Artstream shapes can not only be filled with uniform, or point-based color and transparency, and raster or vector patterns, they can also be filled with highly flexible, multi-color gradients defined by ShadeGuides.

A single or compound filled shape serves as the destination for the blend between guide shapes, whose color and transparency are blended at every point.

A ShadeGuide is a group of two or more stroked shapes whose curvature, and uniform, or point-based color and transparency serve to color the associated filled shape that the group passes over.

Artstream Shade Guides can provide color and transparency gradients along any linear, radial, square, or user specified curved path.

Artstream Shade Guides do not rely on a finite blend increment. Artstream ShadeGuides are dynamically recalculated for full detail at any view or output resolution.

Adjustments can be made to ShadeGuides instantly. There is no need to destroy and recreate cumbersome interpolations. Any adjustment to the shape or color of a guide immediately results in a new blend.