I typically use conditional styles to do everything from alternating row coloring as such: <conditionalStyle> <conditionExpression><![CDATA[$V{REPORT_COUNT}%2 == 0]]></conditionExpression> <style mode="Transparent" backcolor="#EEEEEE"/> </conditionalStyle> As well as to highlight the rows of numbers that fall within a particular range. My problem, though, is that whenever I use the alternating row coloring I have to set things as opaque. ... <frame> <reportElement style="AlternatingRowColor" mode="Opaque" x="0" y="0" width="270" height="12"/> ... When all of my rows are set to opaque to use alternating colors and I set the background picture for a watermark the watermark will not show up because of the opaque. Is it possible to use background colors such as alternating styles with opaque and still get a watermark to show up? I also have the same issue with creating rectangles of background colors to highlight parts of my report. Again, I have to set the rectangle to opaque, otherwise the background color will not show and once I do that it obscures my watermark.