Layers

If you want to use layers, you have to set up an effect first. This effect will automatically be handled as one, single layer. That means that each effect is also a layer at the same time.

While the usage of one layer allows for the selection of only one effect, the utilization of multiple layers, which are stacked on top of each other, can alter the displayed effects and images massively. In this way, you can use layers in MADRIX to compose your own original effects. A layer can be modified in various ways, such as setting the opacity or using the link or mix modes. Layers dramatically increase the usability and flexibility of an experienced user.

The layer section can be found at the bottom of each Effect Area. Layers are illustrated in MADRIX with the help of tabs. Layer 1 will always be located to the left of an Effect Area. If you are using more than one layer, you will see several tabs. MADRIX supports an unlimited number of layers. (The actual number of layers available for use depends on your computer performance and matrix size.)

The context menu for layers can be accessed in three different ways. You can call it up via the "Layer" button at the bottom or you can perform a "right-click" on a single layer tab. You could also use the Edit Menu.

Use "New" to create a new layer with default settings. Use "Duplicate" to reproduce the selected layer, which will add a copy/a new layer with the same setup next to it. Use "Copy" to store the settings of the selected layer to the clipboard. Then, use "Paste" to apply the stored settings to the layer you have currently selected. This does not create a new layer, but overwrites the settings. Click "Insert" to create a new layer using the settings stored in the clipboard. "Rename" can be used to change the description of a layer tab. Then, hit "Enter" to accept the changes. Use "Delete" in order to remove the layer in use from the effect.

You can use opacity to create overlapping layers. The opacity fader determines the opacity of the currently selected layer. You will get 100% coloring by pulling the layer to the far right. A value of 127, i.e. the middle position, sets the opacity to 50%.

You can also use the input field to enter a certain value. The values range from 0 to 255, the highest value with zero opacity.

Tip: If you double-click the fader area (using the left mouse button), the slider will position itself at 50% opacity.

Use the Submaster to adjust the intensity of the current layer. A value of 255 represents full opacity and a value of 0 hides the layer. It will be rendered black, then. The Submaster overrides Link mode.

Layers can blend into each other using one of several options. Just like an image-editing software, you can use different mix modes to mix layers with each other. This results in diverse color combinations and often completely new effects.

If you want to use layer mix modes, please click the button between the Map and the Link button. It is labeled "Normal" by default. This button functions as a drop-down list. In the example shown here you can see that the mix mode "Color Burn" is now selected.

You can choose from over 20 different layer mix modes. These options make it possible to change how layers are graphically merged with each other, i.e. with an underlying layer.

Keep in mind that a layer’s opacity and mix mode interact with the opacity and modes of the layers underneath.

You can select the following mix modes:
Normal, Darken, Multiply, Color Burn, Linear Burn, Lighten, Screen, Color Dodge, Linear Dodge, Overlay, Soft Light, Hard Light, Vivid Light, Linear Light, Pin Light, Hard Mix, Difference, Exclusion, AND, OR, XOR, NAND, NOR, and Mask.

How mix modes work:
Mix modes are based on basic mathematical calculations. As such, mix modes combine the color values (tonal values) of two layers in different ways. A foreground layer and a background layer are used.
All Mix Modes, except for Mask, work pixel by pixel and color channel by color channel. That means, each single pixel of the foreground layer is combined with the corresponding pixel of the background layer. And each color channel of a single pixel is combined with the equivalent color channel of the corresponding pixel.

How to apply a mix mode:
You can use mix modes, if you have at least two layers (foreground and background). Then, you can apply the mix mode to the second layer. In MADRIX, the second layer is positioned to the right. It is the foreground layer.
If you apply the mix mode to the first layer, nothing will happen.

You can decrease (or increase) the impact that each layer has on the visual result by using the Opacity slider.

