Using the Appearance panel is key to getting the most out of Adobe Illustrator. The more you work with it, the better you’ll get at creating combinations of effects and styles that you can apply with a single click. I have two videos below, Part 1 and Part 2 that will get you up and running fast!

How to Use the Appearance Panel

Here’s a fun introduction to using the Appearance panel in Adobe Illustrator.

In the video you’ll learn:

How to manage strokes, fills, transparency, and effects on objects.
Similarities between working in the Layers and Appearance panels in Illustrator.
The difference between basic and complex appearances and how to use the New Art Has Basic Appearance setting..

Ready to learn more? Watch Part 2!

Part 2: Using the Appearance Panel with Type

In this video, I build on the basics of using the Appearance panel in Adobe Illustrator, which we covered in a previous video. I demonstrate how effects like drop shadows can be applied either to individual strokes and fills or to the entire object, and how these settings can be stacked to create more interesting visual result. I also explore how opacity settings work at both the stroke/fill level and the whole object level.

Next, I dive into working with type in the Appearance panel, explaining the difference between modifying the appearance of entire type objects versus individual characters. This is the key to working with type appearances. I introduce what I call the "secret door," which allows you to access the character's appearance by double-clicking on the characters level in the Appearance panel where you can see and adjust the fill and stroke settings specific to the characters.

Because characters are limited to one fill, one stroke, and no effects; you’ll create more interesting appearances for type when you apply settings to the type object.

I show how to stack fills and strokes for type, and how to manage the stacking order to achieve the desired visual effects. I also demonstrate how to use effects like "Convert to Shape" and "Outline Object" to manipulate and align elements within the type, highlighting the importance of understanding the order in which effects are applied.

Throughout the video, I emphasize the value of experimenting with the Appearance panel to understand how stacking and order affect the final design, encouraging viewers to play around with these settings to create interesting and unique appearances for their designs.