In this Sketch UI tutorial you will learn how to design a travel app login screen design.
For starters you will learn how to create simple buttons, how to copy style attributes, and how to save and use symbols or nested symbols. All these little features will ease your work throughout this Sketch UI design tutorial.
Next, using simple shapes, paths, and vector shape building techniques, you will learn how to add pixel perfect icons to your Sketch UI design. Finally, you’ll learn how to add text content and image fills to your Sketch design.
Sketch UI Templates on GraphicRiver
For more inspiration on how to adjust or improve your final Sketch UI design you can find plenty of resources at GraphicRiver.
What You Will Need:
To recreate exactly what I walk through during this tutorial you will need the following resources available from Envato Elements. Alternatively you can substitute these assets with free fonts and images from elsewhere.
- Auro font
- Alma Mono font
- Web and social icons vector set
- Aerial view of rocks and blue sea lagoon in Greece photo
1. How to Set Up the Artboard
Go to Insert > Artboard from the toolbar or menu (or press A) and the Inspector will reveal a list of artboard templates. Click the iPhone 11 template to create a 414 x 896 px artboard. Once you’re done, hit Escape to deselect your artboard.
2. How to Save and Use Symbols in a Sketch App Design
Step 1
Go to Insert > Shape > Rectangle from the toolbar or menu (or press R). Create a shape the size of your artboard (282 x 150 px), make sure that it covers your entire artboard and that it stays selected.
Go to the Inspector panel and focus on the Style section. Uncheck the Borders checkbox to disable the border applied to your rectangle and keep the default Fill color.
Step 2
Go to Insert > Shape > Rectangle from the toolbar or menu (or press R). Create a 320 x 60 px shape, make sure that it stays selected and focus on the Inspector panel.
First, let’s use the X & Y input boxes to numerically place this new rectangle. Enter 47 in the X box and 730 in the Y box and your shape should move to the bottom side of the artboard, as shown in the following image.
Keep focusing on the Inspector panel, drag the Radius slider to 30 and then move to the Style section. Disable the existing Border and change the Fill color to #F9732E.
Step 3
Go to Insert > Text from the toolbar or menu (or press T). Click once on your artboard and focus on the Text section from the Inspector panel.
Select the Alma Mono font, set the size to 20 and the color to white (#FFFFFF), and then simply type the "SIGN UP" piece of text. Place it as shown in the following image.
Step 4
Select your orange rounded rectangle along with the "SIGN UP" piece of text and click the Create Symbol from the toolbar, or choose Layer > Create Symbol in the menu. Name your symbol "Button Orange" and click OK. This will create a master symbol separate from your artboard. If you make a change to a master this will also show in any instances of that symbol in your document.
Step 5
Go to Insert > Shape > Rectangle from the toolbar or menu (or press R). Create a new 320 x 60 px shape, make sure that it stays selected and focus on the Inspector panel.
Again, use the X & Y input boxes to numerically position your selection. Enter the values shown in the following image and then drag the Radius slider to 30.
Keep focusing on the Inspector panel and move to the Style section. Disable the existing Border and change the Fill color to #4FD44E.
Step 6
Make sure that your green shape is still selected and save it as a symbol using the same Create Symbol button from your toolbar. Name this new symbol "Button Green" and click OK.
Step 7
Focus on your two master symbols as you’re about to create a simple nested symbol.
Go to Insert > Document > Button Green to add an instance the green symbol. Place it perfectly above the "Button Orange" master symbol and then click the Backward button from your toolbar to move the newly added symbol instance behind the text. In the end things should look like in the second image.
Step 8
Return to your artboard and notice that the bottom button is now green. This simply happened because of the changes that were made to its master symbol in the previous step.
Select this symbol instance and focus on the Overrides section from the Inspector panel. Open that Button Green drop-down menu and select No Symbol to remove the "Button Green" symbol override and return to the original instance of the symbol.
Step 9
Move to the top button, right click it and go to Replace > Document > Button Orange. Move to the Symbol section from the Inspector panel, enter "SIGN IN" in the text override box and keep the "Button Green" symbol override.
3. How to Add the Social Buttons and the Message Boxes in a Sketch Design
Step 1
Go to Insert > Shape > Rectangle from the toolbar or menu (or press R). Create a 130 x 25 px shape, make sure that it stays selected and focus on the Inspector panel.
