COLOR / TOOL GUIDE 05 / 13
Slices.
Denser color. A deliberate palette.
ColorSlice connects hue, density and saturation across seven color directions. Understand sector selection, Center and the difference between per-slice and global controls.
6 vectorscope colours + dedicated Skin Tone
moves the selected slice's qualifying centre
densifies saturated colours by changing luminance
Verified captures from the site library. Choose a panel and open a larger view. Layout and available controls may vary with your Resolve version and configuration.
BEFORE MOVING A CONTROL
Understand what you are changing.
Seven directions are not seven object masks
Red, Yellow, Green, Cyan, Blue and Magenta are joined by Skin. The name does not imply face recognition: a similarly colored wall can be included. Enable Highlight to inspect the actual affected region.
Center shifts the selected hue range. It is neither an intensity control nor an unrestricted qualifier; it refines the slice position. Use spatial constraints when one object must be separated from similar colors.
Density is not ordinary Contrast
ColorSlice density relates to the luminance of more saturated colors and subtractive processing. It can deepen color, but excessive changes can bury fabric texture or muddy skin. Inspect tonal structure as well as vectorscope trace length.
Global Density Depth, Saturation Balance and Saturation Depth shape density and saturation behavior across signal conditions. They are not simply “more film” controls. Review saturated highlights separately from midtones.
Separate per-slice adjustments from global shaping
Refine the slice using Center, then change Hue, Density or Saturation one at a time. Reset each trial to understand its independent effect before deciding whether the whole palette needs adjustment.
Selection can change as lighting changes. Scrub with Highlight enabled, then inspect the normal image. A modest stable correction is often more useful than a strong effect that succeeds on only one frame.
FROM PURPOSE TO CONTROL
Choose deliberately, not by trial and error.
The interface images are collected in the viewer above. Here, focus on what each control changes and when to use it; values in the captures are not universal presets.
Global controls and depth
Density
Changes the density of saturated colors through luminance. This is the control that creates a deeper subtractive feel instead of simply increasing saturation.
Den.Depth
Controls how much Density affects brighter areas. Useful when you want deeper color without making the bright parts of the image feel heavy.
Saturation
Adjusts saturation using a subtractive model. Unlike a basic global Saturation control, the goal is to avoid making already-saturated colors unnaturally bright.
Sat.Balance
Adjusts luminance balance in medium-saturation colors. It is a fine control for balancing color density when a simple Saturation move is not enough.
Sat.Depth
Controls how Saturation affects brighter areas. It helps keep highlights from becoming too color-heavy and preserves a more natural top end.
Hue
Shifts the hue of the whole ColorSlice correction. It is rarely the first control to touch, but it can help steer the overall color direction after the individual slices are shaped.
Seven color ranges
Red
The Red slice is useful for warm details, wardrobe, neon, signage and subjects that should stay rich without turning into an aggressive oversaturated patch.
Example: Red lights, wardrobe, product details
Skin
The dedicated Skin vector is one of the most practical reasons to open ColorSlice. It lets you shape skin density and saturation without relying on a hard HSL isolation.
Example: Skin, portraits, interviews
Yellow
The Yellow slice often touches warm practicals, interiors, wood and part of the skin range, so it is worth making gentle moves and checking faces after every change.
Example: Warm light, wood, interiors
Green
Green is a fast way to control foliage, LED lighting and green surfaces, especially when greens feel too digital and need more depth and restraint.
Example: Foliage, green LEDs, backgrounds
Cyan
Cyan separates turquoise and cool blue-green tones from pure blue, making it useful for neon, displays, water and cool shadow accents.
Example: Neon, water, cool shadows
Blue
Blue is one of the most visible ranges in modern imagery: skies, monitors and tech lighting. Density can make it feel deeper without the obvious look of simply pushing Saturation.
Example: Skies, monitors, blue lighting
Magenta
Magenta helps control purple neon, wardrobe and complex RGB lighting, especially when red and blue combine into an overly aggressive violet range.
