Illustrator CS4 Layers Usage

Illustrator C8CS4DPD Blitz Reference

Unlike in Photoshop, layers in Illustrator don’t add an incredible amount of
size to the file

Creating New Layers

• Window->Layers or F7
• Handle color that appears on the active shape matches the color bar in the Layers panel on the left side of the layer name
• The small selection square on the right disappears when choosing Select->Deselect
• Alt-click the Create New Layer button
• Layer Options dialog box appears
• Or choose New Layer from the panel menu

Descriptive layer name for easy organization e.g. star layer name for star object
Options dialog box for any existing layer by choosing Options for Layer (Named Layer) from the panel menu in the Layers panel

Using Layers for Selections
Changing the Layer Stacking Order

Moving and Cloning Objects

• Move: click the small color selection square to the right of the layer’s radio button in the Layers panel, drag it to the target layer, and release
• Clone: Alt+dragging the color selection square to another layer
• A plus sign appears
• Choose Paste Remembers Layers from the Layers panel to have Illustrator
• automatically remember which layer an object was copied from

Hiding Layers

• Simply clicking the eye icon hides the layer
• Click the empty square (where the eye icon was) to show the layer again
• Alt-click an eye icon to hide all layers except the one chosen [re-click to undo]
• Ctrl-click the eye icon to turn just the selected layer into Outline view mode

Locking Layers
Click the empty square to the right of the Visibility (eye) icon - A padlock icon appears