I can't understand why Illustrator can't do a simple block shadow for type and objects. I too worked in the sign industry in the mid to late 90s and Tyler is correct with his comments. You used to be able to do this simply in the sign program and yet Illustrator, which is supposedly the top graphic illustration program in the world cannot do this. I work in the apparel industry and we would be using this feature regularly. You could grab the shadow and just put it where you want it and the program would create the smooth lines connecting to the main object. You could also put an outline around it and then add the block shadow. It was so simple. You could grab the shadow when creating it and drag it around to where you wanted it. Now they say create it in Neo that is coming, but why should I have to leave Illustrator to do this? I've been wondering this for years and don't understand. Example video link below. The original poster for this suggestion has plenty of resource material to explain what we are wanting. We could do this on type and objects back in the day. The work around now for Illustrator is time consuming and clunky. Make it easy for us Adobe. I've been to Adobe Max twice and asked both times why this isn't part of Illustrator. I've been told submit it to our uservoice website. Well, here I am again.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=l_ZD3bP99qU

I had a vector sign design program in the mid 90s that could create a block shadow on vector elements without the extensive process that we have to do in illustrator. I don't understand why Illustrator couldn't do this more simply if that program could do it.

En el panel apariencia al aplicar el efecto de Distorcionar y Transformar/ transformar.
Existe un detalle que resulta no tan bueno. y es que al agregar mas copias, a los bordes queda en forma de zic zac , que por lo general tendria que ser una linea recta.

La Funcion es buena , Pero creo que seria mas buena su hubiera una forma de que los bordes no quedaran en esa forma.

I just want to suggest an improvement to Illustrator that has been an issue for me for many years in regards to drop shadows. I know how to make a drop shadow, it is time consuming. I also know how to create a drop shadow in Illustrator but it stair steps it and makes a lot of points and my equipment will not cut that out or it will be unattractive production. . I make signs and programs like SignLab can make a nice clean drop shadow with a few clicks of the button. So when I receive a logo or artwork that was created in such a program and I try to recreate the drop shadow it is a tedious process and I am unable to match it. That and unlimited work space are the only things that make Illustrator inferior to such programs. Otherwise I feel like there would be no need for sign shops to have such programs, illustrator would meet all their demands. Perhaps a nesting feature would be nice too.

Oblique projection is a graphic design technique that is incredibly useful, especially for those dealing with typography.

For years, I've been puzzled why there wasn't a native Illustrator tool to achieve this effect (think a 3D "extrusion", but the initial design's perspective is unmodified, with the extrusion being the "oblique projection" from the original design.)

There was an extremely useful 3rd party plug-in to achieve Oblique Projection, "opo" from 36mutants, but it has been defunct for a few years now, leaving no real option to achieve this effect authentically.

Lastly, why doesn't adobe pay for astute graphics plugins or make their own? I just viewed all the plug ins and if all of those were integrated into adobe already I think the community would be pretty happy. This shouldn't be like purchasing a video game that is half created then selling us the remaining parts as downloadable content.

So, is the admin working for or getting a pay check from Astute Graphics? because I don't think we should have to pay $140 a year for a subscription to use third party plugins let alone have 3rd party software plug-ins pushed by an Adobe admin. Is adobe affiliated with astute graphics? Like does Adobe own them as a parent company? All we are asking (by we I mean me and the other people like Travis Faber who work with signs and vehicle lettering) is for a simple shadow / extrude / outline tool like the one found in flexisign without having to purchase other software or purchase annual subscriptions to places like Astute Graphics.

watch this video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_ZD3bP99qU

I posted almost a year and 4 months ago a request to have a similar tool for 3d / extruded vector shadows in the similar way FlexiSign has been doing since like 2007. Instead, we now have a 3D bevel tool that focuses on rasterized stylings and lacks horribly on rendering to vector. Every time I try and utilize it for vector it's missing walls and edges. It also bogs down the computer for no reason when I select render to vector. Adobe is a Vector software first, raster second. That's what Photoshop is for. Also, people like myself who design for some sign companies need shadows / extrusions to be vector more than anything, especially if it's 2 color cut vinyl for things like Fire Truck Lettering. Please give a secondary shadow tool that mimics that of FlexiSign 8.1. The Flexisign 8.1 Shadow / outline / drop shadow tool is very simple and quick. I think it would be an easy integration to make simple shadows where it's not necessary for a full 3d extrusion, nor is it worth using the outline tool, then copy and past a layer, off set it, then use the blend tool, then remove all the unnecessary nodes. Example would be most any fire truck door lettering. There is typically a black off set extruded shadow with outline combo and gold leaf lettering on top. Trying to use any of the current adobe tools takes far too long for a simple extruded shadow like that.

Watch this video for the example : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_ZD3bP99qU

I just got Illustrator for ipad, I thought it might help improve my workflow since I currently use Vectornator. I was surprised that there is no drop shadow option! I would really like to see that (along with some other features I see in the other program but not Illustrator)

Voted.
Meanwhile you can use Block Shadow plugin from AstuteGraphics that does exactly this.

Definitely yes. Meanwhile you can use AG Black Shadow plugin, which does exactly that and more.

Please add a proper block drop shadow like corel draw has. I can't believe this is still missing.

Tyler, I can’t but recommend Block Shadow by AstuteGraphics to do it:
https://astutegraphics.com/learn/update/introducing-the-brand-new-block-shadow-tool-in-stylism

A simple vector shadow / 3d shadow tool similar to that found in Flexi-sign sign software. I have a history of 10 years with sign software and this simple shadow tool gives you the option for a block extrude drop shadow that is a single color. It also gives you the option to add an outline or spaced outline between your object and the shadow. It also gives you the option to have different style shadows. This would give the ability to easily make outlines / shadows similar to they way they used to hand paint old fashioned letters. The best part is unlike the 3d extrude/bevel tool in illustrator is you don't have to rotate or change the angle of the lettering to make a shadow. The object stays where it is and you only manipulate the shadow.

In the meantime use one of these workarounds (plug-in or appearance panel effects) as described by Monika Gause here:
https://www.vektorgarten.de/long-shadows-with-illustrator.html

Yes I really strongly agree with this one. Last night I needed to make the block shadow. I ended up doing it with the transform effect. As we know, it creates hundreds of stair steps on the diagonal lines, so I ended up going back and fixing all of that stuff, costing me an additional 20 minutes of work.

Illustrator is the best of the best. Please add this feature and make our lives easier. My other choices are to buy Coreldraw just for this, or rent Astute Graphics "Astui" nonsense just to fix the mess that is made by Illustrator.

Yes. This needs to happen!

You can create a flat long shadow using the Transform effect. It doesn't have that gradient effect (you could get that if you break the transform effect apart.)

This seems like it should be an easy addition. Illustrator's 3D Extrude and Rotate effect is already very, very close. All it has to do is extrude the shape without changing the angle of the source shape,

It's funny because Illustrator already has similar, but far more advanced technology in its 3D Extrude and Bevel effect, but lacks the capability to produce this far more commonly used effect.

In fact, I imagine just a checkbox in the Extrude and Bevel effect panel to lock the angle/rotation of the starting object would be a simple and satisfactory way to incorporate this feature.