To expand a drop shadow in Adobe Illustrator, you'll need to adjust the settings within the Appearance panel. Here's how:
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Select the Object: First, select the object to which the drop shadow is applied.
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Open the Appearance Panel: Go to Window > Appearance. This panel displays all the effects applied to your selected object.
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Locate the Drop Shadow: In the Appearance panel, you should see "Drop Shadow" listed as an effect.
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Adjust the Settings: Click on the "Drop Shadow" effect to open its settings. This allows you to modify parameters like:
- Opacity: Adjust the shadow's transparency.
- X Offset: Change the horizontal distance of the shadow from the object.
- Y Offset: Change the vertical distance of the shadow from the object.
- Blur: Control the amount of blur applied to the shadow's edges.
- Color: Modify the shadow's color.
- Mode: Change the blending mode of the shadow (e.g., Multiply, Screen).
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Experiment and Refine: Play with these settings to achieve the desired "expanded" look. Increasing the blur and offsets typically makes the shadow appear larger and more spread out.
By adjusting these settings within the Appearance panel, you can effectively control and expand the appearance of your drop shadows in Illustrator.
