Your first graph

Five minutes, end to end. We’ll load an image, add an effect, drive one of its parameters with time, and save the result.

The starting graph#

A fresh project opens with three nodes already wired together:Image Source → Bloom → Output. The preview on the left shows whatever the Output node receives. It starts black because no image is loaded yet.

Swap the source#

1. Click the Image Source node. The parameters panel on the lower right reveals an upload slot.
2. Click it and pick an image file. The preview updates as soon as the image decodes.
3. Alternatively, drag any image file directly onto the graph pane — it turns into a new Image Source node at the drop point.

Add an effect#

Our graph already has Bloom, but let’s layer another effect in. We’ll add a gaussian blur between the image and the bloom.

1. Press Shift+A. The add-node search opens.
2. Type gauss. Gaussian Blur filters to the top of the list. Enter drops it onto the graph.
3. Drag the new node over the wire between Image Source and Bloom. The wire highlights yellow — release to splice the blur in. Both connections rewire automatically.

Expose a parameter#

Select the Gaussian Blurnode. In the parameters panel, notice the small empty circle to the left of the “Radius” slider — that’s the expose toggle. Click it.

A new radiusinput socket appears on the node in the graph. Anything that outputs a scalar value can drive the blur’s radius through that socket.

1. Shift+A, type scene time, Enter.
2. Drag from the new node’s output into the Gaussian Blur’s newly-exposed radius input.
3. Hit Space or the play button on the timeline at the bottom. The blur pulses as scene time ticks forward.

Save it#

Hit ⌘+S. Since this is a new project, you’ll be asked for a name. Anything goes — the save system will warn you if the name collides with another project of yours and offer to overwrite.

The file-name pill at the top center of the menu bar now shows your chosen name with a green dot. Make any change and it flips yellow; hit ⌘+S again and it goes back to green.

What’s next#

• Read Editor basics for every gesture the graph responds to.
• Peek at Saving and loading for the difference between Save, Save As, and Save Incremental.
• Browse the node reference — one page per category, accessible from the sidebar.