9.6 Composite

9.6.1 Blend

The Blend node composites multiple images together into a single image.

Images are composited in a layered order. The Destination image is placed at the bottom and each Source image is composited in order from bottom to top. Each Source image has its own Mask, Opacity, and Mode settings.

See Blending in Chapter 5. Localized Editing for a walkthrough on how to use the Blend node.

Input

Add Source/Source

An image the be composited. Each Source field includes Mask, Opacity, and Mode fields. Connect to the Add Source field to add a new image to be blended.

Mask

An image to use as a mask when compositing the above Source image. If the Mask image is not already in greyscale, it will be automatically converted.

Opacity

How translucent the above Source image is when composited. A value of 0 is completely translucent and a value of 65535 is completely opaque.

Mode

How colors in both the Source image and the merged images below should be mixed.

Example	Mode	Description
	Normal	Top color is set over the bottom color.
	Multiply	Top color is multiplied by bottom color. Makes colors darker.
	Screen	The top color and bottom colors are inverted and then multiplied. A white top color results in white and a black top color results in the bottom color.
	Addition	The top color and bottom colors are added together.
	Overlay	Multiplies if bottom color is dark and screens if bottom color is bright.
	Soft Light	Top color is used to make the bottom color darker or lighter. Similar to Hard Light.
	Hard Light	Multiplies if the top color is dark and screens if top color is bright.
	Linear Light	Dodges if the top color is light and burns if the top color is dark. A neutral top color results in the bottom color.
	Luminosity	The luminosity of the top color combined with the hue and saturation of the bottom color.
	Subtract	The difference between the top color and the bottom color. Similar to Difference but negative values are set to 0.
	Dodge	Bottom color is brightened by the top color. A black top color results in the bottom color.
	Burn	Bottom color is darkened by the top color. A white top color results in the bottom color.
	Difference	The absolute difference between the top color and the bottom color.

Destination

The base image all Source images are composited on top of. Determines the output image size.

Output

Image

The final image with all Source images composited over the Destination image.

9.6.2 Clone/Heal

The Clone/Heal node is used to selectively copy parts of an image over itself. Usually used to remove a distracting object or blemish.

Cloning and healing should be treated as “vector” operations. If the input image is changed, your strokes will be reapplied.

See Cloning and healing in Chapter 6. Retouching for a walkthrough on how to use the Clone/Heal node.

Input

Image

The image to be altered.

Output

Whether to merge the results onto the input image.

• Changed: Only the clone and heal strokes are included in the output image. All other areas of the output image are translucent.
• Merged: The output image contains the clone and heal strokes composited on top of the input image.

Output

Image

The input image as altered.

Mode

There are two tools available for interacting with the Clone/Heal node.

Icon	Name	Keyboard Shortcut	Description
	Clone	C	Hold the Shift key and left click on the canvas to place the source point for where pixels should be copied from. Left click and drag cursor over the canvas to copy pixels from the source point.
	Heal	H	Hold the Shift key and left click on the canvas to place the source point for where the pixels should be healed from. Left click and drag cursor over canvas to heal using pixels from the source point.

The Clone and Heal tools are transform aware.

Use the Brush dock window to change the tool’s size, opacity, and hardness.

Use the Clone/Heal dock window to perform aligned sampling and to change how cloned or healed pixels are blended with the input image.

Aligned Sample

When checked, the source point moves relative to the cursor after the first stroke instead of returning to where placed.

Blend Mode

How cloned or healed pixels are blended. These are the same modes used when compositing with the Blend node.

9.6.3 Join HSL Channels

The Join HSL Channels node takes (presumably) greyscale images representing each channel of the HSL color model and merges them together into an RGBA image. A missing input image is treated as a completely black greyscale image.

Input

Hue

The image used for the hue channel when merging the HSL channels. If this image is not greyscale, the red channel is used.

Saturation

The image used for the saturation channel when merging the HSL channels. If this image is not greyscale, the red channel is used.

Lightness

The image used for the lightness channel when merging the HSL channels. If this image is not greyscale, the red channel is used.

Alpha

The image used for the alpha channel of the outputted image. If this image is not greyscale, the red channel is used.

Output

Image

A typical RGBA image converted from the HSL color model with each channel coming from the specified input image. If the Hue, Saturation, Lightess, and Alpha input images are all the same size, the output image will also be the same size. Otherwise, the output image will expand to fit all of the input images.

9.6.4 Join RGBA Channels

The Join RGBA Channels node takes (presumably) greyscale images representing each channel of the RGBA color model and merges them together into an RGBA image. A missing input image is treated as a completely black greyscale image.

Input

Red

The image used for the red channel when merging the RGBA channels. If this image is not greyscale, the red channel is used.

Green

The image used for the green channel when merging the RGBA channels. If this image is not greyscale, the red channel is used.

Blue

The image used for the blue channel when merging the RGBA channels. If this image is not greyscale, the red channel is used.

Alpha

The image used for the alpha channel when merging the RGBA channels. If this image is not greyscale, the red channel is used.

Output

Image

A typical RGBA image with each channel merged from the specified input image. If the Red, Green, Blue, and Alpha input images are all the same size, the output image will also be the same size. Otherwise, the output image will expand to fit all of the input images.

9.6.5 Split HSL Channels

The Split HSL Channels node converts an image to the HSL color model and then outputs a separate greyscale image for each channel.

Input

Image

The image to be converted to HSL and then have its channels split.

Output

Hue

Greyscale image built from the hue channel of the input image after being converted to HSL.

Saturation

Greyscale image built from the saturation channel of the input image after being converted to HSL.

Lightness

Greyscale image built from the lightness channel of the input image after being converted to HSL.

Alpha

Greyscale image built from the alpha channel of the input image.

9.6.6 Split RGBA Channels

The Split RGBA Channels node outputs a separate greyscale image for each channel of an image.

Input

Image

The image to have its channels split.

Output

Red

Greyscale image built from the red channel of the input image.

Green

Greyscale image built from the green channel of the input image.

Blue

Greyscale image built from the blue channel of the input image.

Alpha

Greyscale image built from the alpha channel of the input image.