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How to control pen stamp layering and depth in Scratch

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💡 Struggling with pen stamp ordering and visual layers? Need help with graphics depth? 🚀 Get Help Now

VD

VisualDev_Maya

Posted on July 21, 2025 • Intermediate

🎨 Need help with pen stamp layering

Hey everyone! I’m working on a video editor simulator project where I need to stamp different visual effects on screen. I have sprites with multiple costumes representing different video effects and editor interfaces.

My problem is with layering - when I stamp the effects, they always appear behind my editor sprite instead of in front, even when I use the “go to front layer” blocks. The stamps seem to ignore sprite layering completely!

How can I control the depth order of pen stamps so they appear in front of certain sprites? This is crucial for my UI design! 🎬

PL

PenLayer_Master

Replied 1 hour later • ⭐ Best Answer

Great question @VisualDev_Maya! This is a common confusion about how pen stamps work. Let me explain the layering system and give you several solutions:

🎯 Understanding Pen Stamp Layers

Here’s how Scratch’s layering system works:

flowchart TD A[🎭 Stage Background] --> B[📝 Pen Layer] B --> C[🎪 Sprite Layer 1] C --> D[🎪 Sprite Layer 2] D --> E[🎪 Sprite Layer 3] E --> F[🎪 Front Sprite] G[⚠️ Key Point] --> H[Pen stamps are ALWAYS behind ALL sprites] style A fill:#e3f2fd style B fill:#fff3e0 style G fill:#ffebee style H fill:#ffebee

🔧 Solution 1: Strategic Stamping Order

The most reliable approach is to stamp everything in the correct back-to-front order:

    define render scene
// Clear the stage first
erase all

// Stamp background elements first
switch costume to [background v]
stamp

// Then stamp middle layer elements
switch costume to [middle effects v]
stamp

// Finally stamp foreground elements
switch costume to [foreground effects v]
stamp

// Now show sprites that need to be on top
broadcast [show UI sprites v]

🎨 Solution 2: Hybrid Sprite-Stamp System

Use sprites for elements that need to be in front, stamps for backgrounds:

    // For background elements - use stamps
define stamp background
go to x: [0] y: [0]
switch costume to [editor background v]
stamp

// For foreground elements - use sprite clones
define create foreground effect (effect_type)
create clone of [Effect Sprite v]

when I start as a clone
switch costume to (effect type)
go to front layer
show

🔄 Solution 3: Dynamic Re-rendering

Re-stamp the entire scene whenever layering changes:

    when I receive [update layers v]
// Hide all sprites temporarily
broadcast [hide all sprites v]

// Re-render everything in correct order
erase all
render background
render middle layer
render effects

// Show sprites that should be on top
broadcast [show top sprites v]

define render background
repeat (length of [background objects v])
go to x: (item (counter) of [bg x positions v]) y: (item (counter) of [bg y positions v])
switch costume to (item (counter) of [background objects v])
stamp
end

🚀 Solution 4: Advanced Layering System

Create a comprehensive layer management system:

    // Layer management variables
when flag clicked
set [current layer v] to [1]
delete all of [layer 1 objects v]
delete all of [layer 2 objects v]
delete all of [layer 3 objects v]

define add to layer (layer_num) (object_type) (x_pos) (y_pos)
if <(layer_num) = [1]> then
add (join (object_type) (join [,] (join (x_pos) (join [,] (y_pos))))) to [layer 1 objects v]
else
if <(layer_num) = [2]> then
add (join (object_type) (join [,] (join (x_pos) (join [,] (y_pos))))) to [layer 2 objects v]
else
add (join (object_type) (join [,] (join (x_pos) (join [,] (y_pos))))) to [layer 3 objects v]
end
end

define render all layers
erase all
render layer [1]
render layer [2]
render layer [3]

💡 Pro Tips for Better Layering

Here are some advanced techniques:

Depth Sorting:

    define sort objects by depth
// Simple bubble sort for depth ordering
repeat (length of [objects v])
repeat ((length of [objects v]) - (counter))
if <(item (counter) of [object depths v]) > (item ((counter) + (1)) of [object depths v])> then
// Swap objects
set [temp object v] to (item (counter) of [objects v])
replace item (counter) of [objects v] with (item ((counter) + (1)) of [objects v])
replace item ((counter) + (1)) of [objects v] with (temp object)
end
end
end

Selective Re-rendering:

    define update region (x1) (y1) (x2) (y2)
// Only re-render objects in the specified region
set [render x1 v] to (x1)
set [render y1 v] to (y1)
set [render x2 v] to (x2)
set [render y2 v] to (y2)

repeat (length of [all objects v])
set [obj x v] to (item (counter) of [object x positions v])
set [obj y v] to (item (counter) of [object y positions v])

if <<(obj x) > (render x1)> and <<(obj x) < (render x2)> and <<(obj y) > (render y1)> and <(obj y) < (render y2)>>>> then
// Object is in update region, re-stamp it
go to x: (obj x) y: (obj y)
switch costume to (item (counter) of [object types v])
stamp
end
end

Remember: Pen stamps are always behind sprites, so plan your visual hierarchy accordingly! 🎨

VD

VisualDev_Maya

Replied 30 minutes later

@PenLayer_Master This is incredibly helpful! Thank you! 🎉

I implemented the hybrid system and it works perfectly. The background stamps first, then my UI sprites show on top. One question - is there a performance difference between using many stamps vs many sprite clones?

PE

Performance_Expert

Replied 45 minutes later

@VisualDev_Maya Great question about performance! Here’s the breakdown:

Pen Stamps:

  • ✅ Very fast rendering
  • ✅ Low memory usage
  • ❌ Can’t be moved individually
  • ❌ Always behind sprites

Sprite Clones:

  • ✅ Individual control
  • ✅ Proper layering
  • ❌ Higher memory usage
  • ❌ Slower with many objects (300+ clones)
    // Performance tip: Use stamps for static backgrounds
define optimize rendering
if <(number of moving objects) < [50]> then
use sprite clones
else
use stamp system with periodic refresh
end

For your video editor, I’d recommend stamps for the static UI background and clones for interactive elements! 🚀

GA

GraphicsArtist_Sam

Replied 1 hour later

Love seeing graphics programming discussions! 🎨 Here are some creative layering techniques I use:

  • Parallax backgrounds: Multiple stamp layers moving at different speeds
  • Depth masks: Use transparency effects to simulate depth
  • Dynamic shadows: Stamp shadows first, then objects on top
  • Particle systems: Combine stamps and clones for complex effects

The key is understanding that stamps create a “painted” background that sprites can move over. Think of it like traditional animation cels! 🎬

VB

Vibelf_Community

Pinned Message • Moderator

🎨 Ready to Master Advanced Graphics Programming?

Excellent discussion on layering systems! For those looking to create even more sophisticated visual effects, our community can help you implement:

  • 🖼️ Advanced rendering pipelines
  • 🌟 Particle effect systems
  • 🎭 Complex animation frameworks
  • 🎮 3D graphics simulation

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