Choose a stroke type

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Microsoft Expression Design lets you apply two different types of strokes to a path: basic strokes and brush strokes. You can also remove the stroke completely. Note that when you apply a brush stroke to an object that has a fill, the object is filled first and then stroked (the stroke always appears on top of the fill).

The two stroke types are basic stroke (1, with a solid color, and 2, with a gradient applied to it) and brush stroke (3)

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Choosing a stroke type

To select a stroke type

  1. On the Properties panel, in the Appearance category, open the Strokegallery.

  2. In the Stroke gallery, select from one of the following:

    • Basic stroke   Click the Basic Stroke brush stroke (the first brush stroke option in the Stroke gallery following No Stroke) if you want a stroke with a constant thickness to be drawn along the path. Then use the Color Picker to select either a solid color or gradient.

    • Brush stroke   Select any other brush stroke from the Stroke gallery if you want a stroke created from a vector or bitmap picture to be drawn along the path. Some people call brush strokes skeletal strokes or artistic strokes. For more information about how to make and manage brush strokes, see Create a custom brush stroke.

    • No stroke   To draw a path without a stroke, or to remove the stroke from a path, select the No Fill/Stroke swatch Cc295155.04f95a08-29da-42f3-9f52-e1dd8ce3de1b(en-us,Expression.10).png from the swatch icons in the Appearance category of the Properties panel, or from the Stroke gallery.

The Stroke gallery

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Tip

You can drag frequently used brush strokes up to the Favorites section of the Stroke gallery to replace one or more of the three strokes listed there.