Transform Effect

[gina238]

Im following a tutorial about using transfrom effect. I create a polygon shape adjust scale, roate and copies and instead of creating copies in front where I can see them they are all behind. Im using a gradient so its not transparent. When I do go transparent I can see copies. How do I apply this effect so copies are in front? Thanks for anyone who can help.

[Monika Gause]

Can you please show your result and the tutorial?

I guess you want to use the tutorial to build something different?

Basically to overcome this, you have to build the artwork the other way round, since you cannot instruct the transform effect to change stacking order. Would be a good feature request.

[gina238]

Here is the tutorial- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQTQMn5GkGk&t=2292s

Fast Forward to block 6 about 4 min in. 

[gina238]

sorry 40 min in

[Monika Gause]

And what is it that you want to create? The same thing?

Note that the speakter is applying the effect only to the stroke, not to the object as a whole. Maybe that is your issue.

[gina238]

Look at attachment, its applied to stroke and gradient fill. 

[Monika Gause]

And what is this supposed to look like? Looks pretty much like in the tutorial.

[gina238]

No that is the tutorial picture. I didn't  post mine. Mine is a shape with copies behind it you can't see. I can't get it to look like that cause his copies copy to the front and mine are in the back. 

[Monika Gause]

Please show.

[Ton Frederiks]

His objects are also covering each other, but his object starts small and is scaled up.

[gina238]

So there is no way to create multiple copies in front instead of behind? I don't even understand in what situation would there be a reason to create copies behind something so you can't see them. When I copy and paste it's always in front. It's such an odd choice for the transform effect to create all the copies in the back of main shape. 

[Ton Frederiks · Accepted solution]

If I understand correctly on the left is what you get and on the right is what you want.

You could vote for this feature request to have an option in the Transform Effect to change the stacking order:

https://illustrator.uservoice.com/forums/333657-illustrator-desktop-feature-requests/suggestions/394...

[gina238 · Accepted solution]

Thanks I did vote. I also found a plugin through CValley Filterit that creates copys and has option to check stacking order back or front. Worked perfectly. Hopefully Illustrator will one day offer the option to stack copies in front or back. 

[Ton Frederiks]

That is a nice plug-in. I like the option to change the stacking order and it also has the very useful option to specify the center of transformation.

[Kurt Gold · Accepted solution]

Certainly not ideal, but in the meantime one kludge may be to make a copy of the live object, expand its appearance, then in the Layers palette highlight all items within the group that has been generated and choose the Reverse Order command in the Layers palette menu.

[gina238]

Thank you so much. I was looking for something that would reverse order and couldn't find it! That's a helpful tip.