SVG Gradients – SVG Code and C# Examples

SVG Gradients

SVG gradients allow you to create smooth transitions between colors or other visual properties in SVG graphics. Gradients are defined as gradually blending colors across an area. They are used to achieve various visual effects, such as shading, highlights, and more. SVG supports two main types of gradients: linear gradients and radial gradients that are defined by the <linearGradient> and <radialGradient> SVG elements.

The <linearGradient> or <radialGradient> element must be embedded within a <defs> tag to promote reusability. The <defs> element is often used to define gradients, patterns, filters, and other elements that can be referenced multiple times. The id attribute specifies a unique name for the SVG gradient. Other elements inside the file can reference it. The gradient can be applied for the fill or stroke properties for shapes, text, etc.

In this article, you will learn how to create linear and radial gradients in SVG code and walk through C# examples of implementing SVG gradients using the Aspose.SVG for .NET library.

Linear Gradient

How to create Linear Gradient in SVG Code

Linear gradient is defined by a <linearGradient> element. Linear gradients create a smooth transition between colors along a straight line – gradient vector. The linear gradient vector connects starting and ending points onto which the gradient stops are mapped. The attributes x1, y1, x2, and y2 set the linear gradient vector. Their values can be either numbers or percentages.

The <linearGradient> has nested children <stop> elements that control the colors used in the gradient. Each color is specified with a stop-color attribute. An offset attribute of the <stop> element indicates where the gradient stop is placed. For linear gradients, it represents a location along the gradient vector.

 1<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg">
 2	<defs>
 3		<linearGradient id="linear-gradient" x1="0%" y1="0%" x2="100%" y2="0%">
 4			<stop offset="10%" stop-color="#c71700" />
 5			<stop offset="60%" stop-color="orange" />
 6			<stop offset="100%" stop-color="#5a2100" />
 7		</linearGradient>
 8	</defs>
 9    <rect x="30" y="30" height="150" width="370" fill="url(#linear-gradient)" />
10</svg>

In the example above, the linear gradient id="linear-gradient" is referenced by the <rect> element in the fill attribute. There are three <stop> nodes inside the linear gradient. In each of them, an offset attribute sets the position where the SVG gradient gets a stop-color value. The resulting SVG image looks like this:

Text “Rectangle filled with a linear gradient”

Linear Gradient – C# Example

This C# example creates an SVG file with a rectangle filled with a linear gradient similar to the one we saw earlier.

Use the SVGDocument() constructor to create an empty SVG document. The RootElement property of the SVGDocument class points to the document’s root <svg> element.
Create a <defs> element and add it to the <svg> element:
- Use the CreateElementNS() method to create an instance of the SVGDefsElement class.
- Use the AppendChild() method to add the <defs> element to the <svg> element.
Create a <linearGradient> element with attributes and add it to the <defs> element:
- Use the CreateElementNS() method to create an instance of the SVGLinearGradientElement class.
- Call the SetAttribute(name, value) method to set x1, y1, x2, and y2 attributes.
- Don’t forget to set the id attribute. Referring to the url name of the id attribute in the <linearGradient> allows applying the SVG gradient to fill and stroke shapes or SVG text.
- Use the AppendChild() method to add the <linearGradient> to the <defs> element.
Create <stop> elements, set their attributes, and add the stops to the <linearGradient> element:
- Use the CreateElementNS() to create instances of the SVGStopElement class.
- Call the SetAttribute () method to set offset and stop-color attributes.
- Use the AppendChild() method to add the stops to the <linearGradient> element.
Create a rectangle <rect> element that will be filled with the linear gradient. It is given a fill attribute that is set to url(#linear-gradient) referencing the previously defined SVG gradient with the Id = "linear-gradient".
Call the Save() method to save the document to a local file specified by path.

