How to do some pretty neat GDI+

[minitech]

All the following code assumes you have imported System.Drawing and System.Drawing.Imaging.
I'll also be creating a custom control, a class, or a set of extensions to Graphics, so you don't have to remember all of this.

1. Using a ColorMatrix.

A ColorMatrix is an object you (can) use to change the values of the R, G, B, and A values in an image by multiplication. It's always an array of arrays of singles, 5x5. A diagonal line of 1 values is the default. Here's how you can use it to fade out a picture:

Dim g As Graphics = Me.CreateGraphics() 'Use whatever graphics source, even a bitmap.
Dim bmp As New Bitmap(Image.FromFile("example.png"))
Dim alpha As Single = 0.5! ' Draw at half transparency
Dim arr()() As Single = { _
     New Single() {1,0,0,0,0}, _
     New Single() {0,1,0,0,0}, _
     New Single() {0,0,1,0,0}, _
     New Single() {0,0,0,alpha,0}, _
     New Single() {0,0,0,0,1} _
}
Dim cm As New ColorMatrix(arr)
Dim iattr As New ImageAttributes()
iattr.SetColorMatrix(cm)
g.DrawImage(bmp,New Rectangle(0,0,bmp.Width,bmp.Height),0,0,bmp.Width,bmp.Height,GraphicsUnit.Pixel,iattr)

Just put that in a loop that increments or decrements "alpha".
Next: rotation, scaling, skewing, and flipping - all in one!