Image Folder
Loads all images from a folder as a batch output for downstream batch processing.
Image Folder scans a directory on disk and loads every matching image into one Batch output, ready for Sprite Sheet, Export Batch, Split, or any other batch node. It reads the same formats as Image In (PNG, JPEG, WebP, TIFF, PSD and PSB, OpenEXR, Radiance HDR, SVG, TGA, BMP), including multi-layer, multi-part, and tiled EXR files. A PSD loads as its flattened picture; a PSD the folder cannot read (one saved without Maximize Compatibility, for example) shows its reason on its frame while the rest of the folder still loads. See PSD Files & Color Profiles. A 16-bit PNG or TIFF keeps its full precision in a 32-bit (Float) document.
Output Format, Grayscale From, Input Color Space, and EXR Alpha work as on Image In, applied to every frame. With Output Format on Auto the choice is made per frame, so a mixed folder of grayscale and color files produces a mixed batch.
Custom Size brings the whole folder in at a chosen size, with the same Fit Mode rows as Image In: Stretch, Fit, and Fill give every frame the same size, while Width, Height, and Longest Side size each image from its own shape. SVG files are drawn sharp at that size.
Name Filter imports only the names that match, such as hero_* or tree (plain text keeps the names that contain it), and File Pattern picks the file types, or names when it has a wildcard: hero_*.png imports only the PNGs whose names start with hero_. While a Name Filter is set, the count under the folder reads, for example, 12 of 340 images found. See Image Size & Large Images for the full rules.
Apply EXIF Orientation turns sideways-stored photos upright as on Image In; it is on for new nodes and off in projects saved before it existed.
Dropping a folder on the canvas
Section titled “Dropping a folder on the canvas”Drag a folder from your file manager onto the graph and ArcBrush creates an Image Folder node there, with the path filled in and the folder’s name as its label. When the file names look like a texture set (at least one asset with two maps in different roles), ArcBrush first asks Which Folder Node? and offers Image Folder or Texture Folder. A folder of photographs, an image sequence, or a folder holding one lone map never asks.
On Windows, the optional Open in ArcBrush entry in a folder’s right-click menu makes the same node; see Open With.
Parameters
Section titled “Parameters”Pins
Folder
Path to folder containing images
Filter & Sort
Import only the images whose names match, separated by semicolons. Plain text keeps names that contain it (tree); * matches any run of characters and ? one character, so hero_* keeps names that start with hero_ and *_final names that end with _final. Matched on the name without its extension unless the text has a dot. Not case sensitive. Empty imports every name
Which files to import, separated by semicolons. An extension (png or *.png) keeps every file of that type; a pattern with a wildcard in the name (hero_*.png) keeps only the names it matches. * matches any run of characters and ? one character. * alone imports every file. Not case sensitive
Walk subdirectories to find images
Sort in descending order
Load only the first N images, useful for testing a pipeline. 0 = no limit.
Output
Note: a grayscale frame becomes RGBA again at any color-only downstream node; the node body shows 'Gray' where it is still single-channel
Which channel or formula to use when converting a multi-channel source to grayscale.
No alpha premultiply is applied (preserves heightmap and depth map data where the source may be transparent yet carry meaningful values).
Note: a grayscale frame becomes RGBA again at any color-only downstream node; the node body shows 'Gray' where it is still single-channel.
How the folder's EXR files store color where they are partly transparent.
- Associated: color is already multiplied by alpha, the OpenEXR convention and what ArcBrush exports.
- Straight: color is stored as is. Older documents read EXR files this way.
Turn photos upright using the orientation their camera saved in each file. Older documents import files as stored
Color Space
Color space of the source images in this folder.
- Auto: 8-bit files (PNG, JPEG, ...) are treated as sRGB; float / EXR files are treated as already in the working space.
- Data (Normal, Roughness, ORM): reads each file's values exactly as stored, with no color conversion. Use it for normal, roughness, metallic and packed ORM maps.
Choose a specific space to override.
Size
Bring each image in at a chosen size instead of its own. When off, each image keeps its own size
How each image is sized to the target.
- Stretch: scale to exactly Width x Height.
- Fit: scale to fit inside the target, keeping the aspect ratio; the rest is transparent.
- Fill: scale to cover the target, cropping the overflow.
- Width (keep aspect): scale to Width; each image's height follows its own aspect ratio.
- Height (keep aspect): scale to Height; each image's width follows its own aspect ratio.
- Longest Side (keep aspect): scale so each image's longer side is Longest Side; the other follows its own aspect ratio.
Width of each image, in pixels. At Longest Side, the length of each image's longer side
Height of each image, in pixels
Resampling filter used when scaling each image.
- Nearest: pixelated (good for pixel art).
- Bilinear: smooth (default).
- Lanczos: sharpest (best for downscaling).
SVG files are drawn at the chosen size instead of being scaled, so this filter does not apply to them (Fit and Fill finish with Lanczos).
Usage Tips
Section titled “Usage Tips”*.svg,*.psd, and*.psbare in the default File Pattern, so a folder of icons loads as a batch of rasterized frames and a folder of PSDs as their flattened pictures. Trim the pattern (for example*.png;*.jpg) to load only some formats from a mixed folder.- Set Sort By to Date Modified and turn on Reverse Order to load the newest files first.
- Use Natural Name for numbered frame sequences. Plain Name sorts them as text, which puts
frame10ahead offrame2. - Use Limit to test a pipeline on a few frames of a large folder.
- Set Output Format to Grayscale to load a folder of masks or height maps as single-channel frames instead of upcasting them to color.