About transparency

In Illustrator, you can add transparency to your artwork in a variety of ways. You can vary the degree of transparency of an object, a group of objects, or a layer from 100% opacity (completely solid) to 0% opacity (completely transparent). When you decrease an object's opacity, the underlying artwork becomes visible through the surface of the object.

Using commands in the Transparency palette, you can also create special effects, such as knocking out underlying colors, or creating graduated transparencies or blends. For example, you can use the Knockout option in the Transparency palette to have an overlapping stroke knock out the color of the underlying fill.


Filled circle and overlying stroke without Knockout Group option (left) and with Knockout Group option applied (right).

Transparency is such an integral part of Illustrator that it's possible to add transparency to your artwork without realizing it. For example, applying effects and styles may introduce transparency into your artwork. It's important to be aware of when you're using transparency because you need set some extra options when printing and saving transparent artwork. (See Printing and saving transparent artwork.)

Related Subtopics:

Using grouped objects with the Transparency palette
Printing and exporting files containing transparency effects
Using the Transparency palette
Using the Transparency Grid