Live Effects


Effects are a wide range of options you can apply to your objects. For example, you can apply soft drop shadows, 3D extrudes, warping, Gaussian blurs, feathering, and more. What makes these effects so unique is the way they are applied in Illustrator. Effects are applied to objects as appearances, leaving the original objects intact. For example, you might draw a plain rectangle and apply a warp effect to it. The rectangle will appear as being warped, but behind the scenes, it's still a rectangle (see Figure 7.159). If you edit the rectangle, the effect that was applied to it simply updates to reflect the change. This also means that at any time, you can remove the effect completely and be left with the rectangle you created. For this reason, effects in Illustrator are referred to as live effects.

Figure 7.159. A rectangle with a Warp effect applied to it. Although you can see that the rectangle is selected, its appearance is quite different.


By the Way

You might wonder why many of the items listed in the Effect menu are also present in the Filter menu. Items that appear in the Filter menu are applied to an object and then cannot be reversed. They are sometimes referred to as "dead effects" for this reason.


As mentioned before, effects are applied as appearances, so when you apply an effect to an object, that effect shows up in the Appearance palette when that object is selected (see Figure 7.160). As you'll soon see, you will be applying a new effect to an object by choosing it from the Effect menu. However, when you want to edit an effect that you've already applied, you have to double-click on the effect item that appears in the Appearance palette.

Figure 7.160. After an effect is applied to an object, you can see the effect listed in the Appearance palette.


Live effects can be applied to objects, but they can also be applied to groups or layers. To apply an effect to a group or a layer, you have to specifically target the group or layer in the Layers palette, which we discussed earlier in the chapter. If a layer has an effect applied to it, for example, any object you add to that layer automatically takes on that effect attribute.

There's a wide variety of effects in Illustrator, and some of them (Gaussian Blur, for example) are raster effects. Some effects (such as Drop Shadow) can also be applied to placed images. In fact, effects can also be applied to text without having to convert the text to outlines. Let's take a look at some of the more popular live effects found in Illustrator.

The 3D Effects

The capability to create 3D graphics is not only exciting, but it's also fun (and extremely addictive). I should emphasize that the 3D you're about to learn isn't just some cute effect, but real 3D rendering, including extrusions, bevels, revolves, and something called artwork mapping. If these terms sound foreign to you, don't worryyou've been doing great so far, and I'm sure you'll catch on to this as well.

To start off, 2D graphics have two coordinates, referred to as X and Y values, usually indicating width and height. In addition to the X and Y coordinates, 3D graphics have a third, referred to as the Z value, which indicates depth. When describing 3D graphics, the X, Y, and Z values are usually referred to as axes rather than values. From now on, when talking about 3D, we'll refer to these settings as the x-axis, the y-axis, and the z-axis.

By the Way

Because Illustrator is rendering real 3D, performance is something to keep in mind. Complex art can take time to render, especially on an older or less capable machine. For those lucky enough to have a Macintosh G5 on hand, you might like to know that the 3D feature inside Illustrator has specific optimizations that take advantage of the G5 processor (I'm accepting donations for the Mordy Golding Needs A G5 Fund).


3D Extrude & Bevel

The 3D Extrude effect adds dimension to your selected object. To apply the effect, make a selection and choose Effect, 3D, Extrude & Bevel. In the 3D Extrude & Bevel Options dialog box, click on the Preview button so that you can see what your selected art will look like with the effect applied (see Figure 7.161).

Figure 7.161. The 3D Extrude & Bevel Options dialog box.


Did you Know?

The 3D effect in Illustrator is very deep, meaning that there are many different settings, but don't get frustrated with all the settings. You don't have to know what every setting is to produce great 3D art. Familiarity with all the functions will come over time.


At the top of the dialog box is the track cube, which you can use to rotate your object in 3D space. To use it, click and drag anywhere on the cube, and you'll see a wireframe (outline) of your object on your screen update as you drag with the mouse. If you move your mouse over any of the edges of the track cube, you'll notice that the edges highlight in red, green, or blue (see Figure 7.162). Clicking and dragging on these highlighted lines constrains the track cube to rotate the shape only along the x-, y-, or z-axis. Right above the track cube is a pop-up menu that contains several predefined views for your object.

