1. A computer-implemented method for generating specialty imaging effects from layered documents, comprising: providing a layered document to computer memory, the layered document comprising at least one page including: at least one layer designated as an effect layer, and at least one layer designated as a visual layer; for the at least one page of the layered document, identifying the at least one visual layer; for each of the at least one identified visual layers: identifying at least one visual graphical element within the at least one identified visual layer; and for each of the at least one identified visual graphical element in a visual layer: (i) using a computer processor, identifying, as a next effect layer, a closest effect layer above the visual layer which includes an effect graphical element that overlaps, at least in part, the at least one identified visual graphical element; (ii) creating a new graphical element by merging at least part of the identified visual graphical element with at least part of the overlapping effect graphical element of the identified next effect layer; and (iii) transforming the input layered document by replacing the identified visual graphical element on the visual layer with the new graphical element; and outputting the transformed document.