Combine to Layer is a tool which gives you the control and flexibility to combine layers at different tonal percentages. There are two reasons for doing this; to reduce the number of colours in a design, and to adjust the look of a design. In addition, smooth continuous tones can be created to improve the balance between overprinting layers in a separation. Layers which are being edited are previewed in the Design Window in real time, letting you apply the changes only when you are happy with the overall results.
How to use Combine to Layer
Combine to layer can be used in various ways, such as:
- Adding the information from two or more layers together. This article explains how.
- Balancing layers which overprint by taking the information from one layer away from another layer. Click here to learn more.
- Adding the information from some layers while taking the information away from other layers at the same time.
- Combining textures and tones to develop textures. Click here to learn more.
- Adjusting the tonal levels of layers to create smoother fall on areas and better separations. Click here to learn more.
With the many functions of the Combine to Layer Window comes many different workflows. To get you up and running with using this tool, this article will focus on the basic principles of reducing the number of layers in a document by merging information from other separated layers in the document onto one layer.
Surfaces
In this example, the design is currently made up of 6 layers. However, we should assume that for production we can use a maximum of 4 layers. In this case, the bottom two layers, which are creating the effect of the bevelled edge, can be built into the other 4 layers. The movie below demonstrates how:
Textiles
In this example, the design is made up of nine layers:
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Wallcoverings
In this example, the design is currently made up of 4 layers. Layer 4 has a different transparency to the other layers, creating an opaque white effect over some of the other layers.
We can save the cost of engraving layer 4 by building its effect into layers 1 and 2. The movie below shows us how: