[GIS] Setting different transparency for different areas of basemap

Question

I want to print the map of a town and I would like to see the basemap more transparent outside the town area (border polygon) or vice versa.

How can I do this?

I'm using ArcGIS 10.2.2 for Desktop and ArcGIS Online Basemaps which are chosen from the Add Data button.

Answer 1

I would use the clip to shape option in the data frame properties. Have two copies of your basemap in the Data Frame one with no transparency which you clip to your town border using the option below.

Then make your second one transparent and sitting below the first basemap and exclude it from the clip using the Exclude Layers button.

Below is a very quick example of the sort of output you can achieve: