How to Create a White Support Layer in Adobe Illustrator

Printing on metallic or clear stock? A white support layer tells the printer exactly where to lay down white ink so your colors stay vibrant and your silver BOPP stays metallic.

Metallic and clear label stocks don’t absorb ink the way paper does, so your colors need a solid white base underneath to look right. A white support layer is a dedicated layer in your file that tells the printer precisely where to print that white ink base — and, just as importantly, where to leave it off so the metallic shine shows through.

Key rule: on the white support layer, black marks the areas that stay metallic (no white ink), and white marks the areas that get the white ink base.

1. Identify your metallic areas

Once your artwork is finished, look over your design and decide which elements should keep that shiny metallic look — logos, borders, or accents that work best with no ink printed over them.

2. Create a new White Support layer

Add a new layer above your artwork named something like “White Support.” Copy the elements you identified from your original design and paste them directly onto this new layer, in the same position.

3. Change those elements to black

With the pasted elements selected on the White Support layer, change their fill color to solid black. This marks them as no-print zones for the white ink, letting the metallic stock show through underneath.

4. Leave the rest of the layer white

Everything else on the White Support layer stays white. Those white areas tell the printer to lay down the white ink base, so the colors printed on top sit solid and vibrant instead of looking washed out against the metallic film.

Ready to order your labels?

If your file’s white support layer is set up, sign in to our online ordering portal to upload it and place your order.