Painterly

Blackmagic integrated the Krokodove toolset directly into DaVinci Resolve and Fusion in Resolve 21. Painterly is listed among the Image Tools as a filter for creating a stylized artwork look, so in current Resolve 21 it is a native tool rather than a required external plug-in.

Painterly should not be reduced to a Blur or simple Posterize. It does reduce fine photographic complexity, but the visual result also depends on how local color dots or marks are combined and on the geometry of their footprint.

Luminance Steps is the documented number of luminance levels into which the image is subdivided. More steps preserve smoother tonal structure; fewer steps move faster toward broad graphic planes. Judge the setting by faces, text and key contours, not only by effect strength.

Mode is documented as the way the different color dots are combined. The Inspector exposes Peak, Minimum and Maximum. The concise references do not publish a full mathematical formula, so compare the modes A/B with the same Type and Radius instead of assigning Peak an unsupported statistical definition.

Minimum and Maximum produce predictably different dark/light character in local marks, while Peak is useful as a starting comparison. Differences are easiest to see in highlights, skin, shadow boundaries and dense texture.

Type controls dot/mark shape. Square produces a more geometric footprint, Circle a rounder one, and Custom is for a user-provided shape. Current Resolve 21 Krokodove workflows can use a custom, including animated, brush; keep that auxiliary source concept separate from the blue Effect Mask.

Radius sets footprint size and Aspect changes its proportions. A small Radius preserves more recognizable fine structure; a large one quickly turns surfaces into broad marks. Judge Aspect after Radius so directional stretching does not hide a sizing problem.

Effect Mask and Custom Shape/Auxiliary Input have different responsibilities. Effect Mask only gates where the finished Painterly operation contributes, while the auxiliary source is relevant to a user-defined shape/brush in Custom mode.

Evaluate Painterly in motion as well as on a still. Large footprints, coarse luminance steps or animated parameters can make fine moving texture swim or flicker, so playback is part of the quality check.