Why layers?

When we draw different objects in our document, it can sometimes be difficult to select certain elements. Therefore it is recommended that these different objects are in different layers.

You should consider these different objects as superposed folders in transparent layers.

 

The Layers panel

To open the “Layers” panel menu, click the “Layers” (1) in the panel bar. If this not visible, then you click the “Window” button (2) in the menu bar and select “Layers” in the drop-down menu. The shortcut for this is indeed the “F7” on your keyboard.

The layer structure in a document can be as simple and can be made complex subsequently.
Let us go over what we get to see in the “Layers”.

First of all, we have the different layers put together with many sub-layers.

At the front of each layer we have three icons, an eye icon (A), a lock icon (B) and a color icon (C).Clicking the eye icon will hide or display the layer.

Clicking the eye icon will hide or display the layer.

Clicking on the lock icon will lock or unlock the layer. Objects in a locked layer can not be edited.

And then we have the color icon. This gives color to the paths and anchor points in this layer. This only serves to quickly find the layer that goes with a particular object in the Layers panel.

We can change the color and the name of the layer, to our own wishes.

Double-click the layer and in the dialog that appears, type a name and choose a color.

What do we have?

Right next to the layer names, we have two icons.

The first is the circle (D), we call it the “Target” icon.

This indicates whether these items have designated purpose. That is to say that there are effects that are being used. The icon with the double ring indicates that the item is designated as a target. A single ring indicates that the item is not designated for a purpose.

We also have the “Selection icon” (E). This indicates whether items are selected.

If an item is selected, a colored box is filled in the same color of the layer.

Below the “Layers” we have a menu bar (3).

Far left of the menu bar displays the number of layers in the document.

Then we have the “Make / Release Clipping Mask” button. A clipping mask is an object whose shape masks other artwork so that only the areas within the shape are visible. Compare it with a bit of a “Pathfinder” option. But in the form of a mask.

We also have the button create new sublayer. What it does seems clear to me.

Then we have the “New Layer”. Seems obvious.

And finally we have the trash icon. When you click this, Illustrator will ask you further questions if you want to remove the layers.

 

Move Layers

As I told you before, layers are a kind of superposed folders.

This means that when there is an object, for example a circle, is situated above a layer with, for example a rectangle, that rectangle will only be seen where the circle does not overlap (1).

Click and drag the “Circle Layer” under the “Rectangle Layer”, then the reverse will apply (2).

 

Move Content of the layers

In the example below, I have several figures and some are colored gray, all are positioned on one layer.

Suppose, we want all gray figures on a single layer and we want all colored figures on another layer.

The first thing we do is to create a new layer. Just click the “New Layer” (1) button.

This adds a layer (2) above the selected layer.
I give this a significant name.

Then I select all items in the document with the “Select” tool, which I want to place in this layer. You can see that these items are selected in the document and in the “Layers”.

If you look closely, you see that there is a small square (1) next to the layer that I started, the “All objects” layer.

If you now click and drag the small square to new layer, “Grey objects” layer, all selected objects in this layer move.

You can now change the name of the “all objects” layer to “colored objects”, so everything remains clear.

Featured Courses

• Downloading iPad Apps
• Lesson 1: Introduction to Publisher
• Lesson 65: File Formats