
Layers | 515
Think of layers as sheets of clear material, such as acetate. Painting on a layer obscures
the image below it. Areas of a layer that don’t contain images remain transparent.
Understanding layers and the canvas
To better understand the role of layers in Corel Painter, it’s important to understand the role of the canvas.
When creating a new image in Corel Painter, a blank canvas displays in the document window, which serves
as the foundation, or background layer, of the image. Although the canvas displays in the Layers panel, you
cannot modify the canvas like other layers. For example, you cannot delete, reorder, unlock, transform, or
group the canvas. In addition, unlike layers, the canvas is not transparent because it stores the paper color.
Therefore, if you convert the canvas to a layer, even areas that appear transparent retain the paper color. For
more information, see “To convert the canvas to a layer” on page 522.
Layer categories and types
Corel Painter includes different layer types that are pixel-based, media-based or vector-based. It also
includes dynamic and reference layers. The type is determined by the data the layer contains.
The Corel Painter default layer is pixel-based. You can use most brush variants on pixel-based layers, with
the following exceptions: Watercolor and Liquid Ink brushes. These brush variants require media-based
layers. Pixel-based layers also play a role in more specialized functions, such as building an image hose
nozzle, embedding a URL in an image, or creating an animation.
Vector-based layers contain shapes or text. When you create a shape with one of the shape tools (Pen,
Quick Curve, Rectangular Shape, or Oval Shape) or text using the Text tool, Corel Painter automatically
adds a new layer to the document. Each new shape or text block becomes a separate layer; you can group
multiple shapes together or merge them into a single shape.
Some features in Corel Painter can be applied only to default, pixel-based layers. If you want to use these
features on shapes, Watercolor layers, Liquid Ink layers, dynamic layers, and so on, you must convert them
to default layers.
The following table describes each of the layer types.
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