 1using Aspose.Svg;
 2using System.IO;
 3...
 4    // Set SVG Namespace Url
 5    string SvgNamespace = "http://www.w3.org/2000/svg";
 6
 7    using (var document = new SVGDocument())
 8    {
 9        var svgElement = document.RootElement;
10
11        // Create a <defs> element and add to the <svg> element
12        var defsElement = (SVGDefsElement)document.CreateElementNS(SvgNamespace, "defs");
13        svgElement.AppendChild(defsElement);
14
15        // Create a <linearGradient> element and add to the <defs> element
16        var linearGradient = (SVGLinearGradientElement)document.CreateElementNS(SvgNamespace, "linearGradient");
17        linearGradient.Id = "linear-gradient";
18        linearGradient.X1.BaseVal.ValueAsString = "0%";
19        linearGradient.Y1.BaseVal.ValueAsString = "0%";
20        linearGradient.X2.BaseVal.ValueAsString = "100%";
21        linearGradient.Y2.BaseVal.ValueAsString = "0%";
22        defsElement.AppendChild(linearGradient);
23
24        // Add color stops to the gradient
25        var stop1 = (SVGStopElement)document.CreateElementNS(SvgNamespace, "stop");
26        stop1.SetAttribute("offset", "10%");
27        stop1.SetAttribute("stop-color", "#c71700");
28        linearGradient.AppendChild(stop1);
29
30        var stop2 = (SVGStopElement)document.CreateElementNS(SvgNamespace, "stop");
31        stop2.SetAttribute("offset", "60%");
32        stop2.SetAttribute("stop-color", "orange");
33        linearGradient.AppendChild(stop2);
34
35        var stop3 = (SVGStopElement)document.CreateElementNS(SvgNamespace, "stop");
36        stop3.SetAttribute("offset", "100%");
37        stop3.SetAttribute("stop-color", "#5a2100");
38        linearGradient.AppendChild(stop3);
39
40        // Create a rectangle and apply the linear gradient
41        var rectElement = (SVGRectElement)document.CreateElementNS(SvgNamespace, "rect");
42        rectElement.X.BaseVal.Value = 30;
43        rectElement.Y.BaseVal.Value = 30;
44        rectElement.Width.BaseVal.Value = 370;
45        rectElement.Height.BaseVal.Value = 150;
46        rectElement.SetAttribute("fill", "url(#linear-gradient)");
47        svgElement.AppendChild(rectElement);
48
49        // Save the document
50        document.Save(Path.Combine(OutputDir, "linear-gradient.svg"));
51    }

The resulting linear-gradient.svg file looks exactly like the image above – the rectangle with the red-orange-brown linear gradient.

Radial Gradient

Radial gradients create a smooth transition between colors radiating from a center point. A <radialGradient> element defines a radial gradient and its attributes. Like linear gradients, <stop> elements define color stops along the radial gradient.

cx, cy, and r attributes define the end circle for the radial gradient. The gradient will be drawn such that the 100% gradient stop is mapped to the perimeter of this end circle.
fx, fy, and fr attributes define the start circle for the radial gradient. The gradient will be drawn such that the 0% gradient stop is mapped to the perimeter of this start circle.

How to Create Radial Gradient in SVG Code

A radial gradient is more difficult than a linear one. The colors change circularly rather than linearly in it. Radial gradient is defined by a <radialGradient> element.

The cx and cy attributes set the coordinates of the center of the gradient circle. The value “0.5” corresponds to the center of the element. Both default to 0.5 if omitted.
The r attribute sets the radius of the gradient circle as a proportion of the element’s size. The value “0.8” corresponds to 80% of the element’s size.
The fx and fy attributes set the coordinates of the focal point of the gradient ellipse. The focal point is where the gradient’s emphasis is directed. For example, the fx value “25%” indicates that the focal point horizontally at 25% of the element’s width.

In this example, the centers of the end and start circles of the radial gradient do not match.

 1<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg">
 2    <defs>
 3		<radialGradient id="radial-gradient" cx="0.5" cy="0.5" r="0.8" fx="25%" fy="25%" >
 4            <stop offset="10%" stop-color="chocolate" />
 5            <stop offset="30%" stop-color="silver" />
 6            <stop offset="60%" stop-color="chocolate" />
 7            <stop offset="90%" stop-color="maroon" />
 8        </radialGradient>
 9    </defs>
10    <g fill="url(#radial-gradient)">
11		<circle cx="100" cy="100" r="90" />
12		<rect x="570" y="10" height="130" width="200" />
13		<ellipse cx="300" cy="150" rx="150" ry="50" />
14		<ellipse cx="490" cy="140" rx="50" ry="130" />
15	</g>
16</svg>

Text “Four shapes are shown filled with a radial gradient – a circle, two ellipses, and a rectangle.”

As you can see in the figure, the perception of the radial gradient depends on the shape it is applied to. The radial gradient can create a compelling illusion of 3D lighting and depth in a circle or ellipse. At the same time, we do not observe such an effect in the rectangle. Here, the gradient gives varying degrees of visual emphasis and lighting effects on flat surfaces.

Radial Gradient – C# Examples

A radial gradient creates a smooth color transition that radiates from the center point to the outer edges of the shape. The following C# code snippet shows how to create a radial gradient. In this example, the centers of the innermost and outermost border of the SVG gradient are the same and by default is 0.5. Let’s consider the C# code step by step:

