Actions and Presets Graphic, Design & Video Illustrator

[Illustrator] Amazing Shadow Actions

admin October 20, 2020

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Give your designs extra impact by using this time-saving shadow generator!

The standard Illustrator drop shadow is very limiting.

The actions are very easy to use: simply open the EPS document, load the actions, select your text or vector shape and run the actions.

Compatible with Illustrator CS5 – CC

How to use:

Open the file named – ‘Shadow Actions.EPS’.
Open the ‘ACTIONS TAB’. This can be found in the ‘WINDOWS’ menu. In the right-hand corner drop-down menu, select ‘LOAD ACTIONS’. Locate the file named ‘shadow Actions.AIA’ and click ‘OPEN’.
The Actions will now appear in the tab.

Select the text or vector shape that you want to apply the shadow to using the ‘SELECTION TOOL’.

Choose an action from the ‘ACTIONS TAB’ and click on it. Then press the play button at the bottom of the same tab and your shadow will be applied!

The finished item contains two objects: your original text/object. And underneath it, the shadow. I’d suggest grouping the two layers once the item is complete. If you decide to edit the text/object after running the shadow action, the shadow WILL NOT automatically change with it. You will need to delete the shadow object and re-run the action.

Editing the shadows:

If you want to edit the shadow then open the ‘APPEARANCE TAB’ (this can be found in the ‘WINDOWS’ menu). Click the arrow on the ‘FILL’ layer and the shadow attributes will be revealed.

Changing opacity of the shadow:

To change the transparency of the shadow click where it says ‘OPACITY’. A menu will open. Move the slider to the left to make the shadow lighter or to the right to darken it.

Changing the color of the shadow:

Click on the part of the ‘APPEARANCE TAB’ where you see the word ‘FILL’.
Open the ‘GRADIENT’ and ‘COLOR’ tabs (found in the ‘WINDOWS’ menu.
Click on one of the two square slider icons on the ‘GRADIENT TAB’.
On the ‘COLOR TAB’ amend the color.
Repeat the process clicking on the second of the square
slider icons.

For the text/Objects with strokes:

The actions are designed to work only on ‘fill’ objects or text. If you want to shadow those with strokes then expand the stroke to a fill and merge the object before applying the action.

The File Size: 6.25 Mo

To download the project, you just need to send an email to faycal@learnpracticeandshare.com, in the subject write the name of desired project (copy past the post title)

The Project will be sent by this tool TransferXL to receive it directly in your mailbox

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