Gradient

Gradient [3Gd] is a procedural material generator from Fusion 3D Texture Nodes. Unlike a 2D Background gradient, its output is Material. Connecting it directly to MediaOut, Merge or a blue effect mask is a type error.

The DaVinci Resolve 21 manual explicitly documents NO INPUTS for Gradient 3D. This distinguishes it from FastNoiseTexture with an optional SourceMaterial and from the 2D Gradient mode built into Background.

To preview, wire Gradient.Material → Shape3D.MaterialInput → Shape3D.Scene → Renderer3D.Scene → MediaOut.Input. Renderer3D converts a 3D scene into an image. Complex setups can add Merge3D, Camera3D and suitable lighting.

The archived gradient-type.png confirms exactly five Gradient Type options: Linear, Reflect, Square, Cross and Radial. Do not introduce Angle from the 2D Background generator into this material tool.

The gradient bar holds color stops. The selected stop exposes Position, Color, Red, Green, Blue and Alpha. Editing the active stop changes that position of the ramp, not the entire 3D scene.

Interpolation Space blends ramp colors using RGB, HLS, HSV or LAB. It is not the project working-space converter. Inspect the final rendered colors after shading and any display transform.

Scale resizes the texture-space pattern; Offset scrolls its phase. These controls do not move the object. To orient the pattern on a mesh, use suitable texture-coordinate tools such as Texture Transform or UV Map.

Repeat has Once, Repeat and Ping-Pong. Once holds edge colors, Repeat wraps end to start (possibly with visible seams), and Ping-Pong mirrors alternating cycles for smoother repeated stripes.

Sub-Pixel changes gradient evaluation precision. The archived Inspector shows 1x1x1. Higher sampling can reduce aliasing in thin animated patterns at increased rendering cost.

Material ID sets the numeric material identifier. Its value appears in the MatID auxiliary channel only if the required renderer output pass is enabled, not by default in the beauty image.

Stop Alpha is not a guarantee of final 2D transparency. Shader type, surface coverage, Renderer3D and downstream compositing determine its visible behavior; check RGB and Alpha separately.

Two original captures document Inspector controls, not native script socket IDs or final pixel values. Mesh UV mapping, material shading, animation smoothness, MatID and real render behavior remain pending live Fusion 21 QA.