Figure 7.162. Clicking on a highlighted edge allows the object to rotate on a single axis only.


The Perspective slider controls lens distortion. If you press and hold the Shift key while you drag the slider, you will see your art update in real time.

The Extrude Depth setting determines how far back in space your object will extend. Here also, you can press the Shift key while adjusting the slider to see real-time feedback.

Did you Know?

Illustrator draws 3D graphics differently based on whether an object has a stroke applied to it. If an object has a fill and a stroke applied, the fill color will be used for the face of the object, and the stroke color will be used for the extruded part of the object. If no fill is specified on the object, the extrude color will be the same as the fill color (see Figure 7.163).

Figure 7.163. The object on the left has a stroke applied. The object on the right does not.



A bevel is a chiseled edge you can apply to your 3D object. Bevels are added only to the front surface and the back surface. To apply a bevel, choose one from the Bevel pop-up menu (see Figure 7.164). Illustrator ships with several predefined bevels, although you can create your own if you dare (instructions for how to do so can be found in the Bevels.ai file found in the Illustrator Plugins folder). After you've applied a bevel from the pop-up menu, you can specify a height for the bevel as well. To remove a bevel that you've already applied, choose None from the Bevel pop-up menu.

Figure 7.164. Choosing from a list of bevels.


Illustrator's 3D effect also lets you choose a surface type for your object from the Surface pop-up list (see Figure 7.165). By default, the Plastic Shading option is chosen, which gives your shape a glossy, reflective look. Choose Diffuse Shading for a surface that is matte in appearance. You can also choose to not shade your object at all by choosing No Shading. Finally, you can specify to have your 3D object display as a wireframe.

Figure 7.165. Choosing a surface property for your object.


Did you Know?

Remember that if you want to edit a 3D effect after it has been applied, don't choose 3D from the Effect menu; double-click on the 3D effect in the Appearance palette.


Extended 3D Functionality

In an effort to make the 3D feature as easy to use as possible, Adobe created the 3D Options dialog box in two parts. If you click on the button marked More Options, you'll see some additional 3D features to choose from (see Figure 7.166).

Figure 7.166. The additional features in the expanded 3D dialog box.


To create realistic shading and highlights on a 3D object, Illustrator utilizes lighting effects. The sphere that appears in the lower left of the dialog box is a representation of your graphic, and you can position a light to shine and illuminate your object from any direction. Making adjustments to the lighting of your object can change its appearance dramatically. To adjust the position of the light, click and drag on the light and move it around to different parts of the sphere. Pressing and holding the Shift key while you drag the light enables you to see a preview of the result in real time.

You can also add multiple lights by clicking on the Add Light button under the sphere (see Figure 7.167). To delete a light, select it on the sphere and click on the Trash button.

Figure 7.167. Adding and positioning multiple lights.


If you're working with spot colors, you can check the Preserve Spot Colors option, which uses black as a shade color and sets that black color to overprint. You need to have the Overprint Preview mode turned on to see the correct results on your screen.

Ordinarily, Illustrator draws only the parts of a 3D object that are visible to you. For example, if the back of a box isn't visible in the view you've specified with the track cube, it won't be drawn (unless you change the view again, of course). Illustrator does this to save render time. However, you can force Illustrator to draw these hidden sides by checking the Draw Hidden Faces option. This option is useful when you're creating 3D objects that are transparent (and you want to see through the front of the object to the back). It's also useful when you want to break apart the different sides of the object after you've applied the effect (something called Expand Appearance, which we cover later in the chapter).

Did you Know?

A very important setting is the Blend Steps setting, which is set to 25 by default. Illustrator creates the shading of 3D objects by drawing blends. For printing high-quality jobs, you might want to use a value of 100 blend steps, or even higher. Note that higher numbers slow performance, so you might want to leave it at a low setting when working on concepts and proofs, but change it to a higher setting when sending out the final job (see Figure 7.168).

Figure 7.168. Changing the number of blend steps for the shading of the 3D object.



