Summary of "17 - Working with Still Images and Graphics"

Summary of “17 - Working with Still Images and Graphics” (Da Vinci Resolve Tutorial)

This video tutorial covers how to work effectively with still images and graphics in Da Vinci Resolve, focusing on importing, scaling, editing, and animating images, as well as handling layered Photoshop files, image sequences, and built-in generators.

Main Ideas and Concepts

1. Importing Still Images

Still images can be imported and treated similarly to video clips.
Supported image formats are listed in Da Vinci Resolve’s official supported formats document.
PDF files are currently not supported.
Native resolution and aspect ratio of images must be considered when importing.

2. Handling Resolution and Aspect Ratio Mismatches

Timeline resolution example: 1920x1080 (16:9 aspect ratio).
Common still image aspect ratios (e.g., 3:2) often differ from timeline aspect ratio.
Mismatches cause pillar boxing or letterboxing (black bars on sides or top/bottom).
Options to handle mismatches in Project Settings > Image Scaling > Input Scaling:
- Center Crop with No Resizing: Centers image, crops edges outside timeline frame.
- Scale Full Frame with Crop: Zooms image to fill frame, cropping excess parts.
- Scale Entire Image to Fit (default): Scales image to fit timeline without cropping, maintaining aspect ratio (may cause pillar/letter boxing).
- Stretch Frame to All Corners: Stretches image to fill frame, distorting aspect ratio.
These settings can be overridden per image in the Video Inspector.
Choosing appropriate scaling methods is important to avoid unwanted cropping or distortion.

3. Resize Filters

When scaling images, Da Vinci Resolve applies a resize filter.
Available filters in Project Settings and Video Inspector:
- Smoother
- Cubic
- Linear
- Sharper (default)
- Custom
Sharper produces the most detailed image; bilinear (linear) is lowest quality.
Custom allows advanced control over resizing algorithms.

4. AI Super Scale Functionality

Useful for low-resolution images needing upscaling.
AI estimates additional pixels to increase resolution (2x, 3x, 4x).
Enhanced modes provide better quality at the cost of longer processing time.
Controls available for sharpness and noise reduction during upscaling.

5. Working with Multi-layered Photoshop PSD Files

PSD files can be imported directly into Da Vinci Resolve.
Right-click on PSD file > “Split PSD Layers in Place” to separate layers onto different video tracks.
Layers maintain original Photoshop layer names.
Enables animation and individual manipulation of each layer (e.g., background, outlines, petals, text).
Example workflow:
- Separate elements (e.g., logos, text) into different tracks.
- Apply video transitions (clock wipe, drop warp, additive dissolve, fall and bounce) to animate layers.
- Stagger animations for sequential appearance.
- Use motion blur for natural movement.
- Create compound clips to group multiple layers for unified transitions.
PSD files can also be imported and manipulated in the Fusion page:
- Drag PSD into Fusion node area or use Fusion menu > Import PSD.
- Importing via Fusion menu creates a composition with all layers accessible and organized.
- Single node import allows access to one layer at a time, requiring manual merging.

6. Working with Image Sequences

Image sequences are sets of still images named sequentially (e.g., frame_0001.dng, frame_0002.dng).
Da Vinci Resolve can automatically recognize and treat these sequences as video clips.
Media Storage settings control how sequences are displayed:
- Automatic: Treats sequences as video clips.
- Individual View: Shows individual frames separately.
For working with image sequences as video, keep frame display mode on automatic.

7. Using Built-in Generators Instead of Images

Generators provide resolution-independent graphic elements (backgrounds, color gradients, patterns).
Found in the Effects Library under the Generators section.
Examples include:
- Four-color gradient, solid color, window generators.
- Creative generators like cartoon skies, comic lines, cube arrays, honeycombs, noise gradients.
Generators are Fusion compositions and can be further customized in the Fusion page.
Useful for titles, backgrounds, or visual effects without importing external image files.

Methodology / Instructions

Importing and Scaling Still Images

Import images into timeline like video clips.
Check image native resolution and aspect ratio.
Adjust project settings for image scaling:
- Go to Project Settings > Image Scaling > Input Scaling.
- Choose one of the following:
  - Center crop with no resizing.
  - Scale full frame with crop.
  - Scale entire image to fit (default).
  - Stretch frame to all corners.
Override scaling per image in Video Inspector if needed.
Choose resize filter (sharper recommended for detail).

Using AI Super Scale

Select image in timeline.
Enable AI Super Scale.
Choose upscale factor (2x, 3x, 4x) and enhanced mode if desired.
Adjust sharpness and noise reduction sliders.

Working with PSD Files

Import PSD file into media pool.
Right-click > Split PSD Layers in Place to separate layers onto tracks.
Organize layers (e.g., move logo and text layers to different tracks).
Apply transitions to layers:
- Clock wipe for borders.
- Drop warp for text.
- Additive dissolve for backgrounds.
- Fall and bounce for petals or elements dropping in.
Stagger transitions for sequential animation.
Enable motion blur in transitions.
Create compound clip for grouping layers.
Apply transitions to compound clip as needed.
Alternatively, import PSD into Fusion page for advanced compositing:
- Drag PSD into node area or use Fusion > Import PSD.
- Work with individual layers as nodes.

Working with Image Sequences

Keep frame display mode set to automatic in Media Storage settings.
Import image sequence folder as a video clip.
Edit sequence like any other video clip.

Using Generators

Open Effects Library > Generators.
Drag desired generator (e.g., four-color gradient, solid color) into timeline.
Customize properties in Video Inspector or Fusion page.
Use as backgrounds or graphic elements.

Speakers / Sources Featured

The video features a single instructor/narrator (unnamed) who provides a step-by-step walkthrough of working with still images and graphics in Da Vinci Resolve.

This summary provides a comprehensive overview of the video’s instructional content, key concepts, and practical workflows for working with still images and graphics in Da Vinci Resolve.