		"Normal" is the default setting. If you do not wish to use a mix mode or if you want to deactivate a selected mix mode, choose "Normal". "Normal" is also a mix mode and the default way of how layers are mixed together. Since it is the default mix mode, you can only use the Opacity Slider to change the visual outcome. If you set Opacity of layer 2 to 50%, you will create a result like a Cross-fade between the two layers. If you change the position of one layer with the position of the other layer, the result will not look the same.
		Compares both layers and only uses the darkest color value for each color channel per pixel (this will be the lower color value). The result will look the same if you change the position of one layer with the position of the other layer.
		Multiplies the color values of each pixel of layer 2 with the color values of each pixel of layer 1. (Values are converted to always ensure a maximum color value of 255). The Color Filter of the Main Output works like this. The result will look the same if you change the position of one layer with the position of the other layer.
		Is the inversion of Color Dodge. Layer 1 will be darkened by layer 2. The darker layer 2, the darker the result. If you change the position of one layer with the position of the other layer, the result will not look the same.
		Is subtractive color mixing. The color values of both layers will be added up. But when the result is lower than 255, the values will be set to 0 (black). The result will look the same if you change the position of one layer with the position of the other layer.
		Is the inversion of Darken. It compares both layers and only uses the brightest color value for each color channel per pixel (this will be the higher color value). The result will look the same if you change the position of one layer with the position of the other layer.
		Is the inversion of Multiply. Layer 2 and layer 1 will be negatively multiplied and often brighten each other. The result will look the same if you change the position of one layer with the position of the other layer.
		The brighter layer 2, the brighter will be layer 1. A completely black layer 2 will not change layer 1. A completely white layer 2 will brighten every color channel, except for black color values. If you change the position of one layer with the position of the other layer, the result will not look the same.
		Will simply add up the color values of both layers. The result will look the same if you change the position of one layer with the position of the other layer.
		Is a combination of Multiply and Screen. The result depends the intensity of layer 1. If layer 1 is darker than 50% Grey, the color values of both layers will be multiplied. If layer 1 is brighter than 50% Gray, the color values will be negatively multiplied and the amount will be doubled. A layer 2 with 50% Grey will have no affect on layer 1. If you change the position of one layer with the position of the other layer, the result will not look the same.
		Layer 2 will modulate the color values of layer 1 and create soft mixtures in areas of highlights and shadows. (Overlay is quite similar, but creates sharp contrasts instead.) If you change the position of one layer with the position of the other layer, the result will not look the same.
		Creates the result of Overlay, when changing the position of layer 2 with the position of layer 1. It compares the intensity of both layers. If layer 2 is brighter than 50% Grey, layer 1 will be brightened. If layer 2 is darker than 50% Grey, layer 1 will be darkened. If you change the position of one layer with the position of the other layer, the result will not look the same.
		Will mainly increase the contrast of highlights and shadows. The result is like a combination of Color Burn for shadows and Color Dodge for highlights. If you change the position of one layer with the position of the other layer, the result will not look the same.
		Increases the contrast. It is similar to Linear Burn, but color values of layer 2 have greater affect. If you change the position of one layer with the position of the other layer, the result will not look the same.
		Is like a combination of Darken and Lighten. It compares the color values of both layers and creates one of three results. Average color values will often remain unaffected. The result can be twice the brightness of layer 2 darkened by a full 255 if layer 1 is darker than that. The result can also only be layer 1 if layer 1 is brighter than the first result and darker than the third result. Or the result can be twice the brightness of layer 2 if layer 1 is brighter than that. If you change the position of one layer with the position of the other layer, the result will not look the same.
		Only uses the six primary colors red, green, blue, yellow, cyan, magenta, or black, or white. Color channels will be mixed and either be set to 0 or 255. (255 will be set for every color channel result from 1 to 254. 0 will be set, when the color channel result is 0.) The result will look the same if you change the position of one layer with the position of the other layer.
		Will calculate the difference between color values for each pixel. (If the result is negative, it will be multiplied by -1 to always have positive color values.) Differences in color values will be easily visible for each pixel. If both pixels are identical, the difference will be 0 and thus black could be the maximum result for a pixel. The result will look the same if you change the position of one layer with the position of the other layer.
		Bright color areas will invert the color values of the corresponding area of the other layer. White areas will completely invert the color. Very dark areas (black) will change nothing on the other layer. Average grey values will heavily change the contrast, up to a complete grey. The result will look the same if you change the position of one layer with the position of the other layer.
		Is a logical operator. Color values are converted into 8-bit binary form and thus an eight-digit value (using either 0 or 1 for each digit) will be created. Values will be compared pixel by pixel, channel by channel, bit by bit, with a result of either 0 or 1. AND will only result in 1, when both bits have a value of 1. It is recommended to only use layers with solid colors, because otherwise color transitions will create artifacts. The result will look the same if you change the position of one layer with the position of the other layer.
		Is a logical operator. Color values are converted into 8-bit binary form and thus an eight-digit value (using either 0 or 1 for each digit) will be created. Values will be compared pixel by pixel, channel by channel, bit by bit, with a result of either 0 or 1. OR will always result in 1, except when both bits have a value of 0. It is recommended to only use layers with solid colors, because otherwise color transitions will create artifacts. The result will look the same if you change the position of one layer with the position of the other layer.
		Is a logical operator. Color values are converted into 8-bit binary form and thus an eight-digit value (using either 0 or 1 for each digit) will be created. Values will be compared pixel by pixel, channel by channel, bit by bit, with a result of either 0 or 1. XOR will result in 1, when both bits are not identical. It is recommended to only use layers with solid colors, because otherwise color transitions will create artifacts. The result will look the same if you change the position of one layer with the position of the other layer.
		Is a logical operator. It is the inversion of AND. Color values are converted into 8-bit binary form and thus an eight-digit value (using either 0 or 1 for each digit) will be created. Values will be compared pixel by pixel, channel by channel, bit by bit, with a result of either 0 or 1. NAND will always result in 1, except when both bits have a value of 1. It is recommended to only use layers with solid colors, because otherwise color transitions will create artifacts. The result will look the same if you change the position of one layer with the position of the other layer.
		Is a logical operator. It is the inversion of OR. Color values are converted into 8-bit binary form and thus an eight-digit value (using either 0 or 1 for each digit) will be created. Values will be compared pixel by pixel, channel by channel, bit by bit, with a result of either 0 or 1. NOR will only result in 1, when both bits have a value of 0. It is recommended to only use layers with solid colors, because otherwise color transitions will create artifacts. The result will look the same if you change the position of one layer with the position of the other layer.
		Uses the alpha channel of layers. It will merge the layers together. The result will only be visible on areas where the two layers overlap. The rest will be set to black. The result will look the same if you change the position of one layer with the position of the other layer.

