Open the Fill Window (Window>Fill)
In this Window you can control the color and style of an object fill. You can also change the edges and texture.

In this example a solid color was used with a feathered edge and a leaf texture.

Join Objects

Allows one object to act as a transparent hole in another

Select two or more objects

Choose Modify>Join

Joined objects can be split apart

Modify>Split

Creating a Mask Group

Position the objects to be masked below the object that is going to act as the mask.

In the example the black oval is going to act as the mask to the photo beneath it. Notice how the oval has had a drop shadow applied. The lightness and feathering of the mask will change the visibility of the photo!

To create a Mask Group

Select all the objects

Modify>Mask Group

To Release a Mask Group

Modify>
Ungroup

A stroke is the color or effect applied along the path of an object.

The look of a stroke is controled in the Stroke Window

Effects can be applied to objects.

Window>Effect opens the Effects window.

Here are examples of several kinds of effects that can be applied to an object.

Try creating an object and applying several effects to see how you can manipulate them in the Effects Window

Effects Window

here are several examples of the Inner Bevel Effect