. For eg. Header, Footer, Main Banner, Main Button…etc.

c) Still, feel like this is too much? Then there’s a handy dandy Sketch plugin that helps you rename a whole bunch of groups and layers (comes very handy when you are designing tables!)

d) Still not tickling your OCD tastebuds and you have the time to learn? The latest version of Sketch has just launched a tool called Assistants. Now you will have to install Assistants from their store (I recommend this. Assistants are similar to those nagging aunties in your society, and they will not stop until you fix each and every silly mistake you make while designing.

2. Position your groups as per the screen

You get the drift?

Simply put, all you need to do is arrange the groups in your list according to the structure of the screen you have designed. If your header is the first thing on the screen, then your group (hopefully renamed to ‘header’) is the first thing on your list. Now, why would you want to do this? Let’s say you’re tasked to make a website, and the deadline is tomorrow.

But during the day, you decided to eat Chinese from this shady eatery that always smells like good food cooking, and the end result is you are not going to be able to meet this deadline. Another designer jumps into your file to finish up where you left off. Wouldn’t it be faster if the other designer has little to no onboarding time on your file? The next time you fall sick, your team member will gladly cover for you rather than cower in fear by looking at your file.

3. Folder > Folder > Folder > Folder > Folder > One layer

Ugh! How I hate these

Honestly, how many of you have been through this? I would love to see claps for every designer that has been through this ordeal. You’d be clicking away at the group folder to deep-dive into what layers are inside them, only to be rewarded with a single icon path, as a rude birthday joke. Do you know how much the developers hate you for this? Even to this day, I wonder why we still do this.

4. Turn your grid on

Oh! The number of times I have seen designers go at a project at full speed without turning the grid on. Even the best designers turn the grid on while designing, so why can’t you? Having your grid on while designing saves you time and minimizes your chances of error while handing over the files to the developer.

To hear the developer say that your designs are all out of proportion deflates your massive creative ego. I have even been there once, and at 3:30 AM, I vowed to myself to have the grid turned on no matter what. And if you are a newbie trying to make sense of what a grid is, here’s a good starting point.

Now, these are a few things that I do to keep my Sketch files in order before I give them to another designer or hand them over to a developer. And I have been going home on time ever since! :)

Connect with me on LinkedIn (link provided below) if you’d like to learn more time-saving tactics along with other tips & tricks on Sketch.

The article has been curated by Anish Kumar, Interactions Designer at Monsoonfish with edits by Arun George, Digital Presence Manager.

You can follow Monsoonfish on Twitter/ Instagram / Facebook / LinkedIn.