: Best way to create a shadow (depth) effect in Illustrator? I'm working on a logo and trying to give the logo shape a 3D'ish depth effect. Here is what I currently have: Regular size: Larger

@Turnbaugh909

I would simply group the shapes and apply a radial gradient fill to the group.



Note.. for a logo.. and for print (CMYK) the "overlay" blending mode is not going to give you the results you think. For CMYK really the only blend modes to use safely are Multiply, Color Burn, and sometimes Screen. All other blend modes will give you generally unexpected results. You should work in CMYK for a logo destined for print use to avoid utilizing blend modes which won't hold up in CMYK.

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@Chiappetta793

I know this is a very old question but it may help someone in the future.

My answer is only answering the "hard edge" problem from the gradient layers on top of the logo.

A better way to do this that won't create the hard edges is to firstly remove the gradient layers completely (or hide them if you want to use them in the future).

Then, separate the logo into 3 sections so that each "diamond" shape is on it's own layer:


Open up the blending options (Layer > Layer Style > Gradient Overlay) for each layer and add a Gradient Overlay. You'll then want to make the blend mode of the gradient overlay to be Overlay like so:



After you tweak the angle of the gradient you will get the same effect as the extra layers you were using originally but now you wont see any "hard edges" as the gradient is being applied directly to the layer and not sitting on top of it.

Hope this helps!

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@Cooney243

The 3D approach

If you think of this as an actual 3D object (something like a pyramid) and consider how a light source would interact with it, you'll begin to see why your treatment is a little odd. How would you end up with the even gradated shadow from the top point around all sides? Consider your light source and then reevaluate your approach (a physical model may help).

Update in response to your comment ...
The thick white lines are killing your desired effect. If the gaps are desired, they'll have to be maybe half the thickness (even less in the larger format). The playful realism will be even better if you lose them altogether.

Instead of building the overlapped triangles, try building the planes of the cube in perspective. With layer blending modes (overlay perhaps) and/or transparency, you might start to see the overlapping effect you have in mind. Illustrator's 3D effects may be an easy way to get things correct, at least as a starting point or reference.

Or just for flair

Regardless of the accuracy of your effect, I think your treatment looks quite nice, especially for a non-designer. If you're going for completely stylistic (not necessarily convincing 3D), try some of these alternatives and adjustments.


Soften the transition of your current treatment: Make the dark to light transition less dramatic by extending it's length or making the color stops closer in hue and brightness.
Apply the gradient directly to each segment, aligning the gradient with the out-facing side of the triangle.
Apply the gradient as radial within a perfect circle, centered to the object as a whole.
Move this into Photoshop as a smart object and do the gradient there with some dither applied to it or a film grain effect. A little "analog" applied to your vectors can be quite nice.

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