Processing and Formatting Effects > A/V Tools > Video Tools >

# Creating Colour Sources

The Colour Source tool generates a virtual source that contains one or more identical frames of a solid colour, a gradient of two or four colours, or SMPTE or PAL colour bars at 75% or 100% luminance. When you use the Colour Source tool to create a custom colour source, you can save that colour in the colour palettes. You can also use this tool to create frames composed of video noise. Noise clips are not virtual sources — each frame in the clip is unique.

To create a colour source or noise clip:

1. With Video selected from the A/V Tools box, click Colour Source (or press F10).

   The Colour Source controls appear.

   (a) Track Number box(b) Audio Track Type box(c) Frequency box(d) Colour palettes(e) Source Type box(f) Frame Code Mode box(g) Source colour pot (h) Luminance box

2. From the Source Type box, select the type of frame you want to generate.

   Select: | To generate frames of:
   --- | ---
   Colour | A solid colour.
   Noise | Monochrome video noise.
   Colour Noise | Colour video noise.
   SMPTE Bars | SMPTE standard colour bars.
   PAL Bars | PAL standard colour bars.
   Gradient | A two- or four-colour gradient.

3. From the Luminance box, select 75% or 100% luminance (not available for Gradient frames).
4. From the Frame Code Mode box, select the framerate and drop frame mode for your colour source clip.
5. In the Start field, specify the start time.
6. In the Duration field, specify the duration of the colour source that you want to generate.
7. To generate audio with the clip, select the number of audio tracks from the Track Number box, select whether the tracks are mono or stereo from the Audio Track Type box, and then select a frequency from the Frequency box.
   NoteSelecting Silence in the Frequency box creates audio tracks with a flat waveform.
8. If the Source Type is set to Colour, select the colour for the frames using one of the following methods:
   - Click one of the colour palettes to transfer that colour into the current colour pot.
   - Click the Source colour pot to access the colour picker. Use the colour picker to create the current colour.
9. If the Source Type is set to SMPTE or PAL Bars, enter a value in the Softness field to display the softness between the colour bars.
10. If the Source Type is set to Gradient, use the Gradient tools to create a two- or four-colour gradient. See the following procedure.
11. Optional: Change the resolution.

    By default, the result clip has the same resolution as the project default resolution. To specify an alternative resolution, click Resolution, and use the Resolution controls.

    Click Resolution again to exit the Resolution menu.

12. Select the destination for the generated clip.

    The result clip appears in the selected destination.

Once you create a colour source, gradient, or colour bar clip, you can use it as a virtual source. See Virtual Sources.

NoteAudio settings and colour pots are saved from session to session. If you want to reset the options to the factory defaults, click Reset All in the Colour Source controls.

To create a gradient clip:

1. From the Source Type box, select Gradient.
2. From the Gradient Mode box, select whether you want to create a two-colour or four-colour gradient.
3. If you selected 4 Pots in the Gradient Mode box, use the four colour pots to select the colours representing the four corners of the image.

   (a) Colour pots

4. If you selected 2 Pots in the Gradient Mode box, use the two colour pots to select the gradient colours and then set a pattern of Horizontal, Vertical, or Circular in the Gradient Pattern box.

   (a) Gradient Mode box(b) Gradient Pattern box(c) Circular Mode box

5. If you selected Circular in the Gradient Pattern box, you can set how the gradient is drawn in the Circular Mode box. The gradient is drawn from the centre of the image using the maximum width, height, or diagonal length, depending on your choice.
6. Select the destination for the generated gradient clip.