Bounds
Opens the controls for defining the outer boundary of the tracked surface.
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TrackingAdvanced
Surface Tracker
Deforming surface tracking
Tracks non-rigid or deforming surfaces so graphics can follow skin, fabric and other changing shapes.
Surface Tracker
DaVinci Resolve · Fusion
Surface Tracker is designed for surfaces that bend and deform beyond a simple planar perspective solve.
Overview
What Surface Tracker does
Surface Tracker extends the idea of planar tracking to surfaces whose shape changes over time. This is useful for skin, clothing, flexible packaging and other areas that cannot be represented as one rigid plane.
A successful solve depends on visible texture and a well-defined tracking region. Heavy occlusion, motion blur or large changes in lighting can still require manual intervention.
Because this is a more complex solve, keep the tracked region focused on the surface you actually need. Solving unnecessary areas adds noise and cost.
Mental model
Think of Surface Tracker as pinning a flexible mesh to a deforming object rather than tracking a rigid sheet.
Common uses
Tattoo or makeup replacement
Graphics on clothing
Cleanup on moving skin
Flexible label replacement
Attach texture to a deforming object
Track soft surfaces
Flow anatomy
Inputs & outputs
The port structure shows how this node fits into a Fusion graph.
Input 1
Source image for the operation.
Input 2 / Overlay
Source image for the operation.
Effect Mask
Optional mask that limits where the node affects the image.
Surface Tracker
Fusion node
Output
The processed result from this node.
Inspector
Important parameters
Start with these controls before reaching for more complicated workarounds.
Tracked Range X / Y
Sets the X and Y components of Tracked Range.
Click To Add Points
Switches the Viewer interaction to adding boundary points by clicking.
Boundary
Chooses which tracked surface boundary is active for the current operation.
+ Bound
Adds a new outer surface boundary.
+ Hole
Adds a hole inside the current surface boundary.
Delete / Clear All
Deletes the selected boundary or clears all surface-boundary markup.
Mesh
Opens the controls used to generate the tracking mesh over the defined surface.
Regenerate Mesh
Rebuilds the tracking mesh from the current surface bounds and mesh settings.
Point Locations
Chooses how Surface Tracker distributes points across the generated mesh.
Point Number Limit
Sets a limit for the working range.
Minimum Point Spacing
Sets the minimum distance allowed between generated mesh points.
Track
Controls how tracking is performed or applied.
Go To Frame: Start / End
Sets Go To Frame to Start / End.
Tracking
Controls how tracking is performed or applied.
Trimming
Trims or adjusts the valid frame range of the surface track.
Motion Range
Defines the range over which this operation is active.
Mesh Rigidity
Controls how strongly the tracked mesh resists local deformation.
Quality: Faster / Better
Sets Quality to Faster / Better.
Interactions Overlays
Shows the Surface Tracker interaction guides in the Viewer.
Result
Opens the controls used to apply the solved surface motion to an overlay.
Output
Selects the output used by Surface Tracker.
Overlay / Alpha Source
Chooses the image or alpha source used for the tracked overlay.
Contract / Expand
Contracts or expands the matte boundary.
Small values are useful for edge cleanup; aggressive values can remove fine detail.
Softness
Softens the transition at the edge of the mask, matte or effect.
Motion Blur
Adds motion blur to the overlay based on the solved surface motion.
Go To Reference / Set To Current
Jumps to the reference frame or makes the current frame the new reference.
Reference Frame
Defines the reference state of the tracked surface.
Choose a frame with clear texture and minimal occlusion.
Positioning
Chooses how the tracked overlay is positioned on the solved surface.
Reset Position
Restores the current surface/overlay position to its tracked reference position.
Antialiasing
Smooths the edge of the final tracked overlay.
Composite Type
Selects the Composite Type.
Chooses the mathematical or operational mode used for this part of the node.
Opacity
Sets the overall opacity of the material or object.
Practical setup
A reliable workflow
- 1
Choose a clear reference frame.
- 2
Define the surface region.
- 3
Track the required range.
- 4
Inspect the deformation and local drift.
- 5
Adjust the region or solve settings if needed.
- 6
Attach the graphic or cleanup branch and refine integration.
Typical node chain
MediaIn→
Surface Tracker→
Merge→
MediaOut
Examples
Where this node fits in real work
Graphic on a shirt
Track the fabric deformation and attach a design.
MediaInSurface TrackerGraphicMerge
Skin cleanup
Track a moving patch of skin so cleanup stays attached.
MediaInSurface TrackerPaint/Cleanup
Troubleshooting
Common mistakes
Using Surface Tracker where a simpler Planar Tracker would be enough.
Including multiple unrelated surfaces in one region.
Expecting a perfect solve through long occlusions without correction.
Production notes
Practical tips
Start with the simplest tracker that can solve the shot.
Choose a reference frame with strong texture.
Judge the attached graphic, not only the tracking overlay.
Related nodes