Specifying the gradient transparency

Each gradient fill contains settings that control the opacity of the fill at different locations on the gradient. For example, you can set the starting color to 100% opacity and have the fill gradually blend into an ending color with 50% opacity. The checkerboard pattern indicates the amount of transparency in the gradient preview.

To specify the gradient transparency:

1 Create a gradient as described in steps 1 through 10 of Creating or editing gradient fills.

2 To adjust the starting opacity, click the left opacity stop above the gradient bar. The triangle below the stop turns black, indicating that the starting transparency is being edited.

3 Set the Opacity by doing one of the following:

4 To adjust the opacity of the endpoint, click the right transparency stop above the gradient bar. Then set the opacity as described in step 3.

5 To adjust the location of the starting or ending opacity, do one of the following:

6 To adjust the location of the midpoint opacity (the point midway between the starting and ending opacities), do one of the following:

7 To delete the opacity stop you are editing, click Delete.

8 To add an intermediate opacity, click above the gradient bar to define a new opacity stop. You can then adjust and move this opacity as you would for a starting or ending opacity. To remove an intermediate opacity, drag its transparency stop up and off the gradient bar.

9 To create a preset gradient, click New. This creates a new gradient preset with the transparency setting you specified.

10 Click OK to exit the dialog box and select the newly created gradient.

Painting and Drawing > Using the gradient tools > Specifying the gradient transparency