Using Opacity Mask - & the Apearance Panel

Thinking Type. Thinking Design. Thinking outside the box to create something that looks different.

Using Opacity Mask in Type or in any shapes and images in Illustrator makes it - more interesting.
We will start with Type. Choose a bold type face.
 (I chose Arial Black - I usually use Impact for Demo but I decided this time to change...).

 

I Selected the type & chose a color from the swatch Panel.
While it is still selected I duplicated the type and selected the top Path.
I am using 4 panels: Layers, Appearance, Opacity-Transparency & Swatch Panels.

Change the bottom Type to a different color. Select the top Path:
go to the fly-out menu on the Opacity Panel and click on: Make Opacity MASK.

The Layer Panel will change to Opacity Mask as well.
Activate Opacity Mask: 
Draw a rectangle and choose a color.
Go to the Appearance Panel: Effect: Stylize: Scribble. I choose Snarl.
(Once again I was wondering who gives these names? 
I would like to join the naming committee,or drink what they were drinking 
while they were naming some of the commands; 
Snarl, Pucker & Bloat...Just to name a few).

Since the Opacity Mask works with Black and White.
The shape or the image in the Opacity Mask will reveal or Conceal the image below.
In our case - my bottom type was orange. My Rectangle was black with a Snarl effect on it.

In the image above you can see the Snarl Effect that is in the Opacity Mask.

(To see the image/Object in the Opacity Mask hold down the Option/Alt key

and click on the Opacity Mask.

To Reveal it Hold Down the Shift Key to turn off the mask).

Here is the Result:

The Black will reveal the color below and create a special textured effect.

Using the Appearance Panel you can change the effect by clicking on it and get a different look.

You can add an effect as well.

I changed the Bottom type color and the top Mask Color. Added another Effect.

Adding A Zig Zag Effect and a stroke.

Here is another Example 

using an image in the Opacity Mask

I opened a Photoshop File - Selected it and copied it directly into the Opacity Mask.

The result is a vintage looking background in Illustrator ready to be used for anything you desire.

I created a rectangle. Filled it with dark brown. Found a vintage looking image on the internet.

Cropped it in Photoshop and copied it directly to the Opacity Mask of the rectangle.

This is the image inside the Opacity Mask.

Here is the Result:

You can add Brushes, Textures, Pattern. EXPLORE!!!!

Creating Flowers using the Appearance Panel- Adobe Illustrator CS4

Draw or create any shape as a starting point

I created a circle using the   Ellipse tool. 
(You can draw a circle with the pen tool). 
Make sure to set the fill to none.

Black stroke 1 point. 
Added 4 anchor point: Objet: Path add Anchor Point.

Open the Appearance Panel

Click on the Effect symbol (fx)Distort & Transform: Pucker & Bloat.
(for other results later you can experiment with other effects).

Make sure the Preview button is checked.
Play with the effect.

I chose 7%.

Creating the flower:
Duplicate the first circle using the scale tool. Choose 95%-85% and click copy. Select the second circle and rotate it-using the rotate tool. Make sure you see the overlapping effect. Different rotation and scaling will create different effects. Select the 2 circles - expand Appearance. (Object-Expand Appearance). With the circles selected, scale to 90%-80% & click copy. While it is still selected -rotate it. Continue until you get a wire frame for the flower.
You can experiment with different scaling and different rotation.

Now we start with the fun part
Create a gradient using the Gradient Panel. The effect depends on the transformation and the gradient distribution. I created a radial gradient - the second color stop - midway at about 45.5. Select the flower.
Fill with the gradient - no stroke.  Go to Effect: Distort and Transform: Pucker & Bloat.
I used it at 45. You can eexperiment to create a different effect.

Optional Design
Scale the circle to the center. Rotate. Scale again. Create a wire frame using the scale tool (transform again). Use Pucker & Bloat.

Endless Variations
Using effect in the Appearance Panel. (my favorite is Roughen and Pucker & Bloat together).