Changing the display of layered artwork


    By default, Illustrator assigns a unique color to each layer in the Layers palette. The color displays in the layer's selection column when one or more objects within the layer are selected and also displays in the selected object's selection column. In addition, the same color displays in the document window in the bounding box, path, anchor points, and center point of the selected object. You can use this color to quickly locate an object's corresponding layer in the Layers palette and you can change this layer color to suit your needs.

    You can use the Layers palette to switch the view mode of the artwork in a layer--between Preview view and Outline view--to display some items as outlines and other items as they will appear in the final artwork. You also can dim linked images and bitmap objects to make it easier to edit artwork on top of the image. This is especially useful when tracing a bitmap image.

    Illustration of Display options for layered artwork with these callouts: A. Object displayed in Outline view B. Bitmap object dimmed to 50% C. Layer color in selection column and in selected path
    Display options for layered artwork A. Object displayed in Outline view B. Bitmap object dimmed to 50% C. Layer color in selection column and in selected path

To change the color setting for a layer:

  1. Double-click a layer name in the Layers palette, or select a layer and choose Options for "Layer name" from the Layers palette menu.
  2. In the Layer Options dialog box, choose a color from the Color pop-up menu, or double-click the color sample to open the Color dialog box. After you have selected a color, click OK.

To view a layer in outline or preview:

    Do one of the following

    • Ctrl-click (Windows) or Command-click (Mac OS) the eye icon for a layer in the Layers palette to toggle between Outline view and Preview view.

    Note: The eye icon has a hollow center eye icon has a hollow center when Outline view is enabled and a filled center eye icon when Preview view is enabled.

    • Alt+Ctrl-click (Windows) or Option+Command-click (Mac OS) the eye icon to toggle the view mode for all other layers in the Layers palette.
    • Double-click a layer name in the Layers palette, or select a layer and choose Options for "Layer name" from the Layers palette menu. Deselect the Preview option to display all items in the layer in Outline view; select the Preview option to display all items in the layer in Preview view.
    • Choose Preview All Layers from the Layers palette menu to display all layers in Preview view.
    • If all layers are in Preview view, select one or more layers, and choose Outline Others from the Layers palette menu to display unselected layers in Outline view.

    Tip iconTo change the view of your entire document, choose either Outline or Preview in the top of the View menu. (See Viewing artwork as paths.)

To dim a bitmap or linked image:

  1. Double-click the name of the layer that contains the bitmap or linked image you want to dim, or select the layer and choose Options for "Layer name" from the Layers palette menu.
  2. In the Layer Options dialog box, select Dim Images To, enter an intensity percentage (0% to 100%), and click OK.

To show bitmap images on template layers:

  1. Choose File > Document Setup.
  2. Choose Artboard from the pop-up menu at the top of the dialog box, select Show Images In Outline, and click OK.