Free

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Multi-layered
On all layers – retouching,
composition and drawing
techniques with CorelDRAW

Artwork: Peter Lütke-Wissing

Graphics & illustration | Image editing | Page layout | Typography

About the trainer

Peter Lütke-Wissing
Peter Lütke-Wissing works as graphic designer and
illustrator for many renowned clients in a wide
range of industries. With a distinctive illustration
style, as well as creative and purposeful ideas, he
relies on CorelDRAW Graphics Suite for his designs.
For many years he has also been working as trainer
for Corel. He provides webinars and on-site
trainings for companies, showcasing how users
can use CorelDRAW Graphics Suite and Painter to
their full potential while, at the same time, being
creative and productive.


Copyright © 2020 Corel Corporation. All rights reserved

Table of contents
01 Setting up and managing layers in CorelDRAW 4
02 Advantages of the layer feature in CorelDRAW 5
03 Basics of the layer techniques in CorelDRAW 6
04 Building layers in CorelDRAW correctly 7
05 Creating and editing layers in CorelDRAW 8
06 Creating layout variants with layers in CorelDRAW 9
07 Setting up and managing layers in Corel PHOTO-PAINT 11
08 Grouping layers in Corel PHOTO-PAINT 12
09 Powerful layer effects in Corel PHOTO-PAINT 13

Imprint
Responsible person for the purpose of law:
Jörg Rieger, Corel GmbH
Copy writer: Michael Hiebel, Peter Knoll
Layout and typesetting: Michaela Maginot
Picture credits/graphics: Peter Lütke-Wissing,
Fotolia, Shutterstock

Copyright © 2020 Corel Corporation. All rights reserved

 4 On all layers – retouching, composition
and drawing techniques with CorelDRAW

01 | Setting up and managing layers in CorelDRAW

Use the convenient layer feature in CorelDRAW to
distribute individual elements of your graphic onto
multiple stacked layers. These drawing layers can be
imagined as transparent sheets stacked on top of
each other and containing individual design elements.
At the bottom is typically the background layer, in
our example the three color spots. The sheet above
contains part of the subject, in the example, the
leaves. The flowers lie on the next sheet above. You
can further expand the layers. You could, for example,
add one more layer with a title above it. The object
on the top sheet covers the objects that are placed
on the sheets below. Changing the order of the layers
changes the way the objects superimpose each other.
For adjustments, you can select each layer individually
further down the line and edit as you wish, without
having to completely re-create the design. This is
helpful if, at a later stage, you must implement
customer requirements in parts of the design, such
as text or address changes.

The distribution of a graphic into superimposed transparent layers allows for easy modifications. Seen from the top through the individual layers, the graphic looks like a complete
image.

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 5 On all layers – retouching, composition
and drawing techniques with CorelDRAW

02 | Advantages of the layer feature in CorelDRAW

The layer feature in CorelDRAW offers important advantages:

Ÿ Comfortable access to individual Ÿ Targeted application of effects on
graphic elements of a design via the individual layers
superimposed layers Ÿ Better overview
Ÿ Improved view of the individual design Ÿ Possibility of locking individual areas
elements to protect them from being
Ÿ Precise adjustments of the elements to accidentally deleted or moved
each other Ÿ Reusable templates can be used on
locked layers

Ga
With the layer feature, you can easily try out how many image elements (in this case, the leaves) should be placed before the text field to obtain a harmonic overall appearance.

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 6 On all layers – retouching, composition
and drawing techniques with CorelDRAW

03 | Basics of the layer technology in CorelDRAW

Before you start working with layers, you should know You can show or hide the detailed view of the design
a few basic things. You will find the layer functions in components in the Objects docker/inspector by
the Objects docker/inspector. Click on menu Window clicking on the arrow to the left.
> Dockers/Inspectors > Objects or on the + icon
on the Quick Access menu bar to open it.

In the graphic shown, you can expand the Flowers layer in the Objects docker/
inspector by clicking on the arrow to the left

In the expanded view, the

Flowers layer appears with
all hand-drawn details,
which can be modified
individually.

Access the layer functions in the Objects docker/inspector. Adjust the selected settings
using the small icons.

You can show or hide layers or set them as (not)

visible or (not) printable. If you close the small lock
by clicking on it, you protect the individual layers
from being accidentally deleted or modified.

With a click on the eye symbol in the Objects docker/

inspector, you show or hide a layer; with a click on the
printer symbol, you enable or disable the print function.
Via the lock symbol, you can lock individual layers in the
Objects docker/inspector.

