How to Add a Drop Shadow in Illustrator

On this tutorial, you will uncover methods to add a drop shadow in Illustrator and be taught all the pieces you could know concerning the Illustrator drop shadow impact.

Would you want to look at this Illustrator drop shadow impact tutorial in motion? You possibly can observe this tutorial on this cool video from the Envato Tuts+ YouTube channel. Remember to go to and subscribe if you would like to look at extra content material like this!

Find out how to Add a Drop Shadow in Illustrator

Step 1

So as to add a drop shadow in Illustrator, choose your form(s) and simply go to Impact > Stylize > Drop Shadow. It will open the Drop Shadow window, the place you may choose the settings of your drop shadow in Illustrator.

Just be sure you have the Preview field checked to get a reside preview with the utilized impact and to note any adjustments that you just select to make.

Step 2

Utilizing the Mode dropdown menu, you may choose the mix mode of your drop shadow in Illustrator. For this instance, we’ll use Overlay, however be happy to check out the opposite mix modes. You should utilize the up/down arrow buttons out of your keyboard to simply toggle between mix modes.

Step 3

The Opacity worth units the transparency of your drop shadow in Illustrator.

Hover the cursor over the prevailing worth and roll the mouse wheel to regulate it simply. You too can use the arrow buttons or just enter the specified worth within the enter discipline. Holding down the Shift key if you click on a type of arrow buttons will improve/lower the worth by 10%. For this instance, we’ll hold it at 50%.

Step 4

The X and Y Offset settings management the situation of your drop shadow in Illustrator.

The X Offset strikes your shadow horizontally, whereas the Y Offset strikes your shadow vertically. Set a damaging worth everytime you want to transfer your shadow up or to the left. For these examples, we’ll set each values to 15 px.

Step 5

The Blur setting controls the blurriness of your shadow.

You possibly can set this to 0 px so as to add a pointy drop shadow or improve it to make your shadow greater. For this instance, we’ll set it to 20 px.

Step 6

With Colour, you may set the colour of your drop shadow in Illustrator.

Simply click on the colour wheel and choose the colour that matches your want. For this instance, we’ll hold the default black.

Step 7

With Darkness, the colour of your drop shadow is influenced by the fill coloration of your form.

Set this worth to 0% to make use of the identical coloration to your shadow that is used to fill the form. Simply improve the Darkness everytime you want to use a darker shade of the fill coloration to your drop shadow in Illustrator. When you’re completed, you may click on OK, and that is the way you create a drop shadow in Illustrator.

Congratulations! You are Finished!

Now that you know the way so as to add a shadow in Illustrator and the place the drop shadow is in Illustrator, you may apply these strategies in your future tasks.

You will discover some nice sources of inspiration at Envato Elements, with attention-grabbing options on methods to do a drop shadow in Illustrator in additional artistic methods.

Standard Belongings From Envato Parts

Envato Elements is a superb useful resource for Illustrator assets and add-ons. Here is a fantastic Illustrator add-on that may provide help to rapidly recreate the Illustrator drop shadow impact without having to learn to add a shadow in Illustrator.

Amazing Shadow Actions (EPS)

Now you know the way so as to add a drop shadow in Illustrator, however you are still trying so as to add a unique kind of shadow impact? This pack of actions provides you 40 options to select from. Simply click on play and you will get your shadow.