Use the X & Y input boxes to numerically position your selection as shown below and then drag the Radius slider to 12.5.
Focus on the Style section from the Inspector panel, disable the existing Border, change the Fill color to black (#000000) and lower its Opacity to 70%.
Once you’re done, hit the Commnad-Option-C keyboard shortcut to copy the style of your selection.
Step 2
Go to Insert > Text from the toolbar or menu (or press T). Click once on your artboard and focus on the Text section from the Inspector panel.
Select the San Francisco font, set the size to 10 and the color to white (#FFFFFF). Type the piece of text shown below and place it as shown in the following image.
Step 3
Go to Insert > Shape > Oval from the toolbar or menu (or press O). Create a 60 px circle, make sure that it stays selected and use the X & Y input boxes to numerically position your selection as shown below.
Focus on the Style section from the Inspector panel, disable the existing Border and change the Fill color to black (#000000).
Step 4
Make sure that your black circle is still selected and go to Arrange > Make Grid. Enter the attributes shown in the following image and then click the Make Grid button. This will add three copies of your black circle, as shown in the following image.
Select these circles one by one, go to the Style section from the Inspector panel and replace the black with the colors shown below.
Step 5
Go to View > Canvas > Show All Guides to enable the Smart Guides.
Import the four icons that you need from this Web and social icons vector set. Resize them, change the color to white (#FFFFFF) and place them as shown in the following image. The Smart Guides will make it easier for you to perfectly center these icons.
Step 6
Go to Insert > Shape > Rectangle from the toolbar or menu (or press R). Create a new 180 x 25 px shape, make sure that it stays selected and focus on the Inspector panel.
Use the Smart Guides to position your selection as shown below and then drag the Radius slider to 12.5.
Focus on the Style section from the Inspector panel, disable the existing Border, change the Fill color to white (#FFFFFF) and lower its Opacity to 70%.
Step 7
Go to Insert > Text from the toolbar or menu (or press T). Click once on your artboard and focus on the Text section from the Inspector panel.
Select the San Francisco font, set the size to 10 and the color to black (#000000). Type the piece of text shown below and place it as shown in the following image.
Step 8
Go to Insert > Shape > Rectangle from the toolbar or menu (or press R). Create a 110 x 25 px shape, make sure that it stays selected and hit Command-Option-V to paste the style attributes copied several steps ago.
Use the Smart Guides to position your selection as shown below and don’t forget to drag the Radius slider to 12.5.
Step 9
Go to Insert > Text from the toolbar or menu (or press T). Click once on your artboard and focus on the Text section from the Inspector panel.
Select the San Francisco font, set the size to 10 and the color to white (#FFFFFF). Type the piece of text shown below and place it as shown in the following image.
4. How to Add the Input Fields in a Sketch App Design
Step 1
Go to Insert > Shape > Rectangle from the toolbar or menu (or press R). Create a 320 x 60 px shape, make sure that it stays selected and hit Command-Option-V to paste the style attributes copied several steps ago.
Use the Smart Guides to position your selection as shown below and don’t forget to drag the Radius slider to 30.
Step 2
Focus on left side of the rounded rectangle made in the previous step. Go to Insert > Shape > Oval from the toolbar or menu (or press O). Create a 30 px circle, make sure that it stays selected and use the X & Y input boxes to numerically position your selection as shown below.
Focus on the Style section from the Inspector panel, disable the existing Border and change the Fill color to white (#FFFFFF).
Step 3
Select the black rounded rectangle and the white circle made in the previous two steps and duplicate them (Command-C > Command-V).
Make sure that only the copies are selected and place them as shown in the following image. Once again, the Smart Guides will come in handy.
Step 4
Focus on your bottom white circle. Go to Insert > Shape > Rectangle from the toolbar or menu (or press R). Create a 12 x 10 px shape and place it as shown in the first image. Drag the Radius slider to 2, disable the Border and set the Fill color to #D8D8D8.
Using the same tool, create an 8 x 10 px shape and place it as shown in the second image. This time drag the Radius slider to 4, disable the Fill and focus on the Border. Set the color to #D8D8D8, increase its Width to 3 and check the Inside alignment button. Make sure that this shape stays selected and go to Layer > Convert to Outlines to convert that stroke into an editable vector path.
Select both shapes made in this step and click the Union button from your toolbar.
Step 5
Go to Insert > Shape > Rectangle from the toolbar or menu (or press R). Create a 2 x 4 px shape and place it as shown in the first image. Drag the Radius slider to 1, disable the Border and set the Fill color to black.
Select this black rounded rectangle along with the shape made in the previous step and click the Subtract button from your toolbar.
Select your lock icon along with the white circle that lies in the back and click the Subtract button from your toolbar. In the end things should look like in the fourth image.
Step 6
Move up, to the remaining white circle. Focus on your bottom white circle. Go to Insert > Shape > Oval from the toolbar or menu (or press O). Create a 20 px circle and place it as shown in the first image. Duplicate this shape (Command-C > Command-V), select the copy and place it as shown in the second image.
Select both shapes made in this step and click the Intersect button from your toolbar.
Step 7
Go to Insert > Shape > Oval from the toolbar or menu (or press O). Create an 8 px circle and place it as shown in the first image.
Select the two grey shapes along with the white circle that lies in the back and click the Subtract button from your toolbar. In the end things should look like in the third image.
5. How to Add a Small Logo in a Sketch Design
Step 1
Go to Insert > Shape > Oval from the toolbar or menu (or press O). Create a 44 px circle, disable the Border and set the Fill color to #FFFFFF.
Double click this new shape to activate the Edit mode. Select the bottom point and drag it 22px down. Hold down the Shift key while dragging to constrain the movement of your selection to the vertical axis. Once you’re done, double click this point to turn it from a mirrored point into a straight point.
Step 2
Make sure that the shape made in the previous step is still selected and go to Layer > Path > Offset Path.... Drag the Offset slider to -8 and click OK. Select the resulting shape and change the Fill color to black.
Step 3
Go to Insert > Shape > Oval from the toolbar or menu (or press O). Create a 42 px circle and place it as shown in the first image. Select it along with the black shape and click the Intersect button from your toolbar.
Go again to Insert > Shape > Oval from the toolbar or menu (or press O). This time create a 16 px circle, fill it with black and place it as shown in the fourth image.
Step 4
Select the water drop shape and focus on the Style section from the Inspector panel. Disable the Fill and activate the Border. Change its color to white and increase the Width to 8, and then make sure that the Center and the Round Joins buttons are checked.
Step 5
Select the two black shapes and change their fill color to white.
Select the three shapes highlighted in the second image and click the Group button from your toolbar. Make sure that your group is selected and place it as shown in the third image.
Step 6
Go to Insert > Text from the toolbar or menu (or press T) and add two pieces of text.
Select the Auro font, set the size to 50 and the color to white (#FFFFFF). Type the pieces of text shown below and place them as shown in the following images.
6. How to Add the Image Background in a Sketch App Design
Step 1
First, download this Aerial view of rocks and blue sea lagoon in Greece photo or any other photo that you prefer.
Select the grey rectangle that covers your entire artboard and focus on the Style section from the Inspector panel.
Click the Fill color well and then click the Image Fill button on the right in the popover window. Select your image by choosing Choose Image… and you’re Sketch design is done.
Congratulations! Your Sketch UI Design is Done!
Here is how it should look. I hope you’ve enjoyed this Sketch app design tutorial and can apply these techniques in your future projects. Don’t hesitate to share your final result in the comments section.
Feel free to adjust the final Sketch design and make it your own. You can find some great sources of inspiration at GraphicRiver, with interesting solutions to improve your Sketch UI skills.
Want to Learn More?
We have loads of Sketch UI tutorials on Tuts+, beginner to intermediate level, take a look!
Tips and Tricks for a Responsive Design Process in Sketch
A Walkthrough of the Prototyping Tools in Sketch
How to Design a Money Management App UI in Sketch
How to Use Sketch Symbols to Create Flow Diagrams
Quick Tip: Recreate Apple Watch’s Activity Rings in Sketch
How to Organize Your Sketch Styles and Symbols Like a Pro
Sketch in 60 Seconds: Resizing Element Groups
10+ New Sketch Plugins to Improve Your Design Workflow
Mastering Alignment and Distribution in Sketch
How to Design an Icon Using Boolean Operations in Sketch
