How to Add Layers in Illustrator

Last Updated: June 3, 2021 Tested

Adobe's Illustrator is a graphics program that was initially created for Mac computers in 1986. It is now available on both Windows and Mac Operating Systems (OS). While it has many similarities to Photoshop, Adobe's popular photo editing software, Illustrator is geared toward typography and logo graphic creation. Since 2003, it has allowed users to create 3D images, text and graphics. The cornerstone function of Adobe Illustrator is the concept of "layers." Layers separate different elements of an image. For example, a background, an image and text. These layers can then be changed separately, without affecting the layout of the document. This article will show you how to add layers in Illustrator.

Steps

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Select "Layers" from the drop down menu. A box will appear to the right of your document that lists all the layers you have so far. If you have opened a new document it will show that you have 1 layer.
You can also click the box next to the layer to turn layers off so that they can't be edited.
The first box will tell you how many layers you have. Hover over the other icons and you will see what the buttons do. You should see "Create New Sublayer" and "Create New Layer" buttons. There will also be a button that pertains to masks and a delete button. Those are not needed right now.
A new layer should pop up above your first Adobe Illustrator layer. It will be characterized by a different color, so that you can differentiate between the layers you have.
For example, some people add symbols as a sublayer or parts of an illustration, like shading, that depend entirely on the parent layer.
This becomes extremely important as you add more and more layers to your document.