Create an instance of the SVGDocument class. The RootElement property of the SVGDocument class points to the document’s root <svg> element.
Create a <defs> element and add it to the <svg> element:
- Use the CreateElementNS(namespaceURI, qualifiedName) method to create an instance of the SVGDefsElement class.
- Use the AppendChild() method to add the <defs> element to the <svg> element.
Create a <radialGradient> element with attributes and add it to the <defs> element:
- Use the CreateElementNS method to create an instance of the SVGRadialGradientElement class.
- Call the SetAttribute() method to set x1, y1, x2, and y2 attributes.
- Don’t forget to set the id attribute. Referring to the url name of the id attribute in the <radialGradient> allows applying the SVG gradient to fill and stroke shapes or SVG text.
- Use the AppendChild() method to add the <radialGradient> to the <defs> element.
Create <stop> elements, set their attributes, and add the stops to the <radialGradient> element:
- Use the CreateElementNS() to create instances of the SVGStopElement class.
- Call the SetAttribute () method to set offset and stop-color attributes.
- Use the AppendChild() method to add the stops to the <radialGradient> element.
Create a rectangle <rect> and <circle> elements that will be filled with the radial gradient. It is given a fill attribute that is set to url(#RadialGradient) referencing the previously defined SVG gradient with the Id = "RadialGradient".
Call the Save() method to save the resulting SVG image to a local file specified by path.

 1using Aspose.Svg;
 2using System.IO;
 3...
 4    // Set SVG Namespace Url
 5    string SvgNamespace = "http://www.w3.org/2000/svg";
 6
 7    using (var document = new SVGDocument())
 8    {
 9        var svgElement = document.RootElement;
10
11        // Create a <defs> element and add to the <svg> element
12        var defsElement = (SVGDefsElement)document.CreateElementNS(SvgNamespace, "defs");
13        svgElement.AppendChild(defsElement);
14
15        // Create a <radialGradient> element and add to the <defs> element
16        var radialGradient = (SVGRadialGradientElement)document.CreateElementNS(SvgNamespace, "radialGradient");
17        radialGradient.Id = "RadialGradient";
18        radialGradient.R.BaseVal.ValueAsString = "0.7";
19        defsElement.AppendChild(radialGradient);
20
21        // Add color stops to the radial gradient
22        var stop1 = (SVGStopElement)document.CreateElementNS(SvgNamespace, "stop");
23        stop1.SetAttribute("offset", "0%");
24        stop1.SetAttribute("stop-color", "silver");
25        radialGradient.AppendChild(stop1);
26
27        var stop2 = (SVGStopElement)document.CreateElementNS(SvgNamespace, "stop");
28        stop2.SetAttribute("offset", "55%");
29        stop2.SetAttribute("stop-color", "darkgreen");
30        radialGradient.AppendChild(stop2);
31
32        var stop3 = (SVGStopElement)document.CreateElementNS(SvgNamespace, "stop");
33        stop3.SetAttribute("offset", "100%");
34        stop3.SetAttribute("stop-color", "black");
35        radialGradient.AppendChild(stop3);
36
37        // Create a rectangle and apply the radial gradient
38        var rectElement = (SVGRectElement)document.CreateElementNS(SvgNamespace, "rect");
39        rectElement.X.BaseVal.Value = 50;
40        rectElement.Y.BaseVal.Value = 50;
41        rectElement.Width.BaseVal.Value = 200;
42        rectElement.Height.BaseVal.Value = 150;
43        rectElement.SetAttribute("fill", "url(#RadialGradient)");
44
45        // Create a circle element and set its attributes
46        var circleElement = (SVGCircleElement)document.CreateElementNS(SvgNamespace, "circle");
47        circleElement.Cx.BaseVal.Value = 520;
48        circleElement.Cy.BaseVal.Value = 125;
49        circleElement.R.BaseVal.Value = 90;
50        circleElement.SetAttribute("fill", "url(#RadialGradient)");
51
52        // Append the rectangle to the SVG
53        svgElement.AppendChild(rectElement);
54        svgElement.AppendChild(circleElement);
55
56        // Save the document
57        document.Save(Path.Combine(OutputDir, "radial-gradient.svg"));
58    }

The resulting image, radial-gradient.svg, looks like this.

Text “Two shapes are shown filled with a radial gradient – a circle and a rectangle.”

As you see in the figure, when the radial gradient is applied to a circle and a rectangle, the perception of the shapes differs.

Applying the radial gradient to a rectangle produces a different visual effect than a circle. While the gradient can still add a sense of depth and highlight the rectangle, the 3D feel is less strong than with the circle. Instead, a gradient can accentuate the center of a rectangle or create lighting effects more typical of flat surfaces.
When applied to a circle, a radial gradient can create a breathtaking 3D effect. The center point of the gradient corresponds to the center of the circle. As the gradient extends from the center to the outer edges of the circle, it simulates the illusion of a light source shining on a rounded surface. Colors fade from the color at the center to the color at the outer edge, mimicking the behavior of light falling on a curved object. This effect can add depth and dimension, making the circle appear more realistic as if it were a spherical object lit from a specific direction.

See also

You can download the complete examples and data files from GitHub.
About downloading from GitHub and running examples, you find out from the How to Run the Examples section.
For more information about SVG Gradients, see the W3C Paint Servers: Gradients and Patterns page and the SVG Filters and Gradients article.

SVG Filters SVG Transformations