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Vignette

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Darkens (or lightens) the edges of an image with a soft elliptical gradient.

The Vignette node applied to a source image: original (left) and result (right).
Side-by-side comparison: the original image on the left and the same image after the Vignette node on the right.

A negative Amount darkens the edges (the classic vignette) and a positive one brightens them. By default the ellipse follows the image’s own aspect ratio; Aspect stretches it taller or wider from there and Rotation angles it clockwise, keeping its exact shape and size as it turns. Move the center to put the focus on a subject that is not in the middle of the frame.

At Size 100% the ellipse passes through the image corners, and a smaller Size brings the full-strength band in from them. Softness is the width of the fade as a share of the radius, from a hard edge at 0% to a fade all the way from the center at 100%. The fade eases in and out, so it has no visible edge at any Softness, and a vignette looks the same in an 8-bit and a 32-bit (Float) document. Projects saved before this falloff existed render with it too.

In the preview, two handles sit beside the size square. Drag the diamond at the top of the ellipse to stretch it taller or wider, with the opposite sides staying put so only the edge you pull moves; hold Ctrl to snap it back to an unshaped ellipse. Drag the knob on the short stalk beyond it to angle the vignette, with Shift snapping to 15° steps and a double-click resetting the angle to zero. The knob stays live on an unshaped vignette, so it doubles as the orientation marker.

Parameters

Section titled “Parameters”

Pins

ImagePixels
InputRequired
ImagePixels
Output

Vignette

AmountNumber
Default: -0.50 Range: -1.00–1.00

Negative = darken edges, Positive = brighten edges. 0 = no effect.

Size (%)Number
Default: 100 Range: 0–200

Scale of the vignette ellipse. 100% = the ellipse passes through the image corners. Smaller = a tighter vignette, larger = pushed outward

AspectNumber
Default: 1.00 Range: 0.25–4.00

Ellipse aspect ratio. 1.00 keeps the vignette shaped to the image aspect (today's default). Below 1.00 = taller, above 1.00 = wider

Rotation (degrees)Number
Default: 0.0 Range: -180.0–180.0

Rotates the vignette ellipse clockwise. The ellipse keeps its exact shape and size as it turns, so the entered angle is the on-screen angle. No visible effect while the ellipse is a circle (Aspect 1.00 on a square image)

Softness (%)Number
Default: 50 Range: 0–100

Width of the fade, as a share of the radius. 0% = hard edge, 100% = fades all the way from the center. The fade eases in and out, so it has no visible edge

Center XNumber
Default: 0.00 Range: -1.00–1.00

Horizontal center offset. -1 = left edge, 0 = center, 1 = right edge

Center YNumber
Default: 0.00 Range: -1.00–1.00

Vertical center offset. -1 = top edge, 0 = center, 1 = bottom edge

ColorColor (RGB)
Default: rgb(0, 0, 0)

Vignette color (used when darkening)

Usage Tips

Section titled “Usage Tips”
  • A subtle vignette (Amount -0.2 to -0.4) draws the eye toward the center.
  • The color applies only when darkening (negative Amount); brightening always blends toward white.
  • Raise Aspect on a wide crop to keep the darkened corners even instead of pinching the short edges.
  • Rotation has no visible effect while the ellipse is still a circle; shape it with Aspect first, then angle it.
Section titled “Related Nodes”