3D Revolve

The 3D Revolve feature revolves the profile of an object you draw in Illustrator around an axis to produce a 3D shape. For example, you might draw the profile of a vase (see Figure 7.169) and then use the 3D Revolve effect to create a realistic vase (see Figure 7.170). To apply this effect, select the profile you've drawn, and then choose Effect, 3D, Revolve. When the 3D Revolve Options dialog box appears, check the Preview button so that you can see how your object will look with the Revolve effect applied (see Figure 7.171).

Figure 7.169. The profile of a vase.


Figure 7.170. The revolved profile results in a 3D vase.


Figure 7.171. The 3D Revolve Options dialog box.


You can rotate your object in 3D space the same way we discussed when talking about the 3D Extrude effect. Use the track cube to position your artwork to your liking, and use the Perspective setting to apply lens distortion.

The Angle setting determines how far Illustrator will apply the Revolve effect around the axis. By default, this is set to 360° (a full, complete revolve); however, you can adjust this number to be lower, in which case you'll see a part of your shape removed, or "cut out" (see Figure 7.172).

Figure 7.172. The same vase as before, except that this one has an angle setting of 300 instead of 360.


We've mentioned that the Revolve effect uses an axis, almost as an origin point, which the profile is revolved around. By default, the axis is set to the leftmost part of the object. However, you can choose to specify the rightmost part of the object as your axis. Additionally, you can specify an offset, meaning that you can choose to move the axis a specified amount from the edge of your object. This is useful if you want to create a hole that goes through the center of your object (see Figure 7.173).

Figure 7.173. The vase, with an offset value applied, resulting in a visible hole in the center of the vase.


Did you Know?

At any time, either in the 3D Revolve Options dialog box or the 3D Extrude & Bevel Options dialog box, you can press the Option (Alt) button, and the Cancel button changes to the Reset button, which resets all the settings of the dialog box to the way they were when you first opened it.


3D Rotate

The 3D Rotate effect enables you to rotate your object in a 3D space, but without adding any depth (extrusion) to it. You can apply this effect by making a selection and choosing Effect, 3D, Rotate. The settings in the 3D Rotate Options dialog box are a subset of what appears in the 3D Extrude & Bevel Options dialog box.

Artwork Mapping

What sets Illustrator's 3D feature apart from any of its competitors is something called artwork mapping, which is the capability to wrap 2D art around a 3D object. For example, you might want to use the 3D Revolve effect to create a vase, and with artwork mapping, you could also place a label onto the surface of that vase (see Figure 7.174).

Figure 7.174. A 3D object with artwork mapped onto its surface.


The first step in using the artwork mapping feature in Illustrator is to define a symbol. Illustrator uses symbols to map art onto a 3D surface, so in the case we mentioned previously, if you want to place a label onto a 3D rendering of a bottle, you first have to define your label as a symbol. Earlier in the chapter, we discussed how to define and modify symbols.

Did you Know?

When you're creating 3D art that will have artwork mapping applied, it's best to use shapes that are not stroked. This is because Illustrator sees each stroke as a side that can contain a mapped symbol, and this could result in a 3D shape with many more sides than necessary.


After you've defined a symbol, create your 3D object by using either the 3D Extrude & Bevel effect or the 3D Revolve effect. In the 3D options dialog box, click on the Map Art button (it's right under the Cancel button); you're presented with the Map Art dialog box (see Figure 7.175). Check the Preview button to see the results onscreen as you apply effects.

Figure 7.175. The Map Art dialog box.


When you create a 3D object, there are several sides to the object (for example, a cube has six sides). When you want to map art in Illustrator, you first have to indicate which side of the object you want the art to appear on. Use the arrows at the top of the dialog box to cycle among the different sides of an object. In the window area of the dialog box, you'll see the shapes of the different sides. Shaded areas (see Figure 7.176) indicate the parts of the objects that are hidden from view (for example, the back side of a cube). Illustrator also draws a red outline on the artboard to indicate the side of the object that is chosen.

Figure 7.176. The shaded areas indicate the parts of the object that are hidden from view.


