Noise

The Noise Image Generator creates procedural textures: clouds, cells, marble-like patterns and grain. Nine noise algorithms are available, with controls to add detail, distort the result, adjust its contrast and make it evolve over time, including in seamless loops.

Use it for:

• Clouds, smoke, fire and organic textures
• Cell patterns, stones and abstract backgrounds
• Film grain and dithering
• Maps that drive other effects, and organic masks

Quick Navigation

• Creating and Connecting a Noise
• Noise Types
• Size, Color and Pattern
• Transform
• Detail: Octaves and Fractal Mode
• Deform
• Grade
• Output Alpha
• Evolution
• Controls

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Creating and Connecting a Noise

Like any Image Generator, the Noise can be connected to any image parameter, for example:

• The Source of a layer, to display the noise itself
• The Mask of a layer, to reveal that layer through an organic pattern
• The image input of a Modifier, for example to use the noise as a map that drives a distortion

The quickest way to create a layer with a Noise as its source is described in Adding Layers:

• Click the + button at the top of the layer stack and choose Noise from the list of Generators
• Place the mouse cursor over the Viewer and open the Quick Access Menu, then pick Noise:
  • Press Q when no layer is selected
  • Press Shift+Q when a layer is selected (in this case, Q opens the menu dedicated to Modifiers)

To use it with any other image parameter, such as a Mask, click the parameter's slot and choose Noise from the list of Generators on the right.

A new Noise covers the whole canvas, since its Output Format is Unbounded. Choose another Output Format to restrict it to a rectangle.

Noise Types

The Noise Type menu selects the algorithm:

• Perlin and Simplex: smooth, cloud-like gradients. Simplex gives higher contrast.
• Cellular (F1), Cellular (F2) and Cellular (F2-F1): cell patterns, based on the distance to random points. F2-F1 outlines the borders between cells. Jitter sets how randomly the points are placed.
• Voronoise: cells of flat colors, whose shape and softness are set by Voronoise U and Voronoise V.
• Cyclic 1 and Cyclic 2: flowing, marble-like patterns, based on the Cyclic Noise algorithm created by nimitz.
• Blue Noise: a fine, evenly distributed colored grain, for film grain or dithering. Only Seed affects it.

Type-Specific Parameters

Voronoise

• Voronoise U changes the shape of the cells, from -1 to 1. At 0, the cells are squares; towards -1 or 1, they become irregular polygons.
• Voronoise V blurs the cells. Small values are enough to soften their edges; at 1, the cells disappear in a smooth noise.

Cyclic 1 and Cyclic 2

The Cyclic types sum several layers of sine waves while distorting their coordinates at each octave (domain warping), which gives flowing, folded patterns:

• Cyclic Initial Amplitude sets the strength of the first octave. Low values give a soft, almost flat pattern; high values a very busy one.
• Cyclic Initial Fuzzing sets how strongly the coordinates are distorted. At 0, the pattern shows smooth, contour-like bands; high values twist it into streaks.
• Cyclic Fuzzying Step sets the frequency of this distortion, which increases at each octave. Low values give broad, smooth folds; high values give fine, streaky details.

Blue Noise

Only Seed changes the Blue Noise. Animate it to get a grain that changes at every frame, as with film grain.

Size, Color and Pattern

• Frequency sets the size of the features: higher values give more, smaller features.
• Color tints the noise.
• RGB Noise generates an independent noise in each color channel. Autograph does this by giving each channel a different seed, which you can also do manually, as explained in Seed below.

Seed

Seed gives a different random pattern with the same settings: change it when you need several noises that look alike but are not identical.

Seed is a 4D parameter, with one seed per channel: red, green, blue and alpha. By default it is in Single mode, so one value is used for all four channels and the noise is gray. Switch it to Unified or Separated mode with the menu on the right of the parameter, as described in Managing Dimensions, to set a different seed for each channel. Each channel then gets its own random pattern, which gives a colored noise, and the alpha channel can get its own pattern too.

Transform

The Transform group defines the transformation of the whole noise: Offset, Scale, Rotation and Skew move, scale, rotate and skew the noise pattern inside the generated image, while the image itself stays in place.

• Transform Amount is a weight applied to the whole Transform group: at 1, the transformation is fully applied; at 0.5, half of it is applied, so an Offset of 200 only moves the noise by 100; at 0, the transformation has no effect. Animate it to blend the transformation in or out without touching the other values.
• Perspective Offset reduces the Offset for each octave. When the Offset is animated, the large shapes move faster than the fine details, as if the octaves were layers at different depths: this creates a parallax effect, for example for clouds or fog.

The strength of the parallax depends on the settings of the Octaves group, which define how each octave differs from the previous one. In the video below, the four rows use the same Offset animation:

Detail: Octaves and Fractal Mode

A noise with a single octave is smooth and blurry. Each additional octave adds a smaller, fainter copy of the noise on top, which adds fine detail. The number of octaves is set by Octaves, and the way each one is built by the Octaves group.