Copyright © 2020 Corel Corporation. All rights reserved

 7 On all layers – retouching, composition
and drawing techniques with CorelDRAW

04 | Building layers in CorelDRAW correctly

CorelDRAW distinguishes between default and
master layers. Content referring to a certain page
is placed on a local layer (default page). Content
referring to all pages should be placed on a global
layer, the master layer (master page).
grid through Tools menu > Options > CorelDRAW
> Document (= document settings, the page symbol
in the top right corner) > Document > Grid. You
cannot place objects on the graph paper.
On macOS, choose CorelDRAW 2020 > Preferences
> (choose any) > Document (= document settings,
the page symbol in the top right corner) > Grid.

The Objects docker/inspector clearly shows the layer stack. The active layer can be
edited.

The default page:

CorelDRAW creates each new file with a default
page and a master page. The default page contains
the Guidelines and Layer 1 layers: On the Guidelines
layer, CorelDRAW only saves the page specific guide-
lines. Objects that are placed here are considered as
supporting objects and will not be printed – unless CorelDRAW shows the Document grid only if you click on Document in the
Options window.
you enable the print function in the corresponding
dialog box. By default, Layer 1 contains the image
content. Tip:
Documents on the master page are visible
The master page: on all pages of the entire document. That can
be helpful with multilingual documents: You
Master layers are saved on a virtual page, the
can, for example, create different language
master page. You can create master layers either
for all pages or only for even or for odd pages. The
versions and set them to visible or printable
Guidelines layer shows all guidelines used for all as required.
pages of the document. The Desktop layer contains
all objects lying outside of the borders of the drawing
page. Here, you can save objects you might want to
use later in your design. The Document Grid layer
contains the (equally called) document grid used for
all pages of your document. It is always the bottom
layer. On Windows, you can set up the document

Copyright © 2020 Corel Corporation. All rights reserved

 8 On all layers – retouching, composition
and drawing techniques with CorelDRAW
05 | Creating and editing layers in CorelDRAW
Open the Objects docker/inspector to create a
new layer. By default, the Objects docker/inspector
appears to the right of the working space. Go to
the properties in the Objects docker/inspector by
clicking on the triangle above the layer list.
Alternatively, click on the New Layer symbol below
the layer list.
The symbol with the plus sign to the left in the Objects docker/inspector quickly
creates a new layer.
Copyright © 2020 Corel Corporation. All rights reserved
You can change the order of the individual layers in
the stack by clicking on a layer, holding down the
mouse button and dragging it upwards or
downwards in the Objects docker/inspector.
Note that you are sort of looking from above onto
the layer stack and that the design elements on the
top layers cover the ones on the layers beneath.
Equally, you can move groups of objects of one
layer to another layer.
Tip:
Name the layers as you create them to
avoid tedious searching afterwards.
Right-click on the layer and choose
Rename to open the naming feature. For
better clarity, you can also adjust the color
of the layer by clicking on the black color
swatch in the subsequent box.
To the left, in the picture above: the final design. If you move
the lower layers containing the color spots to the top, they will
cover the underlying layers containing the flowers.
 9 On all layers – retouching, composition
and drawing techniques with CorelDRAW
06 | Creating layout variants with layers in CorelDRAW
The layer feature in CorelDRAW is very suitable if you
must create several versions of a design – for example,
for multilingual documents.
Place the text for each different language on separate
layers and enable only the visibility of the layers that
are relevant for the respective language.
You can equally present different variations of a design
using layers in this way. You can easily move and
resize objects on the individual layers without
Copyright © 2020 Corel Corporation. All rights reserved
affecting the entire design: In this way, you easily
tackle a last minute change regarding the placement
of a logo – and the customer can approve the final
version on site at the customer's premises.
You can even display font changes individually on
each layer within seconds. With business cards, simply
save the names of the owners on two layers which
can be shown separately. The main design remains
always the same. This can save you a lot of time.
One design, two different cards: The layer
technique makes it easy to create several
variants of a design.
10 On all layers – retouching, composition
and drawing techniques with CorelDRAW

Additionally, you can place identical designs with
different color styles on separate layers. Depending
on which layer you show you get a completely
different color and image impression. To do this, use
the Color Styles feature for the individual objects.
Open the Color Styles through the Quick Access
button or through Window > Dockers/Inspectors
> Color Styles
You can also use the PowerClip feature of CorelDRAW
to create powerful effect variations of a subject.
Group all objects of your design and enclose them in
a rectangle. With the group selected, choose Objects
menu > PowerClip > Place Inside Frame. You can
later move cutouts within a PowerClip.

Use the PowerClip feature in conjunction with layers to create variations of an effect in CorelDRAW.

Tip:
When you apply modifications, consider copying the existing design and working on the copy,
not the original. In this manner, you always have the original design at hand.

