This is the entire layer structure for pages 18/19 of the Mixolyne side of Parallax. It is pretty average for the number of layers per panel.
I threw together this quick composite screenshot due to a post on the Illustrator subreddit where someone questioned a statement that “most designers don’t use layers”. I am neither “most designers” nor am I “a designer” but layers are super useful.
edit, 2023: I just looked back at this and counted 257 layers. I may have lost count somewhere in there.
edit, 2025: Also here’s the actual pages. God this comic has so many contrast issues. Perhaps someday I will go back in and fix them, along with the many narrative problems…
Once I get beyond four layers, I start applying techniques to the wrong ones.
This is why I label them and organize them!
It also helps that Illustrator makes “oh no I drew on the wrong layer” super easy to recover from.