Naming nodes and using node presets

In contrast to look presets, that stores an entire look with all nodes in the look library, a node preset  only contains one or several nodes of a look. When a node preset is applied to the look in a slot, only the nodes of the current look are updated, that are stored in the look preset, while other nodes are left untouched. When applying a node preset, only nodes are updated, that match by name.

Examples

Node presets can be used to store and apply single aspects of a look. Examples of node presets could be:

• A single CDL node, that represents the correction of a certain filter’s color cast,
• a 3D-LUT node with a LUT representing a color space conversion,
• a CDL and a saturation node representing a creative look without the log-to-video conversion LUT, or
• a 3D-LUT node with a specific log-to-video conversion LUT.

Naming nodes

Each node of a look has a name. A little pen icon appears when hovering with the mouse over a node’s right bar. This indicates that the node can be named. You can edit the default names by clicking on the right bar of a node, where the name is displayed. A small panel is shown with a text field where you can edit the node name.

Please note that nodes need to have unique names within a look. No two nodes of a look can have the same name.

The names of looks are stored in look presets and node presets, and are later used to match nodes when applying a node preset to a look.

Updating single nodes by applying a node preset

When applying a node preset, only nodes are updated in the current look, where the name of the node in the current look matches the name of the node in the look preset.

Preparing a node preset

A node preset is created from the look in the current slot. Edit the names of the nodes that should be used in the node preset to meaningful names. Set all color controls of these nodes according to your needs.

Saving a node preset

Switch to the Look Library in the right bar. You can then save a node preset by clicking the “Add node preset” button above the Look Presets.

A panel is displayed where you can choose, which node should be stored in the node preset. The list shows all nodes of the current grades together with their names and type. Check the checkbox on the left of each row if you want that node to be part of the node preset.

Checkboxes are preset by the current enabling of nodes in the current grade.

You can click the button “Deselect All” to uncheck all rows, and the button “Invert Selection” to un-select all selected nodes and select all un-selected nodes.

Clicking “Save” saves a new node preset into the look library.

Inspecting node presets in the look library

In the node library node presets are indicated by a little icon in the top-left corner. You can click on the little “i” in the bottom left of a node preset to display information about the nodes of the node presets.

Applying node presets

You can apply a node presets by double-clicking it in the list of look presets. The selected node preset is also applied when clicking the “Apply” button above the look presets, or choose “Apply selected Look Preset” from the “Look Preset” menu.

If the current look doesn’t contain a node with the name stored in the node preset, as new node is added with the name of the node in the nodes preset.

Example

Let’s illustrate the use of look presets with an example.

You have a look consisting of a creative CDL node, a second CDL node correcting the color cast of a lens, and a 3D LUT node with the log-to-video conversion.

Let’s assume you have to switch between three lenses regularly, that all have different color casts. You want to save a node preset for each lens, that only consists of the CDL node representing the correction of the lens’s color cast.

1. Switch to “CDL Advanced” grading mode, click on “Edit”, and remove all nodes except two CDL nodes and one 3D-LUT node.
2. Click on the right bar of the second CDL node“CDL 2”, and rename it to “Lens Correction”. You should now have one CDL node named “CDL”, and one “Lens correction”.
3. Use the color controls and set a creative look in the “CDL” node and a 3D LUT for the log-to-video conversion.
4. Use the color controls of node “Lens correction” and set it to correct of the color cast for your lens A.
5. Click on the “Add node preset” button above the look presets.
6. In the appearing panel with the list of nodes select the “Lens correction” node and make sure all other nodes are not selected.
7. Click “Save” and give the new node preset the name “Lens A”.
8. Repeat steps 4. to 7. for lens B and lens C.

You now should have three new node presets containing only the lens correction for your three lenses.

When lenses are switched next time, you can simply apply the node presets for the corresponding lens in the look library. The node with the name “Lens Correction” will be updated with the correction for that particular lens.

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