User Guide

Using Layers and Layer Masks242
Erasing part of a layer with the Preserve
Transparency option disabled restores
transparency (top). When the option is enabled,
erasing reveals the paper color (bottom).
To preserve layer transparency:
• On the Layers palette, enable the
Preserve Transparency check box.
Tip
•
You can also load a layer’s
transparency to a selection. On the Layers
palette, Control+click the layer (Mac
OS) or right-click the layer (Windows),
and choose Select Layer Transparency. For
more information about selections, refer to
“Working with Selections” on page 203.
Painting on Layers
When a layer is selected, you can use
the brushes to paint, draw, erase, or
clone in a layer. When painting on
layers, keep the following points in
mind:
• Water Color brushes can be used
only on Water Color layers; on a
Water Color layer, you can paint
only with Water Color brushes.
• Liquid Ink brushes can be used
only on Liquid Ink layers; on a
Liquid Ink layer, you can paint
only with Liquid Ink brushes.
• You can’t paint across grouped
layers—you must collapse the
group first.
• Before painting on a shape, you
must commit it to a pixel-based
layer. Corel Painter prompts you to
commit a shape if you attempt to
paint on it. Once committed, you
cannot re-access the shape’s vector
controls.
• You can protect areas of a layer
from painting by creating a
selection. For more information,
refer to “Creating Selections” on
page 206.
• You can control what parts of a
layer are visible and hidden by
creating a layer mask. For more
information, refer to “Working
with Layer Masks” on page 255.
To paint on a layer:
1 Select a layer.
2 On the Brush selector bar, choose a
brush category and variant.
3 Paint on the layer in the document
window.
The Preserve Transparency option
affects what areas of a layer you
can paint on. Refer to “Preserving
Layer Transparency” on page 241
for more information.
Working with Floating
Objects
You can make a selection on a layer
using the Rectangular Selection, Oval
Selection, Lasso, or Magic Wand tool.
Selections on layers function in the
same way as selections on the
canvas—you can use them to