13.14. Sinus

13.14. Sinus
	13. Rendering Filters

13.14.1. Overview

Figure 16.311. Applying example for the Sinus filter

Filter “Sinus” applied

You can find this filter from the image menu through Filters ? Render ? Pattern ? Sinus.

The Sinus filter lets you make sinusoidally based textures, which look rather like watered silk or maybe plywood. This plug-in works by using two different colors that you can define in the Colors tab. These two colors then create wave patterns based on a sine function.

You can set the X and Y scales, which determine how stretched or packed the texture will be. You can also set the Complexity of the function: a high value creates more interference or repetition in the pattern. An example is shown below.

13.14.2. Options

Figure 16.312. “Sinus” filter options (Settings)

Settings tab

X and Y Scales

A low X/Y value will maximize the horizontal/vertical stretch of the texture, whereas a high value will compress it.

Complexity

This controls how the two colors interact with each other (the amount of interplay or repetition).

Random Seed

Random Seed controls the random behaviour of the filter. If the same random seed in the same situation is used, the filter produces exactly the same results. A different random seed produces different results. Random seed can be entered manually or generated randomly by pressing the New Seed button.

When the Randomize option is checked, random seed cannot be entered manually, but is randomly generated each time the filter is run. If it is not checked, the filter remembers the last random seed used.

Force Tiling?

If you check this, you'll get a pattern that can be used for tiling. For example, you can use it as a background in an HTML page, and the tile edges will be joined seamlessly.

Ideal/Distorted

This option gives additional control of the interaction between the two colors. Distorted creates a more distorted interference between the two colors than Ideal.

Color settings

Figure 16.313. “Sinus” filter options (Color)

Colors: Here, you set the two colors that make up your texture. You can use Black and white or the foreground/background colors in the toolbox, or you can choose a color with the color icons. The Alpha Channels sliders allow you to assign an opacity to each of the colors. (If the layer you are working on does not have an alpha channel, they will be grayed out.)

Blend settings

Figure 16.314. Sinus filter options (Blend)

Gradient: You can choose between three functions to set the shapes of the waves that are produced: Linear, Bilinear and Sinusoidal.
Exponent: The Exponent controls which of the two colors is dominant, and how dominant it is. If you set the exponent to -7.5, the left color will dominate totally, and if you set it to +7.5 it will be the other way around. A zero value is neutral.