How to achieve this shadow in illustrator

[altereddezignz]

Is there a way to achieve this shadow in AI without using a raster effect?

I have attached 2 images. One is how i have ot created in PS but trying to start doing more of my designs in AI.

Trying to eliminate cut path file issues.

 

[shoresigns]

You can apply a gradient to a stroke in Illustrator.

 

[altereddezignz]

Tried that but b/c all of the strokes are in arcs the gradients don't really work well. Or at least not uniform with the shadow

 

[TammieH]

Doesn't the drop shadow under Effects work?

After looking again, you need to create the white black stripes over the blue and use the drop shadow effect on the white only

 

[altereddezignz]

Doesn't the drop shadow under Effects work?

After looking again, you need to create the white black stripes over the blue and use the drop shadow effect on the white only

Yes it dows work with drop shadow under effects but i was looking at other ways as this file is designed all in vector and will be scaled up in rip at time of print. Its based off a bad wrap template sized for 720 to be scaled up at 1000% at time of ripping. I am tryign to do all my designing in AI so i do not have to worry about resolution. For this to work i would need to sett he raster effect to 720 so it will scale to 72 when scaling up in the rip.

Maybe this makes since.

I am just looking at alternatives to the way i have been designing.

 

[Christian @ 2CT Media]

Yes it dows work with drop shadow under effects but i was looking at other ways as this file is designed all in vector and will be scaled up in rip at time of print. Its based off a bad wrap template sized for 720 to be scaled up at 1000% at time of ripping. I am tryign to do all my designing in AI so i do not have to worry about resolution. For this to work i would need to sett he raster effect to 720 so it will scale to 72 when scaling up in the rip.

Maybe this makes since.

I am just looking at alternatives to the way i have been designing.

There is no true vector way to do a drop shadow... that is a raster effect, if it was a true vector you would end up with a multi GB file due to all the individual node data.

 

[oksigns]

All those stylize effects(drop shadow, feather, inner-glow, etc..) are raster effects created from the vector shapes. You can always bump up effects resolution under Effects>Document Raster Effects Settings and using some high number; otherwise, you can't do smooth gradients without having thousands upon thousands of layered shapes attempting to appear "smooth"

 

[myront]

All done really easy in Corel using powerclipped shadows. As stated though, no vector shadowing.
In illy I believe it's clipping masks.

 

[altereddezignz]

All done really easy in Corel using powerclipped shadows. As stated though, no vector shadowing.
In illy I believe it's clipping masks.

This is the one reason i am looking at corel but every time i try and use it i just get mad bc i cannot find anything and know how nothing works.
I am at least dedicate dot adobe for another year bc i have a year left on my subscription.

 

[altereddezignz]

All those stylize effects(drop shadow, feather, inner-glow, etc..) are raster effects created from the vector shapes. You can always bump up effects resolution under Effects>Document Raster Effects Settings and using some high number; otherwise, you can't do smooth gradients without having thousands upon thousands of layered shapes attempting to appear "smooth"

My issue on bumping up the scaling is i am not drawing at full scale so i have to scale up in rip. So when this is done it kills the quality of raster effect bc of the low resolution. When i try and scale up to where it would need to be for the scaling it is SOOOOO slow lol...

 

[31legen]

In illustrator create an outline then go to effects, blur, and select gausion blur. Then arrange it however you'd like.

 

[dypinc]

After all this time I can't see why Adobe has not implemented the Effect as they behave in Indesign into Illustrator. They stay vector in the exported PDF from ID providing you don't set it to flatten.

 

[altereddezignz]

In illustrator create an outline then go to effects, blur, and select gausion blur. Then arrange it however you'd like.

This is still effected by the resolution to or the raster dpi correct?

 

[31legen]

yes but use the "outline" pathfinder tool and turn to outlines. Copy it then undo the outlines. You can then rasterize your artwork at whatever dpi you need. Then paste the outlines that you copied previously and add a contourcut stroke to it. It's hard to explain. Give me a shout tomorrow and I'll try and help over the phone.

 

[altereddezignz]

yes but use the "outline" pathfinder tool and turn to outlines. Copy it then undo the outlines. You can then rasterize your artwork at whatever dpi you need. Then paste the outlines that you copied previously and add a contourcut stroke to it. It's hard to explain. Give me a shout tomorrow and I'll try and help over the phone.

Have another small question for you guys. As you see on the image the shield in front is crisp and clear. The partial one hiding in the back is the same vector just pasted i not a 720 dpi photoshop file.

Now i opened the file in AI and pasted the shield over the old shield to give a comparison. Anyone give a reason to the pixelation in the lines in the shield that i pasted into PS. I tried it as a smart object and as pixels but no change.

Three images
One with the vector clear insides
One with it pasted into the ps file blurry insides
one side by side that was the pdf file opened in AI and the vector shield placed beside it and printed.

 

[shoresigns]

Doesn't the drop shadow under Effects work?

No, that's a raster effect.

In illustrator create an outline then go to effects, blur, and select gausion blur.

No, that's a raster effect.

There is no true vector way to do a drop shadow.

Yes there is—gradient with transparency—although OP is trying to avoid transparency, so that might not work anyway.

 

[shoresigns]

Have another small question for you guys. As you see on the image the shield in front is crisp and clear. The partial one hiding in the back is the same vector just pasted i not a 720 dpi photoshop file.

Now i opened the file in AI and pasted the shield over the old shield to give a comparison. Anyone give a reason to the pixelation in the lines in the shield that i pasted into PS. I tried it as a smart object and as pixels but no change.

Three images
One with the vector clear insides
One with it pasted into the ps file blurry insides
one side by side that was the pdf file opened in AI and the vector shield placed beside it and printed.

When you paste a vector into Photoshop as a smart object, Photoshop essentially sees it as a raster layer, so it will be pixellated when you zoom in, if your resolution isn't high enough. When you edit the contents of the smart object, it will open in Illustrator as a vector and then when you save and close, Photoshop updates it by generating a new raster from the vector source. Does that answer your question?

 

[dypinc]

No, that's a raster effect.

No, that's a raster effect.

Yes there is—gradient with transparency—although OP is trying to avoid transparency, so that might not work anyway.

I am still not understanding why you're not using Indesign where all effects stay vector when exported as a PDF.

 

[phototec]

You have your PS resolution set to low, have your PS image size set to 300 dpi or higher and they when you paste you AI object as a smart object (or Pixels) it will smooth and not have the pixelation you are showing.

 

[altereddezignz]

You have your PS resolution set to low, have your PS image size set to 300 dpi or higher and they when you paste you AI object as a smart object (or Pixels) it will smooth and not have the pixelation you are showing.

Resolution set to 720.