Dim Images

A common approach to creating artwork in Illustrator is to import a photograph or a scanned image (File>Place) and to trace over it. You can make this procedure a little easier by putting the placed image on its own layer and then making it a template. Use the Layers palette's flyout menu to choose Template. The placed image will automatically be dimmed. To change the setting for the template, double-click on the layer in the Layers palette to open the Layer Options dialog. In the Dim Images To field, enter a percentage. Then click on the Create New Layer icon at the bottom of the Layers palette and use your favorite creation tools to trace over the dimmed image.