Transparency and blending modes

Transparency is such an integral part of Illustrator that it’s possible to add transparency to your artwork without realizing it. You can add transparency to artwork by doing any of the following:

• Lowering the opacity of objects so that underlying artwork becomes visible.

• Using opacity masks to create variations in transparency.

• Using a blending mode to change how colors interact among overlapping objects.

• Applying gradients and meshes that include transparency.

• Applying effects or graphic styles that include transparency, such as drop shadows.

• Importing Adobe Photoshop files that include transparency.

Transparency panel overview

Use the Transparency panel (Window > Transparency) to specify the opacity and blending mode of objects, to create opacity masks, or to knock out a portion of one object with the overlying portion of a transparent object.

Show all options in the Transparency panel

Show a thumbnail of the selected object in the Transparency panel

View transparency in artwork

It’s important to be aware of when you’re using transparency, because you need to set some extra options when printing and saving transparent artwork. To view transparency in your artwork, display a checkered background grid to identify transparent areas of your artwork.

Change the opacity of artwork

You can change the opacity of a single object, the opacity of all objects in a group or layer, or the opacity of an object’s fill or stroke.

Create a transparency knockout group

In a transparency knockout group, the elements of a group don't show through each other.

Use opacity masks to create transparency

You use an opacity mask and a masking object to alter the transparency of artwork. The opacity mask (also referred to as masked artwork) provides the shape through which other objects show. The masking object defines which areas are transparent and the degree of transparency. You can use any colored object or raster image as the masking object. Illustrator uses the grayscale equivalents of the colors in the masking object for the opacity levels in the mask. Where the opacity mask is white, the artwork is fully visible. Where the opacity mask is black, the artwork is hidden. Shades of gray in the mask result in varying degrees of transparency in the artwork.

When you create the opacity mask, a thumbnail of the masking object appears in the Transparency panel to the right of the thumbnail of the masked artwork. (If these thumbnails aren’t visible, choose Show Thumbnails from the panel menu.) By default, the masked artwork and the masking object are linked (as shown by a link between the thumbnails in the panel). When you move the masked artwork, the masking object moves along with it. However, when you move a masking object, the masked artwork doesn’t move. You can unlink the mask in the Transparency panel to lock the mask in place and move the masked artwork independently of it.

You can move masks between Photoshop and Illustrator. Opacity masks in Illustrator convert to layer masks in Photoshop, and vice versa.

For a video on working with opacity masks, see How to use Opacity masks.

Create an opacity mask

Convert an existing object into an opacity mask

Edit a masking object

You can edit a masking object to change the shape or transparency of the mask.

Unlink or relink an opacity mask

• To unlink a mask, target the masked artwork in the Layers panel, and then click the link symbol  between the thumbnails in the Transparency panel. Alternatively, select Unlink Opacity Mask from the Transparency panel menu.

  The masking object is locked in position and size, and the masked objects can be moved and resized independently of the mask.

• To relink a mask, target the masked artwork in the Layers panel, and then click the area between the thumbnails in the Transparency panel. Alternatively, select Link Opacity Mask from the Transparency panel menu.

Deactivate or reactivate an opacity mask

You can deactivate a mask to remove the transparency it creates.

• To deactivate a mask, target the masked artwork in the Layers panel, and then Shift-click the masking object’s thumbnail (right thumbnail) in the Transparency panel. Alternatively, select Disable Opacity Mask from the Transparency panel menu. When the opacity mask is deactivated, a red x appears over the mask thumbnail in the Transparency panel.
• To reactivate a mask, target the masked artwork in the Layers panel, and then Shift-click the masking object’s thumbnail in the Transparency panel. Alternatively, select Enable Opacity Mask from the Transparency panel menu.

Remove an opacity mask

Clip or invert an opacity mask

Use transparency to shape a knockout

Use the Opacity & Mask Define Knockout Shape option to make a knockout effect proportional to the object’s opacity. In areas of the mask that are close to 100% opacity, the knockout effect will be strong; in areas with less opacity, the knockout effect will be weaker. For example, if you use a gradient-masked object as a knockout, the underlying object will be knocked out progressively, as if it were being shaded by a gradient. You can create knockout shapes with both vector and raster objects. This technique is most useful for objects that use a blending mode other than Normal.

About blending modes

Blending modes let you vary the ways that the colors of objects blend with the colors of underlying objects. When you apply a blending mode to an object, the effect of the blending mode is seen on any objects that lie beneath the object’s layer or group.

It’s helpful to think in terms of the following color terminology when visualizing a blending mode’s effect:

• The blend color is the original color of the selected object, group, or layer.

• The base color is the underlying color in the artwork.

• The resulting color is the color resulting from the blend.
  

Illustrator provides the following blending modes:

Paints the selection with the blend color, without interaction with the base color. This is the default mode.

Selects the base or blend color—whichever is darker—as the resulting color. Areas lighter than the blend color are replaced. Areas darker than the blend color do not change.

Multiplies the base color by the blend color. The resulting color is always a darker color. Multiplying any color with black produces black. Multiplying any color with white leaves the color unchanged. The effect is similar to drawing on the page with multiple magic markers.

Darkens the base color to reflect the blend color. Blending with white produces no change.

Selects the base or blend color—whichever is lighter—as the resulting color. Areas darker than the blend color are replaced. Areas lighter than the blend color do not change.

Multiplies the inverse of the blend and base colors. The resulting color is always a lighter color. Screening with black leaves the color unchanged. Screening with white produces white. The effect is similar to projecting multiple slide images on top of each other.

Brightens the base color to reflect the blend color. Blending with black produces no change.

Multiplies or screens the colors, depending on the base color. Patterns or colors overlay the existing artwork, preserving the highlights and shadows of the base color while mixing in the blend color to reflect the lightness or darkness of the original color.

Darkens or lightens the colors, depending on the blend color. The effect is similar to shining a diffused spotlight on the artwork.

If the blend color (light source) is lighter than 50% gray, the artwork is lightened, as if it were dodged. If the blend color is darker than 50% gray, the artwork is darkened, as if it were burned in. Painting with pure black or white produces a distinctly darker or lighter area but doesn't result in pure black or white.

Multiplies or screens the colors, depending on the blend color. The effect is similar to shining a harsh spotlight on the artwork.

If the blend color (light source) is lighter than 50% gray, the artwork is lightened, as if it were screened. This is useful for adding highlights to artwork. If the blend color is darker than 50% gray, the artwork is darkened, as if it were multiplied. This is useful for adding shadows to artwork. Painting with pure black or white results in pure black or white.

Subtracts either the blend color from the base color or the base color from the blend color, depending on which has the greater brightness value. Blending with white inverts the base-color values. Blending with black produces no change.

Creates an effect similar to but lower in contrast than the Difference mode. Blending with white inverts the base-color components. Blending with black produces no change.

Creates a resulting color with the luminance and saturation of the base color and the hue of the blend color.

Creates a resulting color with the luminance and hue of the base color and the saturation of the blend color. Painting with this mode in an area with no saturation (gray) causes no change.

Creates a resulting color with the luminance of the base color and the hue and saturation of the blend color. This preserves the gray levels in the artwork and is useful for coloring monochrome artwork and for tinting color artwork.

Creates a resulting color with the hue and saturation of the base color and the luminance of the blend color. This mode creates an inverse effect from that of the Color mode.

Note: The Difference, Exclusion, Hue, Saturation, Color, and Luminosity modes don't blend spot colors—and with most blending modes, a black designated as 100% K knocks out the color on the underlying layer. Instead of 100% black, specify a rich black using CMYK values.

Change the blending mode of artwork