That map has isolines, which you can generate a 3D surface upon and add diffuse lighting to it.* I predicted that answer... No, I don't have any isolines, this is just an example. Sorry I didn't found example that exactly shows I need to reach. Anyway I think I found solution (interpolation + blur)...

Thank you for your tip, but my goal is different. It will not be just shape with bevel. It will be non-flat surface like this: http://a.tile.opencyclemap.org/cycle/13/6451/2728.png http://a.tile.opencyclemap.org/cycle/13/6452/2728.png (this is fragment of OpenCycleMap ) Do you see that small gray sh...

Yes, like a bevel.

No, blurring does not give same result.

I plan to use it as "shade" (shadow) of non-flat surface. This particular example has sharp beginning and ending, but using interpolation from small shape to 100% transparent bigger shape gives result that can be used for my purposes.

That's exactly that I wanted! Interpolation is that magic tool I was looking for. Many thanks.

(Well, gradients will be "stepped", not ideal, because it's impossible to get infinite number of steps, but, as it was said already, this is vector graphics so let's assume it's ok).

Move it, and bend it, and change colors and opacity

Thank you for your replies, now I know that there is no magic trick that help me reach exactly that I want, but I will use your advices to reorganize my principles of drawing.

Thank you, but what about non-constant thinkness? And "gradiented shape as a group of paths" can't be smooth anyway, right?

Greetings. I'm trying to create something like this: https://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/67890/44452758.7/0_8f9ca_dbea5947_L But smoother (smooth gradient from center to sides) and more "friendly for editing". I tried to use "Pattern along path" effect, but it's not exactly that I wa...