The Book of Inkscape, 2nd Edition

10Gradients, Meshes, and Patterns

Gradients are important in vector graphics because they are the cheapest and most universal way to depart from the lifeless flat look of solid color fills. Designers can create amazingly complex and photorealistic art using nothing but carefully laid out gradients. For all their versatility, gradients are relatively simple to create and edit, render quickly, and they are almost universally supported in SVG software—none of which is quite true, for example, for SVG filters such as blur (17.1).

Basically, a gradient is a smooth transition between two or more colors. Color also includes a level of opacity; this means that you can, for example, make a gradient from opaque red to transparent red, with semitransparent ...