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Version: 2.0.0-preview

Color Grading

A tab for color correction and color grading of video. You can use color wheels and number boxes to adjust the color and brightness for each tonal region (Shadows, Midtones, Highlights, etc.).

Tab characteristics​

  • Open by default: No
  • Allow multiple instances: Yes

How to open​

There are two ways to open this tab.

  • From the menu bar, choose View → Tools → Color Grading.
  • On the properties of a Color Grading filter effect added to a drawable, click the Edit in tab button.

If you simply open the tab on its own, no effect is associated with it yet, and the message "No Color Grading effect is selected." is shown. Opening the tab from the filter effect's properties links the tab to that effect so you can edit its values.

Layout​

The tab is divided into three main areas.

  • Header (top): The tab name, a toggle for the number editors, and a wheel-mode selector.
  • Number editor row (middle): An area for entering correction values numerically (laid out in a wrap panel).
  • Color wheels (bottom): An area with color wheels you drag to adjust color.

If the underlying Color Grading effect is removed, the tab closes automatically.

Toggling the number editors​

The pencil-icon toggle button on the right of the header shows or hides the number editor row. Hide the number editors when you want a wider view for rough wheel adjustments, and show them only when you need fine numeric control.

Wheel mode selector​

The dropdown at the far right of the header switches the layout of the color wheels in the lower area.

  • Shadows / Midtones / Highlights: Three wheels, one per luminance region.
  • Lift / Gamma / Gain / Offset: Four wheels for raising the toe of the tone curve, stretching the midtones, scaling the maximum, and offsetting the whole signal.

Number editors​

When the number editors are visible, the following fields are laid out in a wrap panel. You can change values by dragging or by typing. To animate a value, work from the Properties tab rather than this tab.

FieldRangeDescription
Temperature-100 to 100Cool / warm balance
Tint-100 to 100Green / magenta balance
Exposure-5 to +5 EVOverall brightness (acts exponentially)
Contrast-100 to 100Strength of contrast
Contrast Pivot0 to 1Reference luminance around which contrast is applied
Saturation-100 to 100Overall saturation
Vibrance-100 to 100Boosts low-saturation colors preferentially
Hue-180 to 180Overall hue rotation (degrees)
Low Range0 to 100Boundary between Shadows and Midtones
High Range0 to 100Boundary between Midtones and Highlights

Low Range and High Range are used to split tonal regions when the wheel mode is set to Shadows / Midtones / Highlights.

Color wheels​

Common operations​

  • Drag inside the wheel: Push the color in the dragged direction.
  • Drag the slider below the wheel: Change brightness.

Wheels by mode​

  • Shadows / Midtones / Highlights mode
    • Shadows: Color of the dark tones.
    • Midtones: Color of the mid tones.
    • Highlights: Color of the bright tones.
    • The boundaries between regions are set with Low Range and High Range in the number editors.
  • Lift / Gamma / Gain / Offset mode
    • Lift: Lifts the dark tones.
    • Gamma: Adjusts the curve of the mid tones.
    • Gain: Scales the bright tones.
    • Offset: Adds a constant to the whole signal.

Persisted tab state​

The following state is restored when the tab is reopened, even after it has been closed:

  • The selected wheel mode.
  • Whether the number editors are visible.
  • The associated Color Grading effect.

Source​