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Palette:blendModes

Summary

blendModes is a 2-stream video mixer for exploring and using the 45+ blend modes of the Composite TOP. Connect 2 video inputs, select a Mix Mode (Crossfade by default) and use the X or XY crossfader at the top-middle. On the top right is the blended output of the component.

Roll over any blend mode in the bottom section to see a preview at the top-left. Click on a blend mode to switch to it.

Each thumbnail of the blend modes is divided into two halves since some blend modes depend on the order: "A Multiply B" is the same as "B Multiply A", but "A Over B" is not the same as "B Over A". So the left half is the choice "A blendmode B" (there will be a < on the previews0 and the right side is "B blendmode A" (> on the preview). So in these cases clicking on the right side gives a different result than the left.

Three Mix Modes

Select

The output simply switches to a new blend mode when you click on the blend mode icon. Rollover lets you preview the blend at the top left before you commit by clicking it.

Crossfade

On the conventional left-to-right crossfade gadget in the middle, setting the center Mix slider to the left outputs input 1, sliding it to the right outputs input 2, and the setting the slider to the middle outputs the blend mode that is currently selected. You see the current blend mode icon and name in the slot below the crossfader. Again, click a blendmode choice in the bottom section to switch to it.

VJ

VJ Mode is a 2-way crossfade where you can also mix between a pair of blend modes. As with Crossfade, setting the crossfade to the left side outputs input 1, right outputs input 2. But the vertical position of the crossfade gives you a mix of two blend modes. Drag between the top-middle of the gadget and the bottom-middle. You will see a blend of two recent blend modes that you have selected. You can see your two blend modes as icons in the slots above and below the crossfader.

This is designed so you can smoothly crossfade back and forth between two blend modes. If your crossfade slider is at the top middle, you see only the top slot's blend mode. Then if you click on another blend mode below, it will put the new blend mode at the below the mix slider, you will not see a change to your output, and you can then smoothly crossfade to that from top-middle to bottom middle. With crossfade at the bottom, the next blend mode you click will be placed in the top slot.

The end result with the XY slider is that you can crossfade between two inputs and two blend modes, and if operated correctly, will not have an abrupt visual change.

BlendModes.3.jpg

Favorite Blend Modes

In the bottom section are 12 blend modes which are pre-chosen as popular blend modes of the 45+ blend modes of the Composite TOP (and Photoshop). Click Favorites at the top to see and choose/un-choose other blend modes by clicking on a red one to select it, or on a green one to de-select it. (This affects toggle parameters on the Enable page.)

Alternately, clicking on All at the top will make all blend modes your favorite until you deselect All.

BlendModes lets you see and preview all 60+ blending choices. As will all blend modes, how interesting and useful one is depends on the images feeding it. Some blend modes look like crap or are ineffective until you feed it the right kinds of input images, which vary in terms of contrast, color saturation, luminance and whether the source has alpha. (Over, Inside, Outside, Under are useless unless an input has some alpha=0 in it.)

Adaptive Layouts

The BlendModes panel will adapt its layout when you change the window size in a floating panel (default behavior), or by setting the panel width and height parameters (you need to first turn off the Size from Window toggle on the Layout page.

UI Page

The parameters on the UI page can adjust the relative proportions of UI elements.

blendModes Page

All UI controls are bound to parameters on this page.

Video Resolution

This parameter sets the resolution (and implied aspect ratio) of the compositing. All inputs are converted to this resolution.

Notes

All UI interactions change a parameter, and almost all parameters change a UI element, usually via parameter Binding.

This can be used without UI (just with the parameters dialog) with no compute penalty.

PythonIcon.pngPalette:blendModes Ext


Parameters - Control Page

Help Help - Opens this page.

Version Version - The current version of this component.

Resolution Resolution - - The output resolution of this component.

  • Resolution Resolutionw -
  • Resolution Resolutionh -


Operator Inputs

  • Input 0: in1 - The first layer to be composited.
  • Input 1: in2 - The second layer to be composited.


Operator Outputs

  • Output 0 - The final output.
  • Output 1 - The preview of the output when rolling over a composite selection in the ui.
  • Output 2 - A CHOP containing information on what blend has been selected and if the input order to the composite operation has been swapped.

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