- The topic of this chapter, The Appearance Panel,
works a lot like the layers panel
except that instead of stacking objects on top of each other
you stack the object's attributes.
Take a path outline for example.
Let's say it has a fill and a stroke.
Those two items, they affect the appearance of the path
and so they appear in the appearance panel.
You can change the fill and stroke anytime you like
so they qualify as what's known as dynamic attributes.
And so you might ask, why the heck should you go to
the appearance panel just for the sake of seeing the fill
and the stroke attributes both of which are available
right there on the left side of the control panel.
Because you're not limited to one of each
which is all the control panel shows you.
You can assign as many fills
and strokes to a single object as you like.
The fills may include solid colors, gradients, and patterns
set to different opacity values
which is true for the strokes as well.
But the strokes may also include
line weights, dashes and arrowheads.
Plus you can change the stacking order of your attributes
so that a specific fill appears in front
of a specific stroke and you can assign
dynamic effects to reposition one fill
or stroke with respect to another.
By way of example, consider this piece of artwork here.
This atomic symbol is nothing more than a single ellipse
to which we will assign a single stroke.
Repeat that stroke at two different angles
and then add a succession of seven fills.
One here in the center, and two more here, here, and here
to create the electrons.
This type, two fills, four strokes,
and four dynamic effects.
Is that text still editable you ask?
Yes it is.
This thing one hexagon, that's it!
One hexagon, plus one fill, nine strokes,
and 12 dynamic effects.
The appearance panel turns fills and strokes
into fully fledged design elements.
One object, multiple elements.
This is illustrator at it's dynamic best.