Copyright © 2020 Corel Corporation. All rights reserved

11 On all layers – retouching, composition
and drawing techniques with CorelDRAW
07 | Setting up and managing layers in Corel PHOTO-PAINT
Like CorelDRAW, Corel PHOTO-PAINT offers a layer
function, too. The corresponding docker/inspector is
in the identical Objects menu. You can move the
layers in the stack back clicking and dragging them.
You can also move layers by right-clicking the layer
and choosing Order in the flyout menu. By moving
the layers, you place them before or behind other
elements – just as in CorelDRAW.
By moving layers in their arrangement, objects appear in the background or
foreground, like here the designs around the hand of the photo model.
Copyright © 2020 Corel Corporation. All rights reserved
In Corel PHOTO-PAINT, there is also a Background
layer which you should use for photos. Place
applications and fonts on the layers above. Show the
layer functions in PHOTO-PAINT by right-clicking on
the layer. Here you can rename and copy the layers.
The slider above the layer list is of particular use.
Here you can adjust the transparency of individual
layers, among many other layer effects.
The Objects docker/inspector in Corel PHOTO-PAINT with sliders for layer effects
such as transparency, and the layers below.
To enable or disable the visibility of a layer, click on
the eye icon in the layer row.
12 On all layers – retouching, composition
and drawing techniques with CorelDRAW

08 | Grouping layers in Corel PHOTO-PAINT

In Corel PHOTO-PAINT, you can group several layers.
Grouped layers are connected with each other. For
example, you can create logos and titles in several
language versions and group in separate layers. Each
group contains all texts of the respective language
version and can be set to visible or not visible. During
customer presentations, you can quickly change
between different language versions with the click
of a button.

If layers are grouped, they are all on the same level

within the stacking order, represented as grouped
layers and can be expanded using the triangle besides
the eye symbol. This shows the individual elements
of the grouping. New or other objects can only be
placed on layers in front or behind the entire object
group.

To group layers, select them holding down the

selection key and unite them using the grouping
feature. There are three ways to set up the grouping:

Ÿ with Ctrl/Command+G

Ÿ right-clicking on the layer

Ÿ through the New Group icon at the right

underneath the layer list

You can rename the group in the layer list.

You can unite multiple selected layers to a group. On macOS, a right-click displays
the context menu.
You can also use layer effects such as transparency
with grouped layers: they apply to all elements in the
group.

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13 On all layers – retouching, composition
and drawing techniques with CorelDRAW

09 | Impactful layer effects in Corel PHOTO-PAINT

In Corel PHOTO-PAINT, you can apply multiple effects in layers with the transparency feature – for example,
when retouching portraits. The following example shows how you can change the eye color of the model.

1. 2.
On the layer above the eye image, we place a circle that covers the iris to give the Fill the circle with a blue color.
model a bright blue eye color.

3. 4.
Set the transparency of the layer with the blue circle so that the eye shows through. Using the eraser in Corel PHOTO-PAINT, delete the unnecessary areas above the
eyelid.

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14 On all layers – retouching, composition
and drawing techniques with CorelDRAW

The layers in PHOTO-PAINT are also especially useful to cut out persons or things. In the following example,
we separate the model from the blackboard behind her. The background layer must be active. Duplicate it by
clicking on New Object in the Objects docker/inspector. Set the background layer to invisible and enable the
new layer. It is best to rename the layer and give it a unique name.

Using the Magic Wand Mask in Corel PHOTO-PAINT (tolerance 10), select the The cut-out lady is placed before a transparent background, symbolized by a light gray
blackboard and cut out the model by choosing Edit > Delete. checked pattern. By underlaying a layer with another photo, you switch the background.

Another powerful effect results from using layers in

combination with the Clip Mask feature. A clip mask Tip:
consists of a black area that has the exact same In the mask mode, you can also use
shape as the object you want to cut out; the rest is semitransparencies which allow for further
white. Everything that is black will be covered. The interesting creative variations.
strong light/dark contrast defines the punching
effect: Everything that is white gets through.

To create a clip mask:

Select the area using the Magic Wand. Enable the
Mask Overlay in the Mask menu to see how the
mask will look.

In the Objects menu, choose Clip Mask > Create.

To delete the mask, choose Objects menu > Clip
Mask > Clear Mask.

The following modes are available: The Additive

mode (increases the editable area; the plus symbol),
the Subtractive mode (decreases the editable area;
the minus symbol) and the Overlap mode.
Alternatively, you can also use the new Smart Selection Mask tool. In this example,
the Magic Wand Mask is active, the Smart Selection Mask is the last tool in the
flyout menu.

Copyright © 2020 Corel Corporation. All rights reserved

Contact us
For further information and to
download the trial versions please visit
www.coreldraw.com/business

Technical questions:
Peter Knoll, corel@4edition.com

Copyright © 2020 Corel Corporation. All rights reserved