Hi Ben insdead of handling the form.paint event you will need to override it.
Try this

Protected Overrides Sub OnPaint(e As PaintEventArgs)
      ' Call the OnPaint method of the base class.
      MyBase.OnPaint(e)
      ' Call methods of the System.Drawing.Graphics object.
      '***************************************
      ' Initialize Variables
      '***************************************
      Dim brushBlueGradient As LinearGradientBrush
      '***************************************
      ' Default Values
      '***************************************
      brushBlueGradient = New LinearGradientBrush(Me.ClientRectangle, _
                                                  Color.FromArgb(115, 160, 196), _
                                                  Color.FromArgb(194, 213, 224), _
                                                   LinearGradientMode.Vertical)
      '***************************************
      ' Draw Main Gradient Area
      '***************************************
      e.Graphics.FillRectangle(brushBlueGradient, New Rectangle(0, 0, Me.ClientSize.Width, Me.ClientSize.Height))   
End Sub

>I have the following code placed inside an MDI Parent Form's Paint method:
>
>

>    Private Sub frmMain_Paint(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.Windows.Forms.PaintEventArgs) Handles Me.Paint
>
>        '***************************************
>        ' Initialize Variables
>        '***************************************
>        Dim brushBlueGradient As LinearGradientBrush
>
>        '***************************************
>        ' Default Values
>        '***************************************
>        brushBlueGradient = New LinearGradientBrush(Me.ClientRectangle, _
>                                                    Color.FromArgb(115, 160, 196), _
>                                                    Color.FromArgb(194, 213, 224), _
>                                                    LinearGradientMode.Vertical)
>
>        '***************************************
>        ' Draw Main Gradient Area
>        '***************************************
>        e.Graphics.FillRectangle(brushBlueGradient, New Rectangle(0, 0, Me.ClientSize.Width, Me.ClientSize.Height))
>    End Sub
>

>
>Yet when it runs, the MDI Parent's background is not changed. What am I missing?
>
>Thanks for any help that can be offered.