SetWindowTheme g_hwndRebar, StrPtr(<стиль Explorer>),  0  'стиль для Висты

Public Function CreateGradientBackground( _
   ByVal hwndRef As Long, _
   ByVal Width As Long, ByVal Height As Long, _
   Optional ByVal Color1 =  14454852 , _
   Optional ByVal Color2 =  7747602 , _
   Optional ByVal Color3 =  9067836 ) As IPictureDisp

    Set g_picBackground = _
CreateGradientBackground(Form1.Picture2.hWnd, Form1.Picture2.Width, Form1.Picture2.Height,  12695690 ,  7824148 ,  11247700 )

    'Main background
    Public clrBGTop1 As Color = Color.FromArgb( 255 ,  127 ,  166 ,  191 )
    Public clrBGTop2 As Color = Color.FromArgb( 255 ,  4 ,  72 ,  117 )
    Public clrBGBottom1 As Color = Color.FromArgb( 255 ,  57 ,  117 ,  156 )
    Public clrBGBottom2 As Color = Color.FromArgb( 150 ,  255 ,  255 ,  255 )
    Public clrBGBorder As Color = Color.FromArgb( 200 ,  176 ,  200 ,  216 )
    Public clrBGGreen As Color = Color.FromArgb( 100 ,  57 ,  161 ,  133 )

Option Explicit

Function Get4ByteHex(val)
    Dim s As String
    s = Hex(val)
    Do While Len(s) <  8 
        s = "0" & s
    Loop
    Get4ByteHex = Right(s,  8 )
End Function

Function Get1ByteHex(val)
    Dim s As String
    s = Hex(val)
    Do While Len(s) <  2 
        s = "0" & s
    Loop
    Get1ByteHex = Right(s,  2 )
End Function

Function GetAlpha(val)
    Dim s As String
    s = Get4ByteHex(val)
    GetAlpha = CLng("&h" & Left(s,  2 ))
End Function

Function GetRed(val)
    Dim s As String
    s = Get4ByteHex(val)
    GetRed = CLng("&h" & Mid(s,  3 ,  2 ))
End Function

Function GetGreen(val)
    Dim s As String
    s = Get4ByteHex(val)
    GetGreen = CLng("&h" & Mid(s,  5 ,  2 ))
End Function

Function GetBlue(val)
    Dim s As String
    s = Get4ByteHex(val)
    GetBlue = CLng("&h" & Right(s,  2 ))
End Function

Function GetARGB(a, r, g, b) As Long
    Dim s As String
    s = "&h" & Get1ByteHex(a) & Get1ByteHex(r) & Get1ByteHex(g) & Get1ByteHex(b)
    GetARGB = CLng(s)
End Function

Function GetMyColor(a, r, g, b) As Long
    Dim ARGBval As Long
    Dim RGBval As Long
    ARGBval = GetARGB(a, r, g, b)
    RGBval = RGB(GetRed(ARGBval), GetGreen(ARGBval), GetBlue(ARGBval))
    GetMyColor = RGBval
End Function

    Set g_picBackground = CreateGradientBackground(Form1.Picture2.hWnd, _ 
    Form1.Picture2.Width, Form1.Picture2.Height, GetMyColor( 255 ,  127 ,  166 ,  191 ), _
GetMyColor( 255 ,  4 ,  72 ,  117 ), GetMyColor( 255 ,  57 ,  117 ,  156 ))

 Static bSetup As Boolean
 If bSetup Then Exit Sub

Private Sub SetupVertices(v0() As TRIVERTEX, v1() As TRIVERTEX, _
  ByVal b As Long, ByVal u As Long, ByVal s As Long, _
  disablestatic As Boolean)  'установка координат узлов сетки
 Dim i As Long, x As Long
 Static bSetup As Boolean
 If disablestatic Then
    bSetup = False
    Exit Sub
 End If
 If bSetup Then Exit Sub
...

Private Sub Form_Paint()
    Set g_picBackground = CreateGradientBackground _
      (Form1.Picture1.hWnd, Form1.Picture1.Width, Form1.Picture1.Height, vbWhite,  7747602 ,  9067836 )
    Form1.Picture1.Picture = g_picBackground
End Sub

Option Explicit
Dim g_picBackground As IPictureDisp

Private Sub Form_Load()
    Set g_picBackground = CreateGradientBackgroundSimple_ 
      (Me.Picture1.hWnd, Me.Picture1.Width, Me.Picture1.Height,  12628871 ,  10389829 ) '12695690, 7824148, 11247700
End Sub

Private Sub Form_Paint()
    Me.Picture1.Picture = g_picBackground
End Sub

Private Sub Form_Unload(Cancel As Integer)
    DeleteObject g_picBackground
End Sub

Private Sub Form_Paint()
   Me.Picture1.Picture = g_picBackground
   DrawIconEx Picture1.hDC,  10 ,  0 , lngIconPICT,  0 ,  0 ,  0 ,  0 , DI_NORMAL 'перерисовываем иначе сотрется как ластиком
 End Sub

Private Sub Form_Unload(Cancel As Integer)
    DeleteObject g_picBackground
End Sub