Blending: encoded or linear light
Blending sets how layers mix wherever they overlap: in opacity, dissolves, soft edges, blend modes and glows. Most projects can stay on Encoded. Choose Linear light when a dissolve between saturated clips dips dark at its midpoint.
- Where
- Document tab ▸ Canvas ▸ Blending
- Agent tools
set_canvas
The Blending popup
Section titled “The Blending popup”-
Open the Document tab.
-
In the Canvas section, choose Encoded or Linear light from Blending.
Blending belongs to the whole project and works in SDR and HDR (HLG) projects alike. Every project starts on Encoded. The preview, saved frames and exports all follow the setting.
The change is one undo step, Blending. Choosing the item that’s already set changes nothing and adds no undo step. The popup still works with a nest open, because it’s about the project and not the nest.
Encoded
Section titled “Encoded”Layers blend on their encoded values: the numbers the picture is stored as, which follow a brightness curve and don’t measure light directly. Most editors blend this way, and it’s the default for every project.
Linear light
Section titled “Linear light”Layers blend as light. Each layer is decoded after its grade, the layers are blended, and the result is encoded once on the way out. You’ll see these differences:
- A dissolve between two saturated clips keeps its brightness instead of dipping dark at the midpoint.
- A title fading over video comes out brighter.
- A blurred or feathered edge comes out brighter.
- A glow adds light the way light does.
In an HDR (HLG) project, “linear” means HLG’s scene light: the light in the scene, before HLG’s curve is applied.
What it leaves alone
Section titled “What it leaves alone”Blending changes no clip and no grade. Layers are graded before they blend, so a grade looks the same either way.
These all read the same values on either setting:
- Grades
- The chroma key
- Qualifiers and Show Selection
- Luma mattes, which cut what they cut before
- The scopes, which still measure the finished, encoded picture
With an agent
Section titled “With an agent”set_canvas makes the same choice, with blending set to encoded or linear. It changes the whole project, so it won’t run on a call addressed to a nest, where a person can still use the popup. See Tools: tracks, markers and canvas.