Example: RGB light, purple neon, wardrobe
TECHNICAL REFERENCE
ColorSlice — seven fixed vectorspaces with subtractive saturation logic
ColorSlice arrived in Resolve 19 as a fixed vector grading tool: the six conventional Vectorscope directions — Red, Yellow, Green, Cyan, Blue and Magenta — plus a dedicated Skin Tone vector. Unlike a Qualifier it does not build an arbitrary key; it works through predefined colour slices. Density and Saturation are designed around a more subtractive response so saturated colours can become denser instead of merely brighter and more neon. That makes ColorSlice excellent for broad colour shaping, but not a replacement for precise isolation.
What ColorSlice actually controls
| Control | Scope | What it does | How to judge it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red / Skin / Yellow / Green / Cyan / Blue / Magenta | individual vectorspace | defines a fixed region of the colour wheel | Highlight view + Vectorscope |
| Center | slice | moves the slice triangle around hue to refine which colours are affected | Highlight view; do not force the slice to cover an entire object at any cost |
| Hue | slice / global | shifts the hue of affected colours | Vectorscope, skin-tone line and neutral references |
| Density | slice / global | changes luminance of more saturated colours for print-like/subtractive density | Waveform + Viewer: make sure colour does not collapse into muddy values |
| Density Depth | global | controls how density changes affect brighter image areas | inspect highlights and saturated highlights separately |
| Saturation | slice / global | changes saturation with subtractive brightness behaviour | Vectorscope + perceived brightness |
| Sat Balance / Sat Depth | global | shape luminance balance and saturation behaviour in brighter regions | compare skin, neon and saturated highlights |
FROM KNOWLEDGE TO A REPEATABLE RESULT
One exercise. A result you can check.
Choose a shot containing a face and several saturated objects. Start with neutral ColorSlice settings on a dedicated node. Avoid changing global and per-slice controls simultaneously so each contribution remains clear.
- 01
Save a baseline
Save a grading version or Still. Open HDR Wheels and check the selected node.
- 02
Inspect the range
Choose one zone and inspect its boundaries and falloff. Do not change every wheel at once.
- 03
Make one adjustment
Slightly change exposure in the selected zone. Compare adjacent tonal regions and neutral areas.
- 04
Compare the whole shot
Play the shot and compare it with the original version. Check highlights, shadows and the neighboring edited shot.
Self-check in Resolve; the site does not evaluate your work. Progress is not saved after reloading.
An editorial exercise for your own footage, not an automated check of a Resolve project. Work on a copy or separate version and evaluate the complete shot.
WHEN THE RESULT IS NOT WHAT YOU EXPECT
Find the cause, not a compensating slider.
01Colour becomes dark and muddy after Density+
Possible cause. too much luminance reduction inside the saturated slice
What to check. Density, Density Depth and waveform on the affected subject
02The Skin slice also affects set dressing+
Possible cause. similar hues fall inside the same fixed vectorspace
What to check. Highlight view; restrict the node with a Window/Qualifier rather than over-pushing Center
03Saturated highlights look unnatural after Saturation+
Possible cause. excessive global/local saturation or unsuitable Sat Depth
What to check. Sat Depth, Vectorscope, waveform and the brightest coloured areas
04A very narrow hue cannot be isolated+
Possible cause. ColorSlice is a fixed-vector tool, not an arbitrary HSL key
What to check. switch to Qualifier, Hue-vs-Hue/Sat or Color Warper
A SITUATION TO THINK THROUGHIncreasing Density deepened red fabric but its folds disappeared. Should Saturation be increased?Compare your reasoning ↓
Reduce density first and inspect tonal structure. Saturation will not restore lost tonal separation. Compare per-slice and global adjustments, inspect highlights, then decide whether further color shaping is needed.
Sources and version notes
Checked against Blackmagic Design’s Color documentation and the relevant new-feature guides. Screenshots are from the site’s own supplied library; controls and layout can differ between versions. Examples are instructional, not universal production settings.