The "Link" button links two layers. Linking layers is very useful if your are working with several layers. If you activate Link mode, the currently selected layer will be linked to the layer underneath. It means that it will be linked to the layer left to it.

We have created an effect with two layers. Layer 1 is the SCE Ticker effect and layer 2 is SCE Plasma.

As a first result, you will get the following preview. Because of the two layers and standard settings the top layer is the only layer that is displayed.

As a result, both layers will be merged and the preview looks totally different. The text will be filled with the plasma effect and in this way, both layers are used to create a new effect.

You could describe Link Mode differently.
As previously described, effects may be build out of several layers. Each layer can contain a different MADRIX Effect.
All layers of that effect will be used to render the visual outcome. When rendering the visuals, mix modes, opacity, position of layers, etc. will all be included in the render process.

Because of this, Link Mode can also be very useful when using more than two layers.

Use Link Mode and MADRIX will handle two layers, which are linked, like one layer in the render process.

In this second example, we set up three different layers. Layer 1 (SCE Metaballs) and layer 2 (SCE Ticker) are used with their default settings. Only layer 3 (SCE Plasma) is linked to layer 2.

As a result, you can see that the Plasma effect of layer 3 is only visible on the text of layer 2. The Metaballs effect (layer 1) has not been affected at all.

If we now add a fourth layer (SCE Color Ramp at position 2) and link it to layer 1, we will see that the text looks still the same. But the Metaballs effect (layer 1) now has the colors of the Color Ramp.

Special effects can be quickly applied to layers (or whole Storage Places). Such FX add visual effects to the current layer. You can choose one Effect per Storage Place and one per layer (also at the same time).

	There are several categories to choose from. Each category contains several options to change the visual appearance of your layer or effect. Choose No FX to disable the additional visual effects. The effect will be displayed as normal.
	The category Blur/Sharpen includes five modes to blur/smudge. You can choose one option to sharpen the effect.
	The category Color Correction includes four modes to change the colors of your effect. Choose Brighten to increase the intensity. Choose Darken to decrease the intensity. Choose Greyscale to only use shades of grey. Use Invert Color to invert the color values.
	The category Color Mask includes various modes to filter colors. Choose R to only show red color values. Choose G to only show green color values. Choose B to only show blue color values. Choose W to only show white color values. Choose RG to only show red and green color values. Choose RB to only show red and blue color values. Choose GB to only show green and blue color values. Choose RW to only show red and white color values. Choose GW to only show green and white color values. Choose BW to only show blue and white color values. Choose RGB to only show red, green, and blue color values. Choose RGW to only show red, green, and white color values. Choose RBW to only show red, blue, and white color values. Choose GBW to only show green, blue, and white color values.
	The category Style includes four modes to highlight the edges of effects or to add an imprinted visual style.
	The category Transformation includes three modes to flip the effect quickly. Choose Mirror H to flip the effect horizontally. Choose Mirror V to flip the effect vertically. Choose Mirror HV to flip the effect horizontally and vertically.