What is a Folder Layer?

When drawing, you might end up with a huge number of layers.

In such cases, using a folder layer allows you to

organize them neatly like this!

However, you shouldn't just put everything into a folder layer haphazardly.

This is because, as shown in the GIF above, parts can stick out, making it look messy.

I will explain "what to do in such cases."

Layer Blending Modes of Folder Layers

Folder layers also have blending modes, just like regular layers.

In the GIF shown earlier, you might have wondered, "How did the color change so noticeably just by putting a [Screen] layer into a folder?"

This happened because the folder layer was set to [Normal].

When a [Screen] layer is placed in a folder layer set to [Normal], it functions as a [Screen] layer within the folder, but it is recognized as a [Normal] layer by layers outside the folder.

So, how do you prevent the Screen layer from being recognized as a Normal layer?

Here's a simple way to solve this:

You can set the folder layer's blending mode to [Pass Through].

When set to [Pass Through], all layers within the folder layer are recognized as simply being placed inside the folder, without affecting their individual blending modes.

However, if you set a folder layer to [Pass Through], a situation might arise where "I wanted to apply an adjustment layer only to the character, so I put it in a folder, but the adjustment also applied to the background!" Therefore, in the next section, I will show you how to solve this.

Folder Layers within Folder Layers

It's possible to create another folder layer inside a folder layer.

You can use this to create another folder layer within a folder layer, place all character layers inside it, and then clip an adjustment layer to the layer below it, or...

For example, if you want to apply adjustments only to a part of the character, you can put everything into a folder layer and manage it this way.

There are endless ways to use folder layer blending modes! Why not give it a try?

↑Click here for more CLIP STUDIO tips