How to Do Layers in Adobe Illustrator CS3 With an Easy Approach
Adobe Illustrator, a vector drawing software application, features the ability to build up your drawing in "layers." Layers let you organize complex artwork, helping you improve your workflow efficiency. Layers can contain one or more objects, such as lines, ellipses, and photos. The layers (and objects in a layer) can be reordered, copied, protected, renamed, selected, and grouped. Layers have long been a feature of Illustrator. The techniques and features discussed here are available in other versions of Illustrator.
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Instructions
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Create a new document (File | New). For a good basic setup to use for this example is to set the Size to "800x600" and the Profile to "Basic RGB."
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Find the Layers palette on your screen. If necessary, open it by selecting Window | Layers. There is one layer named "Layer 1."
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Select the Rectangle tool and set the fill to yellow. Draw a rectangle. The outline and resize handles are blue, matching the blue layer color box next to "Layer 1" on the Layers palette. Each layer is created with a different selection color.
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Draw two or three more rectangles anywhere on the artboard. The Layers palette shows a preview thumbnail image of the layer.
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Click the arrow to the left of "Layer 1" on the Layers palette. A list of each object in the layer is displayed. Click the circle to the right of one of your listed rectangles to "target" (select) that rectangle. Click the target button for "Layer 1" to select all your rectangles.
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Double-click the "Layer 1" title. The "Layers Option" window appears. Change the name to "Rectangles." Click "OK." The layer is now titled "Rectangles."
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Click the "Create new layer" button at the bottom of the Layers palette. A new layer, called "Layer 2" is created. Use the Ellipse tool draw a few blue-filled circles, overlapping the rectangles. Change the layer name to "Circles." Drag the "Circles" layer below the "Rectangles" layer to reorder the layers. Make sure the black arrows that appear as you drag point at the line below "Rectangles" before letting go of the mouse button.
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Create a new layer, named "Shapes." Drag the "Circles" layer to the "Shapes" layer. Let go of the mouse when the little black arrows point at the middle of the "Shapes" entry on the Layers palette. Repeat with the "Rectangles" layer. Now "Rectangles" and "Circles" are grouped under "Shapes."
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Click the eye icon ("Toggles Visibility") on the left side of the "Rectangles" layer to hide the your rectangles. Click it again to show the rectangles.
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Tips & Warnings
Use the "Dim Images to..." Layer option makes doing photo tracings easy. Add a photo to a layer, set the "Dim Images to..." to 25% to 50%.
The Layers palette clipping mask tool is a great way to trim artwork and photos to a specific shape. The topmost object in the layer is used as the clipping mask.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Illustration of a butterfly image by Steve Johnson from Fotolia.com
