User Guide

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CHAPTER 7
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Using Layers, Symbols, and Styles
To work more efficiently in Macromedia FreeHand, you can use layers,
symbols, and styles to organize your illustrations, automate your work, and
make consistent changes.
Layers help you organize your illustrations, and styles help you maintain visual
consistency and simplify formatting.
Symbols streamline the use of repetitive elements and minimize the size of files
in which you use them.
Using layers
Layers separate objects in an illustration to make them easier to work with. Layers
divide an illustration into discrete planes; this is similar to drawing an illustration’s
components on separate tracing paper overlays. By default, a new document
contains three layers: Foreground, Guides, and Background. Importing and
drawing occur on the current drawing layer, which is initially the Foreground layer.
When a new layer is added, it initially becomes the default drawing layer; any
content you create or import appears on that layer until you move the content.
The Layers panel is divided by a horizontal bar called the separator bar. Layers
above the separator bar—generically called foreground layers—are printable.
Those below the separator bar—background layers—do not print.