Dotter
Samples dots along the input frame's paths. The dots are distributed by arc length, so they space evenly regardless of path complexity. Optional corner mode forces dots at detected corners so the shape's structure stays readable.
Inputs
| Port | Type | Default | Range | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frame | Frame | — | — | The frame to convert to dots |
| Count | Scalar | 20.0 | 1–200 | Total number of dots |
| Phase | Scalar | 0.0 | 0–1 | Shifts dot positions along the path |
| Path Mix | Scalar | 0.0 | 0–1 | Blends the original path back in (dimmed) underneath the dots |
| Corner Threshold | Scalar | 30.0 | 5–170 | Angle threshold for corner detection (degrees) |
| Color | Color | — | — | Per-dot color. When connected, it overrides the source frame's color |
Outputs
| Port | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Frame | Frame | Dots (and optionally the dimmed original path) |
Controls
Corner Mode: Places a dot on every detected corner and spreads the remaining dots between them.
Ideas
- Feed a Circle into Dotter for an evenly-spaced ring of dots: a point-cloud aesthetic that's clean and minimal.
- Animate Phase with a Phasor for rotating dots that travel along the path.
- Enable Corner Mode on a Polygon or Star so the vertices always get dots, keeping the shape recognizable even at low dot counts. Raise Corner Threshold above the shape's corner angle so the vertices are detected.
- Set Path Mix to 0.3 to show a dim version of the original shape underneath the dots.
Tips
- Dots are distributed proportionally across paths by arc length. A frame with multiple paths gets dots on each one.
- The Color input overrides the source frame's color per dot. Leave it disconnected to keep the source colors, or wire a Color node driven by a Phasor or Noise for animated color.
- Corner detection measures the angle between adjacent path segments (180° is a straight line). A point counts as a corner when its angle is below Corner Threshold, so lower values catch only sharper corners and higher values catch gentler ones.
Related
- Circle: base shape for dot ring patterns
- Colorize: color the dots after conversion
- Duplicator: duplicate dotted shapes for layered effects