By the Way

If you see a large number of sides on your shape, you most likely have a stroke on your object, or you've applied a bevel to an extruded object.


When you've found the side of the object you want, choose a symbol from the Symbol pop-up menu (see Figure 7.177). If you defined a symbol earlier, it will appear in this list.

Figure 7.177. Choosing a symbol to apply to the selected side.


You can then position the art by dragging it or by using the bounding box handles to scale or rotate it. The Scale to Fit button reduces or enlarges the symbol to fit the entire surface that is selected. A single symbol cannot be wrapped around multiple surfaceseach surface is basically on its own. You can then switch to another surface and apply a symbol, and so forth.

The Shade Artwork option also applies lighting and shading effects to your artwork. The Invisible Geometry option actually hides the 3D shape itself, showing only the mapped art, which can be used to create some interesting effects.

When you're happy with the settings, click OK to apply the Map Art settings, and then click OK to apply the 3D settings. Because Illustrator uses symbols for artwork mapping, if you were to modify the symbol that you used, it would automatically update on the 3D object (you don't have to reapply the mapped art).

The Rasterize Effect

To rasterize vector artwork using an effect, choose Effect, Rasterize. The Rasterize effect (see Figure 7.178) enables you to convert a vector into a raster as an effect, which is pretty cool when you think about it. The underlying shape is still a vector shape, but the result is a raster. You can specify the resolution for the raster as well as other settings, such as antialiasing. Later in the chapter, when you read about web graphics, you'll see why this feature is important.

Figure 7.178. The options available for the Rasterize effect.


Did you Know?

The Rasterize effect is also very useful for rasterizing rasters. By that, I mean you can place a full-color photo but apply a rasterize effect and change the color mode to grayscale. The original image is still intact, but it appears in grayscale.


The Stylize Effects

The live effects you will utilize most often are found in the Effect, Stylize submenu. Things such as arrowheads, soft drop shadows, and rounded corners are all found here.

Adding Arrowheads

To add arrowheads at the ends of a selected path, choose Effect, Stylize, Add Arrowheads. In the resulting dialog box (see Figure 7.179), you can specify a wide variety of arrowheads to appear at the start, the end, or both parts of a vector path. You can also choose to scale the arrowhead to be bigger or smaller, to your preference, by using the Scale value.

Figure 7.179. The Add Arrowheads dialog box.


Adding a Soft Drop Shadow

To add a soft drop shadow to a targeted selection (text and images included), choose Effect, Stylize, Drop Shadow. In the dialog box (see Figure 7.180), choose an X Offset value and a Y Offset value (how far the shadow falls from the object) and a Blur value (how soft the shadow is). You can choose a color for the drop shadow as well (including spot colors) by clicking on the Color box.

Figure 7.180. The Drop Shadow dialog box.


Feathering Vector Objects

To apply a feathered edge to a selected vector object (see Figure 7.181), choose Effect, Stylize, Feather, and specify a value for the feather (higher numbers result in softer edges). Remember that to edit a feather, you double-click on the feather item in the Appearance palette.

Figure 7.181. A vector object with a feathered edge applied.


Applying Rounded Corners

If you want to round off the corners of a selected vector shape, choose Effect, Stylize, Rounded Corners and specify a radius value. This effect works on any vector shape that has a corner anchor point in it.

Using the Scribble Effect

The Scribble effect is one of those effects that look straightforward, but when you take a closer look, you begin to realize that it's far more powerful than you originally imagined. On a very basic level, the effect gives a hand-drawn appearance to your selection (see Figure 7.182). However, if you think about how effects can be used and how multiple effects can be applied to a single selection, you can easily create interesting hatch effects and textures.

Figure 7.182. A simple Scribble effect applied.


To apply this effect, make a selection and choose Effect, Stylize, Scribble. It might be easier to grasp the plethora of settings if you understand what Illustrator is really doing with the Scribble effect, which is basically converting the fill (or stroke) of the object into one long stroke. Let's start simple by taking a look at the Scribble Options dialog box (see Figure 7.183).

