diff --git a/synfig-core/src/synfig/canvas.h b/synfig-core/src/synfig/canvas.h
index 899b522..7fc9e91 100644
--- a/synfig-core/src/synfig/canvas.h
+++ b/synfig-core/src/synfig/canvas.h
@@ -122,9 +122,13 @@
  *
  *      Added gamma into a canvas rend_desc
  * 
+ * 1.2
+ *
+ *      Added 'alpha' blend method
+ * 
  */
 
-#define CURRENT_CANVAS_VERSION "1.1"
+#define CURRENT_CANVAS_VERSION "1.2"
 
 /* === T Y P E D E F S ===================================================== */
 
diff --git a/synfig-core/src/synfig/color/cairocolor.cpp b/synfig-core/src/synfig/color/cairocolor.cpp
index 6fad65c..36b3f9f 100644
--- a/synfig-core/src/synfig/color/cairocolor.cpp
+++ b/synfig-core/src/synfig/color/cairocolor.cpp
@@ -119,6 +119,8 @@ CairoColor::blend(CairoColor a, CairoColor b, float amount, Color::BlendMethod t
 		blendfunc_ALPHA_OVER<CairoColor>,
 		blendfunc_OVERLAY<CairoColor>,		// 20
 		blendfunc_STRAIGHT_ONTO<CairoColor>,
+		blendfunc_STRAIGHT_ONTO<CairoColor>, // dummy instead of new blend method
+		blendfunc_STRAIGHT_ONTO<CairoColor>  // dummy instead of new blend method
 	};
 
 	return vtable[type](a,b,amount);
diff --git a/synfig-core/src/synfig/color/color.cpp b/synfig-core/src/synfig/color/color.cpp
index 6023ce9..6f1a35b 100644
--- a/synfig-core/src/synfig/color/color.cpp
+++ b/synfig-core/src/synfig/color/color.cpp
@@ -241,6 +241,7 @@ Color::blend(Color a, Color b, float amount, Color::BlendMethod type)
 		blendfunc_OVERLAY<Color>,		// 20
 		blendfunc_STRAIGHT_ONTO<Color>,
 		blendfunc_ADD_COMPOSITE<Color>,
+		blendfunc_ALPHA<Color>,
 	};
 
 	return vtable[type](a,b,amount);
diff --git a/synfig-core/src/synfig/color/color.h b/synfig-core/src/synfig/color/color.h
index 29d15c5..68eb83d 100644
--- a/synfig-core/src/synfig/color/color.h
+++ b/synfig-core/src/synfig/color/color.h
@@ -274,8 +274,9 @@ public:
 		BLEND_ALPHA_BRIGHTEN=14,	//!< \deprecated If A is less opaque than B, use A
 		BLEND_ALPHA_DARKEN=15,		//!< \deprecated If A is more opaque than B, use B
 		BLEND_ALPHA_OVER=19,		//!< \deprecated multiply alphas and then straight blends using the amount
+		BLEND_ALPHA=23,				//!< multiply alphas
 
-		BLEND_END=23,				//!< \internal
+		BLEND_END=24,				//!< \internal
 		BLEND_BY_LAYER=999			//! Used to let the layer decides what Blend Method use by
 									//! default when the layer is created
 	};
@@ -296,12 +297,14 @@ public:
 			| (1 << BLEND_STRAIGHT_ONTO)
 			| (1 << BLEND_SCREEN)
 			| (1 << BLEND_OVERLAY)
-			| (1 << BLEND_HARD_LIGHT),
+			| (1 << BLEND_HARD_LIGHT)
+			| (1 << BLEND_ALPHA),
 
 		BLEND_METHODS_STRAIGHT = 0
 			| (1 << BLEND_STRAIGHT)
 			| (1 << BLEND_STRAIGHT_ONTO)
-			| (1 << BLEND_ALPHA_BRIGHTEN),
+			| (1 << BLEND_ALPHA_BRIGHTEN)
+			| (1 << BLEND_ALPHA),
 
 		BLEND_METHODS_OVERWRITE_ON_ALPHA_ONE = 0
 			| (1 << BLEND_COMPOSITE),
diff --git a/synfig-core/src/synfig/color/colorblendingfunctions.h b/synfig-core/src/synfig/color/colorblendingfunctions.h
index bf692af..5345278 100644
--- a/synfig-core/src/synfig/color/colorblendingfunctions.h
+++ b/synfig-core/src/synfig/color/colorblendingfunctions.h
@@ -373,6 +373,18 @@ C blendfunc_HARD_LIGHT(C &a,C &b,float amount)
 }
 