The Fractal Mode menu decides how the octaves are combined:

• FBM (fractional Brownian motion, the default): the octaves are simply added, which gives natural, cloud-like textures.
• Turbulent: creates thin, bright veins, for turbulent textures.
• Ridged: creates sharp ridges, for mountain or rock textures. Ridge Offset shapes the ridges.

The Octaves Group

The parameters of the Octaves group define each octave from the previous one:

• Octave Scale, Octave Rotation and Octave Offset are the transformation applied to each octave, compared to the previous one. With the default Octave Scale of 0.56, each octave is a bit more than half the size of the previous one, and with the default Octave Rotation of 25 degrees, it is rotated by 25 degrees more.
• Attenuation sets how much each octave is attenuated compared to the previous one. High values make the fine octaves faint, for a soft noise where large shapes dominate. Low values keep the fine octaves strong, for a rough, grainy noise.
• Center Transform makes all the octaves share the same center for their transformations. See Center Transform below.
• Octave Evolution Offset sets how much the Evolution differs from one octave to the next. It works like Perspective Offset, but for the evolution: when Evolution is animated, the octaves evolve at different speeds, so for example small, fast waves move on top of larger, slower ones.

Center Transform

By default, each octave is scaled and rotated around its own center, so the octaves do not line up anywhere in the image. When Center Transform is on, all the octaves are transformed around the same center: the center of the noise.

At this point, the details of all the octaves meet, which creates a visible "pinch point". When Octave Rotation increases, each octave is rotated a bit more than the previous one around this shared center, and the pinch point turns into a spiral. Use it for vortex or whirlpool effects, and keep it off when the noise must look the same everywhere.

Deform

The Deform group distorts the noise with itself:

• Warp steps and Warp amount displace the noise by another noise (domain warping). Small amounts are enough: start around 0.1.
• Curl applies a swirling distortion, which gives smoke-like shapes. Curl Amount sets its strength. Curl Step sets the distance between the samples used to compute the direction of the swirls: small values give fine, grainy swirls; large values make the distortion follow only the large shapes.

Grade

The Grade group adjusts the values of the noise:

• Contrast spreads the values. The default, 0.11, gives a soft noise; around 0.5, the values reach full black and white. At 0, the noise becomes a flat gray.
• Level and Gamma adjust the brightness.
• Invert inverts the noise.
• Clamp (on by default) keeps the values between 0 and 1. When it is off, high contrast values go above 1. Autograph works in 32-bit floating point, so these values are kept: check them with the Color Picker of the Viewer.

Output Alpha

• Noise (the default): the noise is drawn only in the alpha channel. The red, green and blue channels contain the solid Color, which the noise makes more or less transparent. Use it to add the noise on top of other layers.
• Opaque: the noise is drawn in the red, green and blue channels, over black, and the alpha is fully opaque. Use it when the noise is a texture or a map.

Evolution

Animating Evolution makes the noise change in place, without moving, like boiling clouds or smoke. Its value is in degrees.

To create a seamless loop:

1. Enable Loop Evolution.
2. Animate Evolution linearly from 0 to 360 over the length of the loop. The noise then returns exactly to its first image.

With Loops set to 2, the noise loops twice in 360 degrees, so every 180 degrees. Cycle Evolution Speed sets how much the noise changes during one loop.

