One of Illustrator’s most powerful and overlooked tools is the Appearance Panel. Think of this tool as a super-Style feature: you can add an infinite number of effects that remain completely editable and the Appearance you create can be quickly added to new objects. Many designers close the Appearance Panel because it seems redundant when you have swatches and styles available. But as we will demonstrate, the Appearance Panel creates opportunities for incredible efficiency and creative exploration.

Postcards are a popular print advertising medium for businesses of all sizes. Whether you are a professional designer or staff in the marketing department, setting up a template for postcard printing is a smart way to get quick, consistent results. In this tutorial we will only use a two-color design for brevity’s sake, but you can design with as many colors as you would like. Just keep some of these tips in mind.