# VectorPaint layers and groups: make complex work easier to select and edit Language: en Canonical: [VectorPaint layers and groups: make complex work easier to select and edit]() 中文：[中文 HTML]() English: [English HTML]() Published: 2026-10-22T00:00:00+08:00 Modified: 2026-10-23T10:34:07+08:00 Author: Bison Organise a small card into background, subject and text layers, learning what layers, groups, overlaps, locking and hiding each do. English translation of the [Chinese original](), translated on 2026-10-23. The article body uses automated translation; app descriptions, historical reading notes and video subtitles receive separate editorial checks. Original publication dates, attribution, code and version notes are retained. Organise a small card into background, subject and text layers, learning what layers, groups, overlaps, locking and hiding each do. ## Assign content roles first Create a 720×480 px card with background, main graphic and text roles. Layers manage categories; groups organise parts moving together. They help editing differently. Decide what moves or hides together before stacking objects rather than hunting covered items later. ## Create the background and establish composition Put background colour at the bottom, covering the intended area, and lock it to prevent mistakes. Locking is neither deletion nor automatic exclusion from export. A solid background object still needs handling for transparency; choosing transparent export cannot cancel a full-canvas fill object. ## Group the subject’s parts Build a small circle, rectangle and line design on the subject layer. Position parts, multiselect related ones and group. Move together and inspect relative positions. Missing movement suggests incomplete selection, not a need to group more unrelated content. A group should represent a real unit, such as a flower or house. ## Explain overlaps through stacking order Objects within one layer also stack. A pale circle behind a dark rectangle may show partly; bringing it forward reverses the overlap. Invisible does not mean lost. Check hidden layers and covering objects before opacity and fills. Recreating repeatedly only adds confusing duplicates. ## Keep text independently editable Text often changes on a different schedule from graphics, so keep title and description on a text layer. Retain editable text and decide on outline copies only for delivery. Prematurely grouping everything makes changing one date difficult. Hierarchy should reduce search cost, not maximise layer count. ## Hide to inspect; lock to protect Hide removes temporary interference; lock keeps content visible but protected. Hide and restore the background to inspect the silhouette, then lock it and compare subject selection. Restore intended layers before delivery; temporary hiding is not completed cleanup. Inspect layers before every export. ## Naming for small projects Name layers by role—Background, Main Image, Title, Extra Information—rather than Layer 1/2. Name groups as visual units, such as House, Flower or Date Marker. Colour-only names become misleading after recolouring. Keep names short but understandable days later. If an element has light and dark versions, decide whether these are alternatives or simultaneous objects. Label alternatives and show only the required one at export. Overlapping versions can look like unexpectedly thick strokes or dark colours when they are merely duplicate shapes. Locate the layer/group, edit, then restore working state. If hiding text to edit a flower, show it again and inspect the whole before export. Locate → edit → restore full view → check reduces omissions better than keeping everything permanently on one layer. ## Final checks and handoff Show each layer individually, check useful names and locate important objects. Move the subject group to find omissions, restore everything and save. State which text remains editable and which elements are images. Formats can change hierarchy; native originals best retain this organisation. Do not promise identical SVG layer interfaces in every app. ## Further exercise: test hierarchy through a handoff 1. Hand a copy to your future self: reopen later and try changing only title colour, judging how quickly it is located. 2. Preview or export only the main layer to find necessary decoration mistakenly placed on the background, then restore the full view. 3. Move the main group to the opposite side and undo. Check whether all relevant parts moved, locating missed fine lines or circles. ## Frequently asked questions ### Does grouping flatten vector objects into an image? Grouping organises objects, unlike PNG export. Shapes retain individual geometry and appearance. Rasterisation, by contrast, removes their existence as separate vector parts. ### Must I ungroup the entire project to edit one part? Identify whether selection is an object, group or layer, then use available group editing or ungrouping controls. Work on the local group rather than destroying the whole structure for one small part. ### Why cannot I recolour an object on a locked layer? Locking prevents edits. Unlock deliberately, edit and relock. Duplicating into another layer to bypass it can leave overlapping copies. ## Read next - [VectorPaint shape practice: build a little house from rectangles and circles]() - [VectorPaint mask exercise: keep a pattern inside a circular window]() - [Save and back up VectorPaint originals: find the editable file next time]() ## Sources and scope This article is based on [VectorPaint App Store description]() and the available feature entry points; [Apple’s public release information]()Checked on **October 22, 2026**, for version **1.0.7**, requiring iOS / iPadOS 17.0 or later. The interface may vary by device and version. Dimensions, colours and wording are exercise suggestions; confirm the requirements for your actual use.