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Modify the appearance of objects

This page applies to WPF projects only

You can modify the appearance of the objects that you draw on the artboard by changing their color, their size, and other properties. This topic shows you how to work with brushes to apply color to a rectangle.

To modify the appearance of objects on the artboard

  1. Under Objects and Timeline, select your rectangle object.

    An alternative method of selecting objects is to click the Selection Cc296375.2ff91340-477e-4efa-a0f7-af20851e4daa(en-us,Expression.10).png tool in the Toolbox and then click the object on the artboard.

  2. In the Properties panel, under Brushes, select the Fill property.

    Cc296375.f3f9d55b-dbc1-4fe4-9e85-0f2076008f75(en-us,Expression.10).png

    The Fill property refers to the appearance of the inside of the rectangle object. Notice the other properties under Brushes. The Stroke property refers to the border around the rectangle, and the OpacityMask property can be used to make part of the rectangle object transparent. The properties under Brushes change depending on the type of object selected.

  3. Select the Gradient brush Cc296375.91fb0c61-7b3b-4ae7-8a59-760e625e3bd7(en-us,Expression.10).png tab to change the type of brush.

    Cc296375.3bd78c67-3772-471b-945d-b11d9f37feca(en-us,Expression.10).png

    Under Editor, you can select the color of each of the gradient stops Cc296375.d45e017e-3123-4fc1-9d99-e87b4e3e2202(en-us,Expression.10).png on the color bar. Select the left gradient stop, and then click inside the color picker to change the color to red. Change the right gradient stop to purple.

    Cc296375.1acc74b1-a65d-4018-92dd-f012cdb5075f(en-us,Expression.10).png

    You can add other gradient stops by clicking the gradient bar. You can also change from a linear gradient Cc296375.209508b1-adaa-4293-8d02-23cade0c599e(en-us,Expression.10).png to a radial gradient Cc296375.2b3b2e7c-204f-4f66-9c1c-540698186242(en-us,Expression.10).png by clicking the buttons at the bottom of the Brushes category. To remove gradient stops, drag them off the gradient bar.

  4. With the Fill property of the rectangle object still selected, select the Brush Transform Cc296375.8dc54a0d-02cc-44cd-b802-5a78309f4503(en-us,Expression.10).png tool from the Toolbox. A blue arrow appears on the artboard showing the direction of the gradient brush and its endpoints.

    Cc296375.e0bd08b3-e717-4157-b04b-f37c8292ce3c(en-us,Expression.10).png

    If you do not see a blue arrow, you might not have the rectangle object selected, or you might not have a brush property selected. The Brush Transform tool will only appear if a brush is selected.

  5. Use your mouse to move the endpoints of the blue arrow so that it is half its original length.

    Cc296375.149d289c-d099-4484-93aa-4f2787de5f4d(en-us,Expression.10).png

    You can also rotate the arrow or move the center point.

  6. In the Properties panel, under Brushes, click the Options button, and then select Reflect. The brush length is now repeated across the rectangle object.

    Cc296375.7372f5ab-065f-474f-84d1-f72be8a5b4ae(en-us,Expression.10).png

  7. Click the Selection Cc296375.2ff91340-477e-4efa-a0f7-af20851e4daa(en-us,Expression.10).png tool again, select your rectangle object, and then, on the artboard, move your pointer over the blue handles around the rectangle. The pointer changes to indicate what modification can be done. When you see a slash with two triangles, drag your pointer to skew the rectangle object.

    Cc296375.d66dcbe7-a491-4592-9e60-10a21ef802c4(en-us,Expression.10).png

    You can rotate, scale, move, skew, and flip any object by dragging the handles on the artboard, or by changing the properties under Transform in the Properties panel.

Next steps

See also

Concepts

Change the transparency of an object

Add a bitmap effect to an object

Resize or scale an object

Flip an object

Change the center point of an object

Draw a freeform path

Combine shapes or paths

Make or release a compound path

Apply, modify, or remove a clipping path

Change the stack order of objects