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Controls

Parameter / Script Name	Type	Default	Function
Enabled / enabled	Boolean	On	Turns the Generator on or off. When off, the Generator produces an empty image.
Output Format / output_format_mode	Choice	Unbounded	Defines the area filled by the noise. - Unbounded: The noise covers the whole, infinite canvas. - Format Preset: The noise fills the selected preset, centered. - Composition Format: The noise fills the composition. - Custom Format: The noise fills the Format rectangle.
Format / format_preset	Choice	HD (1920x1080)	The format used when Output Format is set to Format Preset. - PC VIDEO (640x480) - NTSC (720x486:0.91) - PAL (720x576:1.09) - NTSC 16:9 (720x486:1.21) - PAL 16:9 (720x576:1.46) - QHD (960x540) - LHD (1280x720) - HD (1920x1080) - VHD (1080x1920) - UHD 4K (3840x2160) - VUHD 4K (2160x3840) - UHD 8K (7680x4320) - Super35 1K FULL AP (1024x778) - Cinemascope 1K (914x778:2.00) - Super35 2K FULL AP (2048x1556) - Cinemascope 2K (1828x1556:2.00) - DCP 2K (2048x1080) - Super35 4K FULL AP (4096x3112) - DCP 4K (4096x2160) - Square 256 (256x256) - Square 512 (512x512) - Square 1K (1024x1024) - Square 2K (2048x2048)
Format / formatRect	Float 4D	-500, -500, 500, 500	The rectangle used when Output Format is set to Custom Format, as left, bottom, right and top edges in pixels from the center of the composition.
Pixel Aspect / par	Float	1	The pixel aspect ratio of the generated image.
Color / color_a	Color	1, 1, 1, 1	Color of the noise. The noise values are multiplied by this color.
Colorspace / input_colorspace	Choice	Project Display Space	Only available when the composition's Color Management is set to OpenColorIO. The colorspace in which the Color is expressed. - Project Working Space: The color is assumed to be expressed in the project working space - Project Display Space: The color is assumed to be expressed in the project display space
Noise Type / noise_type	Choice	Perlin	The noise algorithm. See Noise Types. - Perlin - Simplex - Cellular (F1) - Cellular (F2) - Cellular (F2-F1) - Voronoise - Cyclic 1 - Cyclic 2 - Blue Noise
Output Alpha / output_alpha_mode	Choice	Noise	How the alpha channel is generated. See Output Alpha. - Noise: The noise is drawn in the alpha channel only; the color channels contain the solid Color. - Opaque: The alpha is fully opaque.
RGB Noise / force_color	Boolean	Off	Generates an independent noise in each color channel. Not available for every Noise Type.
Fractal Mode / fractal_mode	Choice	FBM	How the octaves are combined. See Detail: Octaves and Fractal Mode. - FBM - Turbulent - Ridged
Ridge Offset / fbm_ridge_offset	Float	0.7	Shapes the ridges. Only used when Fractal Mode is Ridged.
Seed / seed	Float 4D	0, 0, 0, 0	Changes the random pattern; the only parameter that affects Blue Noise. See Seed. One seed per channel (red, green, blue, alpha), in Single mode by default. Not available for every Noise Type.
Frequency / frequency	Float	10	Size of the features: higher values give more, smaller features.
Offset / offset	Float 2D	0, 0	Moves the noise pattern.
Perspective Offset / perspective_transform	Boolean	Off	When checked, the offset is decreased for each octave to create a perspective effect: animating the Offset then gives a parallax effect. See Transform.
Scale / scale	Float 2D	1, 1	Scales the noise pattern.
Rotation / rotate	Float	0	Rotates the noise pattern, in degrees.
Skew / skew	Float 2D	0, 0	Skews the noise pattern.
Transform Amount / transform_amount	Float	1	Weight of the Transform group: 1 applies it fully, 0.5 half of it, 0 not at all. See Transform.
Evolution / slice	Float	0	Evolves the noise over time, in degrees. Animate it to make the noise move in place. See Evolution.
Loop Evolution / cycle_slice	Boolean	Off	When on, the evolution loops: the noise returns to the same image every 360 / Loops degrees.
Loops / cycle_slice_revolutions	Float	1	Number of loops in 360 degrees of Evolution. Only used when Loop Evolution is on.
Cycle Evolution Speed / cycle_slice_radius	Float	100	How much the noise changes during one loop. Only used when Loop Evolution is on.
Octave Evolution Offset / slice_octave_offset	Float	1	Offset on the evolution between each octave: when Evolution is animated, the octaves evolve at different speeds. See The Octaves Group.
Octaves / octaves	Float	6	Number of layers of detail added to the noise. See Detail: Octaves and Fractal Mode.
Octave Offset / octave_translation	Float 2D	0, 0	Offset applied from one octave to the next.
Octave Scale / octave_scale	Float 2D	0.56, 0.56	Scale applied from one octave to the next.
Octave Rotation / octave_rotation	Float	25	Rotation applied from one octave to the next, in degrees.
Center Transform / center_octave_transform	Boolean	Off	When on, all the octaves are transformed around the same center, which creates a pinch point, and a spiral with Octave Rotation. See Center Transform.
Attenuation / attenuation	Float	0.7	How much each octave is attenuated compared to the previous one: high values give a soft noise, low values a grainy one. See The Octaves Group.
Voronoise U / voronoise_u	Float	0	Only used by the Voronoise type. Shape of the cells, from -1 to 1; 0 gives squares. See Type-Specific Parameters.
Voronoise V / voronoise_v	Float	0	Only used by the Voronoise type. Blurs the cells.
Jitter / jitter	Float	1	Only used by the Cellular types. Randomness of the cell positions.
Cyclic Initial Amplitude / cyclic_amplitude_init	Float	0.52	Only used by the Cyclic types. Strength of the first octave.
Cyclic Initial Fuzzing / cyclic_warp_init	Float	0.5	Only used by the Cyclic types. Strength of the distortion of the coordinates.
Cyclic Fuzzying Step / cyclic_warp_step	Float	1.2	Only used by the Cyclic types. Frequency of the distortion, increased at each octave.
Warp steps / warp_steps	Float	0	Number of fractal domain warping steps. See Deform.
Warp amount / warp_amount	Float	0	Amount of fractal domain warping.
Curl / curl	Boolean	Off	Distorts the noise with a curl effect, which gives swirling, smoke-like shapes. See Deform.
Curl Step / curl_step	Float	100	Distance between the samples used to compute the Curl distortion: small values give fine swirls, large values follow the large shapes.
Curl Amount / curl_amount	Float	1	Strength of the Curl distortion.
Contrast / contrast	Float	0.11	Contrast of the noise. See Grade.
Level / level	Float	1	Brightness of the noise.
Gamma / gamma	Float	1.2	Gamma correction of the noise.
Invert / invert	Boolean	Off	Inverts the noise.
Clamp / clamp	Boolean	On	Keeps the noise values between 0 and 1. When off, high Contrast values give values above 1.