 template <class C>
+C blendfunc_ALPHA(C &a,C &b,float amount)
+{
+	const float one(C::ceil);
+	C rm(b);
+
+	//multiply the alpha channel with the one below us
+	rm.set_a(a.get_a()*b.get_a());
+
+	return blendfunc_STRAIGHT(rm,b,amount);
+}
+
+template <class C>
 C blendfunc_ALPHA_OVER(C &a,C &b,float amount)
 {
 	const float one(C::ceil);
diff --git a/synfig-core/src/synfig/paramdesc.cpp b/synfig-core/src/synfig/paramdesc.cpp
index 37b0f15..c96528d 100644
--- a/synfig-core/src/synfig/paramdesc.cpp
+++ b/synfig-core/src/synfig/paramdesc.cpp
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ ParamDesc::ParamDesc(const ValueBase&, const String &a):
 		.add_enum_value(Color::BLEND_ALPHA_OVER,     "alphaover",    _("Alpha Over"))
 		.add_enum_value(Color::BLEND_ALPHA_BRIGHTEN, "alphabrighten",_("Alpha Brighten"))
 		.add_enum_value(Color::BLEND_ALPHA_DARKEN,   "alphadarken",  _("Alpha Darken"))
+		.add_enum_value(Color::BLEND_ALPHA,          "alpha",        _("Alpha"))
 		; // end of enums
-		
 	}
 }
diff --git a/synfig-core/src/synfig/rendering/common/optimizer/optimizertransformation.cpp b/synfig-core/src/synfig/rendering/common/optimizer/optimizertransformation.cpp
index 1916d9e..83085a2 100644
--- a/synfig-core/src/synfig/rendering/common/optimizer/optimizertransformation.cpp
+++ b/synfig-core/src/synfig/rendering/common/optimizer/optimizertransformation.cpp
@@ -62,11 +62,22 @@ OptimizerTransformation::run(const RunParams& params) const
 	TaskTransformation::Handle transformation = TaskTransformation::Handle::cast_dynamic(params.ref_task);
 	if (!transformation || !transformation->is_simple()) return;
 
-	// transformation of none in none
-	Task::Handle sub_task = transformation->sub_task();
-	if (!sub_task || !transformation->get_transformation())
+	// no trasgormation
+	if (!transformation->get_transformation())
+		{ apply(params, Task::Handle()); return; }
+	
+	const Task::List &sub_tasks = transformation->sub_tasks;
+	int count = 0;
+	for(Task::List::const_iterator i = sub_tasks.begin(); i != sub_tasks.end(); ++i)
+		if (*i) ++count;
+	if (!count)
 		{ apply(params, Task::Handle()); return; }
 
+	// transformation of none in none
+	Task::Handle sub_task = transformation->sub_task();
+	if (!sub_task || count > 1)
+		return;
+	
 	// transformation of solid is solid
 	if (TaskInterfaceConstant *constant = sub_task.type_pointer<TaskInterfaceConstant>())
 	{
diff --git a/synfig-core/src/synfig/rendering/common/task/taskblend.cpp b/synfig-core/src/synfig/rendering/common/task/taskblend.cpp
index 419120f..6de1c22 100644
--- a/synfig-core/src/synfig/rendering/common/task/taskblend.cpp
+++ b/synfig-core/src/synfig/rendering/common/task/taskblend.cpp
@@ -73,18 +73,11 @@ TaskBlend::calc_bounds() const
 {
 	Rect ra = sub_task_a() ? sub_task_a()->get_bounds() : Rect::zero();
 	Rect rb = sub_task_b() ? sub_task_b()->get_bounds() : Rect::zero();
-	Rect bounds = Rect::zero();
+	Rect bounds = ra | rb;
 	if (Color::is_onto(blend_method))
-		bounds = ra;
-	else
-	if (ra.valid() && rb.valid())
-		set_union(bounds, ra, rb);
-	else
-	if (ra.valid())
-		bounds = ra;
-	else
-	if (rb.valid())
-		bounds = rb;
+		bounds &= ra;
+	if (approximate_equal(amount, Color::value_type(1)) && Color::is_straight(blend_method))
+		bounds &= rb;
 	return bounds;
 }
 
diff --git a/synfig-core/src/synfig/rendering/common/task/tasktransformation.cpp b/synfig-core/src/synfig/rendering/common/task/tasktransformation.cpp
index 3f5faf1..1f0b8fa 100644
--- a/synfig-core/src/synfig/rendering/common/task/tasktransformation.cpp
+++ b/synfig-core/src/synfig/rendering/common/task/tasktransformation.cpp
@@ -65,8 +65,11 @@ TaskTransformation::is_simple() const {
 int
 TaskTransformation::get_pass_subtask_index() const
 {
-	return sub_task() && get_transformation()
-		 ? PASSTO_THIS_TASK : PASSTO_NO_TASK;
+	if (!get_transformation())
+		return PASSTO_NO_TASK;
+	for(Task::List::const_iterator i = sub_tasks.begin(); i != sub_tasks.end(); ++i)
+		if (*i) return PASSTO_THIS_TASK;
+	return PASSTO_NO_TASK;
 }
 
 
diff --git a/synfig-core/src/synfig/rendering/opengl/internal/shaders.cpp b/synfig-core/src/synfig/rendering/opengl/internal/shaders.cpp
index 2eb1352..df5cb61 100644
--- a/synfig-core/src/synfig/rendering/opengl/internal/shaders.cpp
+++ b/synfig-core/src/synfig/rendering/opengl/internal/shaders.cpp
@@ -110,6 +110,9 @@ gl::Shaders::Shaders(Context &context):
 	load_blend(Color::BLEND_ALPHA_OVER,     "alphaover");
 	load_blend(Color::BLEND_ALPHA_BRIGHTEN, "alphabrighten");
 	load_blend(Color::BLEND_ALPHA_DARKEN,   "alphadarken");
+#error implement add_composite and alpha
+	load_blend(Color::BLEND_ADD_COMPOSITE,  "add_composite");
+	load_blend(Color::BLEND_ALPHA,          "alpha");
 	#ifndef NDEBUG
 	for(int i = 0; i < Color::BLEND_END; ++i)
 		assert(blend_programs[i].id);