A Nuke tool by Eduardo Brandao — eduardo@bosonpost.com.br
Draw a rubber-band area directly in the Node Graph to create a labeled, colored BackdropNode — fast, precise, and fully configurable per user.
video1.mp4
video2.mp4
- Draw to create — press the shortcut, click and drag to define the area
- Preset label buttons — click any preset to instantly fill the label field
- Color swatches — visual color squares with tooltip on hover
- Random color — one click for a random muted backdrop color
- Custom color picker — full color picker when you need something specific
- Font size control — adjust per backdrop, right in the dialog
- Text alignment — left, center, or right per backdrop
- Auto z-order — each new backdrop goes behind all existing ones automatically
- Dialog near cursor — the dialog appears where your mouse is for speed
- Auto-focus label field — start typing immediately, no extra clicks
- Per-user settings — configure via Edit > Backdrop Draw Settings, saved to JSON
- Nuke 12 or later
- PySide2 (bundled with Nuke)
-
Copy
backdrop_draw.pyto your.nukedirectory:- Linux / Mac:
~/.nuke/ - Windows:
%USERPROFILE%\.nuke\
- Linux / Mac:
-
Open (or create)
menu.pyin the same.nukefolder and add:
import backdrop_draw
backdrop_draw.register()- Restart Nuke.
On startup you will see in the Script Editor:
[Backdrop Draw] Registered — shortcut: v
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | Press v inside the Node Graph — cursor becomes a crosshair |
| 2 | Click and drag to draw the backdrop area |
| 3 | Release the mouse — the dialog appears near your cursor |
| 4 | Click a preset button to fill the label, or type a custom name |
| 5 | Click a color swatch, press 🎲 for random, or ＋ for custom |
| 6 | Adjust font size and text alignment if needed |
| 7 | Press Enter or click OK — backdrop is created |
Press Escape at any time to cancel.
Open Edit > Backdrop Draw Settings in the Nuke menu bar.
Settings are saved per-user at ~/.nuke/backdrop_draw_settings.json and include:
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Shortcut key | The keyboard shortcut to activate the tool (requires restart) |
| Default font size | Starting font size in the dialog |
| Padding | Extra space added around the drawn area (canvas units) |
| Preset button columns | Number of columns in the preset grid (1–6) |
| Default text alignment | Left, Center, or Right |
| Preset Labels | One label per line — edit freely |
| Preset Colors | One color per line in format Name #rrggbb |
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The tool does not activate when I press v
Make sure the Node Graph panel has focus (click inside it first). After changing the shortcut in Settings, a Nuke restart is required.
"Could not find the Node Graph" message The Node Graph must be visible in the current layout. Switch to a layout that includes the DAG panel and try again.
The backdrop appears in the wrong position The tool captures zoom and canvas position at the moment the shortcut is pressed. Avoid panning or zooming the Node Graph between pressing the shortcut and finishing the draw.
Eduardo Brandao
eduardo@bosonpost.com.br
Did this tool help you? You can buy me a coffee via PayPal at eduardo@bosonpost.com.br or by purchasing my book. https://vfxebook-9dqwsk8s.manus.space/
MIT — free to use, modify, and distribute.