Figure 7.183. The Scribble Options dialog box.


In the Scribble Options dialog box, you can specify the following settings:

  • The Settings pop-up menu enables you to choose from several presets that Adobe ships with. Unfortunately, you can't save your own presets here (although you can always save a graphic style after you've applied the effect). Adobe included these presets to quickly show how you can achieve very different results by adjusting the settings of this effect.

  • The Angle setting determines the angle at which the scribble is drawn.

  • The Path Overlap determines how far the scribble draws "out of the lines." A setting of 0 causes the scribble to come just to the edge of the boundaries of the objects. A positive setting makes the scribble extend past the boundaries of the object, whereas a negative value forces the scribble to stay farther inside the boundaries of the shape. This setting also has a Variation slider, which varies the length of each scribble to make the effect look more random and hand-drawn.

  • The Stroke Width setting enables you to specify how thick or thin your scribble stroke will be.

  • The Curviness setting controls how straight or curved the scribble path will be. This setting also has a Variation slider, which varies the Curviness setting to make the effect look more random and hand-drawn.

  • The Spacing setting controls how much spacing there will be between the strokes as they are drawn across the entire shape. A low setting results in very tight lines with little whitespace between them, whereas a higher setting produces more whitespace in the scribble. This setting also has a Variation slider, which varies the spacing to make the effect look more random and hand-drawn.

The Scribble effect can be applied to vector objects and to text. It can't be applied to a raster image, but it can certainly be used as an opacity mask for a photograph. You can also specify several different fills for a single object, each with a different scribble setting, to achieve spectacular effects, such as hatching (see Figure 7.184).

Figure 7.184. An object with several fills applied to it, each with a different Scribble effect setting, results in a hatchlike effect.


Warp

Sometimes you want to stretch or distort a graphic, and the Warp effect is perfect for those kinds of tasks. To apply a warp to a selected object, choose Effect, Warp, and pick one of the 16 kinds of warps Illustrator supports. Note that it really isn't important which one you choose because in the Warp Options dialog box that will appear, you can switch among the warps easily (see Figure 7.185).

Figure 7.185. Choosing a warp type from the Warp Options dialog box.


In the Warp Options dialog box, specify settings for how much bend you want to apply and whether you want distortion applied as well. Check the Preview box to see your effect before it's applied.

Global Live Effects Settings

It's important to realize that some effects employ techniques that involve raster data. For example, the soft drop shadow effect draws its drop shadows as a raster image. The 3D effect rasterizes gradients and images that are used for artwork mapping.

By default, all the effects in Illustrator are set to rasterize art at 72dpi. This was done for performance reasons. However, if you're creating art that will be used for high-quality printing, you'll want to set your effects to render at a higher resolution (such as 300dpi).

You can adjust this setting by choosing Effect, Document Raster Effects Settings (see Figure 7.186). Note that the settings in this dialog box apply to all live effects in your document, so you can't have some live effects using one resolution setting and some using another.

Figure 7.186. Choosing to edit the Document Raster Effects Settings.


The thing to watch out for is that some effects, mainly the ones that fall in the lower half of the menu (what I call "below the line"), base their appearance on the resolution chosen. For example, the Pixelate effect bases its results on how many pixels there are. In that case, changing the Document Raster Effects Settings could change the appearance of any objects that have that effect applied. So it's important to make any necessary adjustments to the Document Raster Effects Settings dialog before you begin working on your design.

Expanding an Appearance

When you apply an effect, you can't physically select it or work with it because it's simply an appearance that's applied to your object. However, sometimes you want to "break apart" an appearance so that you can make adjustments or edits that the effect itself might not support. To do so, select the object with the effect applied to it, and choose Object, Expand Appearance.

After this function is applied, the effect no longer is live, and you can edit the actual final appearance of the object. If the object has several different effects applied or has multiple fills or strokes, the Expand Appearance function might create several overlapping objects.



Sams Teach Yourself Adobe Creative Suite 2 All in One
Sams Teach Yourself Creative Suite 2 All in One
ISBN: 067232752X
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2003
Pages: 225
Authors: Mordy Golding

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