VFX Atlas
M 028 / 18301 Edge & Featuresalgorithm output

Structure Tensor Orientation

edge & features

Typeface · Martian Mono

Atlas demonstration: the free source photo and the computed Structure Tensor Orientation. This image shows a close-up of a pine tree branch set against a dark background. The algorithm successfully maps the varying directions of the needles with distinct hues representing each vertical and horizontal alignment.
Atlas demonstration: the free source photo and the computed Structure Tensor Orientation. This image shows a close-up of a pine tree branch set against a dark background. The algorithm successfully maps the varying directions of the needles with distinct hues representing each vertical and horizontal alignment.Image: Alec Weir xcvii · CC0 (via Wikimedia Commons), processed for the AtlasView source ↗

Prompt

Apply Structure Tensor Orientation as a false-color map of local edge and texture alignment. Assign consistent hues to matching directions, add short aligned strokes in coherent regions, and desaturate flat or directionally ambiguous areas. Preserve visible structural boundaries beneath the flowing directional field. Keep the original subject and composition.

Paste it into LetzAI with your own image to apply the effect ↗

Identify

The output maps local orientation, revealing how edges and textures align across the photograph.

Principle

The algorithm averages products of image gradients1 within neighborhoods to build a structure tensor2 at each pixel. Its eigenvectors identify the dominant gradient direction and the perpendicular direction along nearby edges.

Try it out

Vary the averaging scale to compare fine texture directions with broader edge alignment.

Classification

Calculated image processing result.

Further examples · 9 images

Structure Tensor Orientation, applied to “Old Town Stay, Vilnius, Lithuania (Unsplash)”
02 Structure Tensor Orientation, applied to “Old Town Stay, Vilnius, Lithuania (Unsplash)”A portrait of a person wearing a wide-brimmed hat is rendered in glowing, neon-like contours. The process vividly differentiates the circular flow of the hat's rim from the vertical orientation of the hair and background.Ilya Yakover ilyayakover (photo); processed for the Atlas · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons
Structure Tensor Orientation, applied to “Sonja Guina 2014 (Unsplash)”
03 Structure Tensor Orientation, applied to “Sonja Guina 2014 (Unsplash)”A wooden balcony railing recedes into the distance beside a lush, textured hillside. The computational mapping creates a clear contrast between the sharp geometric lines of the fence and the chaotic gradients of the foliage.Sonja Guina sonjulica (photo); processed for the Atlas · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons
Structure Tensor Orientation, applied to “Monterey, United States (Unsplash T7n5 1ulanQ)”
04 Structure Tensor Orientation, applied to “Monterey, United States (Unsplash T7n5 1ulanQ)”Two jellyfish float through deep water, their long tentacles trailing behind their bell-shaped bodies. The visualization elegantly traces the linear flow of the tentacles, using shifting colors to indicate changes in their trailing paths.Matt Briney mbriney (photo); processed for the Atlas · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons
Structure Tensor Orientation, applied to “Laced Converse shoes (Unsplash)”
05 Structure Tensor Orientation, applied to “Laced Converse shoes (Unsplash)”A pair of high-top sneakers are captured from a top-down perspective, emphasizing their laces and form. The algorithm highlights the complex, intersecting orientations of the shoelaces and the curved silhouette of the soles with vibrant, multi-colored gradients.Tirza van Dijk tirzavandijk (photo); processed for the Atlas · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons
Structure Tensor Orientation, applied to “Serge Esteve 2015-01-18 (Unsplash)”
06 Structure Tensor Orientation, applied to “Serge Esteve 2015-01-18 (Unsplash)”A grand architectural facade is shown, featuring repetitive windows and classical columns. The process clearly distinguishes between the strong horizontal lines of the cornices and the vertical orientation of the pillars through distinct color shifts.Serge Esteve sce767 (photo); processed for the Atlas · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons
Structure Tensor Orientation, applied to “Tall tree corridor (Unsplash)”
07 Structure Tensor Orientation, applied to “Tall tree corridor (Unsplash)”Tall trees reach toward the sky in a dense forest, creating a perspective of converging vertical lines. The tensor map beautifully illustrates the dominant upward orientation of the trunks against the more chaotic, scattered directions of the leaves.Chelsea Bock chelseabock (photo); processed for the Atlas · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons
Structure Tensor Orientation, applied to “Elephant walking in the afternoon sun (Unsplash)”
08 Structure Tensor Orientation, applied to “Elephant walking in the afternoon sun (Unsplash)”A large elephant stands in a grassy field, its massive form captured in profile. The tensor analysis highlights the elephant's curved back and vertical legs through a spectrum of vibrant primary colors.Alessandro Desantis alessandrodesantis (photo); processed for the Atlas · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons
Structure Tensor Orientation, applied to “Campfire at La Serrana Eco Farm and Hostel, near Salento, Quíndio, Colombia (Unsplash)”
09 Structure Tensor Orientation, applied to “Campfire at La Serrana Eco Farm and Hostel, near Salento, Quíndio, Colombia (Unsplash)”This image depicts a close-up of a flowering plant or small shrub against a dark background. The tensor analysis reveals the erratic directional flow of the petals and leaves, though the overall structure remains somewhat abstract.Dan Gold danielcgold (photo); processed for the Atlas · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons

Sources