Noise Palette*

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Noise Palette Preview

Noise Palette is a continuous parametric colorizer designed specifically for procedural data. Unlike standard color ramps which rely on texture lookups and discrete stops, Noise Palette maps scalar values to smooth RGB gradients using analytic cosine functions. This provides infinite color resolution, mathematically perfect gradients, and flexible control over value remapping and visualization modes (such as cyclic wrapping or signed split-palettes).

Performance Cost 🟢 Low
Signal Type Float → Color
Implementation Native Compiled C++
Devices (Cycles) CPU / GPU (1:1)

Usage & Behavior

Alligator noise with custom palette
Cyclic noise with Verdant preset
Kernel noise with organic preset
Billows with Remap enabled (Plasma preset)

This node is the perfect companion for any Noise generator. Instead of struggling with a Color Ramp node to visualize data that goes below 0 or above 1, Noise Palette can automatically detect the input range (via Auto Range) and map it perfectly to a color scheme. Its Cyclic mode is particularly useful for creating topological maps or wood-grain effects from simple gradients.

Best Used For: Colorizing noise, creating heatmaps, topological isolines, psychedelic patterns, and scientific data visualization.

Key Features

  • Analytic Gradients: Uses Cosine-based math for infinite smoothness.
  • Smart Range: Auto-detection of min/max input values.
  • 11 Presets: Instant access to complex schemes like Magma, Ocean, and Terrain.

Parameters

Preset Enum
Selects a pre-configured color formula.
  • NONE: Use custom A/B/C/D inputs.
  • Scientific: PLASMA, COOL, FIRE.
  • Natural: TERRAIN, OCEAN, VERDANT, ORGANIC.
  • Artistic: NEON NIGHTS, COTTON CANDY, RAINBOW.
  • Utility: GRAYSCALE.
Viz Mode Enum
Determines how the input data is mapped to the palette.
  • DIRECT: Standard linear mapping [Min, Max] → [0, 1].
  • ABS: Uses absolute value. Good for creating symmetry or ridges.
  • SIGNED: Splits the palette. Negative values get the first half (0.0-0.5), positive values get the second half (0.5-1.0).
  • CYCLIC: Wraps the values repeatedly. Creates repeating rings/isolines.
Auto Range (bool, default: true)
When enabled, the node continuously samples the input and updates the internal Min/Max values to ensure the full color range is always used. Useful for noises with unpredictable output ranges.
Remap Type Enum
Applies a curve to the input before coloring.
  • LINEAR: No change.
  • POW: Quadratic. Emphasizes highlights (pushes midtones down).
  • SQRT: Square root. Emphasizes shadows (pushes midtones up).
  • SMOOTHSTEP: Hermite interpolation. Increases contrast by crushing blacks and whites.
Noise Input Float
The scalar value to colorize.
Palette A / B / C / D Color
The coefficients for the custom cosine formula: A + B * cos(2Ï€ * (C * t + D)).
Only active when Preset is set to NONE.
  • A: Bias (DC Offset). The base color.
  • B: Amplitude. Contrast strength.
  • C: Frequency. How many times the spectrum repeats.
  • D: Phase. Shifts the colors along the gradient.
Value Min / Max (Manual Range)
Manually defines the expected input range. Ignored if Auto Range is enabled.
Range Alpha (default: 0.98)
Controls the speed of the Auto Range adaptation.
- High values (0.99): Slow adaptation, stable flicker-free results.
- Low values (0.5): Fast adaptation, reacts quickly to changes.

Quick Recipes

Common visualization setups.

Heatmap

Preset: FIRE
Viz Mode: DIRECT
Auto Range: True
Remap: SQRT
Classic thermal look. SQRT remap helps visualize low-intensity details in the dark areas.

Topological Map

Preset: RAINBOW
Viz Mode: CYCLIC
Palette C: (2.0, 2.0, 2.0)
Auto Range: True
Cyclic mode wraps the rainbow palette repeatedly, creating distinct isolines for height.

Signed Terrain

Preset: OCEAN
Viz Mode: SIGNED
Value Min: -1.0
Value Max: 1.0
Signed mode puts the middle of the palette at 0.0. Good for water (neg) vs land (pos).
Technical Note: The core logic implements Inigo Quilez's procedural palette formula: color(t) = a + b · cos[ 2π(c · t + d) ]. This allows for complex, multi-hued gradients to be stored and evaluated using only a few math operations, avoiding texture lookups entirely.
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