User Manual

Introduction to Curves
The Curves palette, selectable via one of the toolbar buttons above the Center Palette panel of
the Color page, has six modes that provide different curve-based methods of manipulating the
color and contrast of an image. Each curve lets you adjust a customizable region of the image
based either on image tonality (zones of lightness or darkness), hue (specific colors), or
saturation (intensity of color). All curves can be adjusted using either the pointer, or knobs on
the DaVinci control panel.
TIP: All curves in DaVinci Resolve can be used to affect the overall image, or limited to
affect only a specific portion of the image as a part of a secondary operation using
qualifiers, windows, imported mattes, or any combination of the three.
Adjusting Curves Using the Mouse
All Color curves in DaVinci Resolve use the following controls for basic on-screen adjustment
using the pointer, controlled either with your mouse, pen, or other input device of choice.
Methods of adjusting curves using the on-screen interface:
 To add a control point: Click anywhere on a curve. A control point is added at the
position of the mouse where you clicked, and the curve is altered, if necessary, to
match the new control point’s position.
 To add a control point without altering the curve: Hold the Shift key down, and click
anywhere on or around a curve. A control point is added to the curve at the position of
the pointer where you clicked, but the curve is not altered.
 To snap a control point to the neutral diagonal of the curve: (Custom curve only)
Hold the Option key down while dragging any control point on the curve. A diagonal
line appears indicating the neutral state of the image, and the control point will snap
to it. When you release the Option key and then press the Option key again after
releasing, the diagonal guide line disappears.
Snapping a curve’s control point back to its neutral position by
holding down the Option key
 To remove a control point: Right-click any control point to make it disappear.
 To reset a single color channel curve to a completely neutral setting: Click the reset
button to the right of that color channel’s intensity slider.
 To reset all color channel curves: Click the Reset Custom Curve button at the upper
right-hand corner of the Curves palette.
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