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Mary Donolds
1,254 PointsWhat's the difference between layers and sublayers?
In adobe illustrator, I can't figure out the difference is between layers and sublayers. Is it purely organizational or what does it mean/do?
1 Answer
Philip Harper
10,033 Points.... You'd use a sub-layer if you were using a Clipping Mask (cmd+7). Unlike Photoshop where each layer can have a mask applied directly, Illustrator needs a separate layer above to mask-out and hide areas of the underlying layer.
@jennetted said it all pretty concisely — mainly for organisation!
jennetted
5,906 Pointsjennetted
5,906 PointsLayers and sublayers function the same way to help organize content and make it easier to select, hide, lock, and change it's appearance. The difference is that a layer is required and it organizes the content within the overall document, while sublayers are optional and organize content within a specific layer (it's parent layer). Sublayers are not necessary for simple documents and layers, but are very helpful when you have a large or complex document.