ComfyUI Depth Layer Rasterizer

A ComfyUI custom node for turning an image or video frame batch plus a depth map into a layered paper-cut composite. The node slices the depth map into paper layers, fills those layers with stylized color, and can render stacked shadows, outlines, and small parallax offsets without LoRAs or external styling tools.

Node

Node	Category	Purpose
Depth Rasterize Layers	depth/layers	Build layer exports, masks, debug previews, or a final paper-cut composite from image + depth.

Installation

cd ComfyUI/custom_nodes
git clone https://github.com/your-org/comfyui_depth_layer_rasterizer.git
cd comfyui_depth_layer_rasterizer
pip install -r requirements.txt

Restart ComfyUI.

Quick Workflow

1. Connect image from your source image or video.
2. Connect depth_map from a depth node such as Depth Anything or Depth Anything V2.
3. Start with output_mode = composite and rasterization_levels = 12.
4. Use layer_color_mode to choose the paper style.
5. Tune shadow distance, blur, and opacity for the stacked-paper depth.

Color Styles

Mode	Result	Good for
original	Keeps source RGB inside each depth slice.	Photo cutouts, subtle parallax.
flat_average	Fills each depth layer with one average color.	Minimal paper silhouettes.
color_zones	Splits each layer into flat average color patches.	Papercraft, cel-shaded diorama looks.
grayscale	Converts each layer to grayscale.	Monochrome paper studies.
black_white	Thresholds each layer to pure black or white.	High-contrast stencil and graphic cuts.

Color adjustments are applied after the selected fill style:

Control	Default	Description
color_brightness	0.0	Adds or removes brightness.
color_contrast	1.0	Multiplies contrast around mid-gray.
color_saturation	1.0	Multiplies saturation.
black_white_threshold	0.5	Luminance cutoff for black_white.
color_zones_per_layer	4	Number of flat patches per depth layer in color_zones.

Main Controls

Control	Default	Description
rasterization_levels	12	Number of depth slices. More levels add detail; fewer levels look more graphic.
output_mode	composite	composite, all_layers, single_layer, masks_only, or debug.
selected_layer	0	Layer index for single_layer and masks_only; 0 is nearest.
invert_depth	false	Swap near/far if the depth map is reversed.
normalization_mode	per_frame	Use per_frame for images, whole_sequence for video consistency, or manual with min/max.
depth_min / depth_max	0 / 1	Manual normalization range when normalization_mode = manual.
depth_gamma	1.0	Bias how depth values are distributed into layers.
depth_blur	1.0	Smooth noisy depth before slicing.
temporal_smoothing	0.0	Reduce frame-to-frame depth flicker in video batches.
layer_smoothing	1.0	Merge tiny depth specks into cleaner paper shapes.
mask_feather	0.5	Layer edge softness. Set 0 for crisp hard cuts.

Paper Effects

Control	Default	Description
enable_shadow	true	Render drop shadows behind layers in composite mode.
shadow_distance	8.0	Offset distance in pixels.
shadow_angle	135.0	Shadow direction in degrees.
shadow_blur	6.0	Shadow softness.
shadow_opacity	0.35	Shadow strength.
shadow_color_r/g/b	0 / 0 / 0	Shadow color.
depth_scaled_shadow	true	Scale shadow offset by depth for a stronger layered-paper look.
enable_outline	false	Draw an edge around layer shapes.
outline_width	2	Outline thickness in pixels.
outline_opacity	0.5	Outline strength.
outline_color_r/g/b	0 / 0 / 0	Outline color.
enable_layer_offset	false	Apply a depth-scaled parallax shift to each layer.
offset_x / offset_y	0 / 0	Parallax strength in pixels.

Outputs

Output	Description
layered_images	Layer image batch, or selected/debug images depending on output_mode.
layer_masks	Alpha masks matching layered_images.
depth_quantized	Posterized grayscale view of the depth slices.
composited_image	Final paper-cut render when output_mode = composite.
debug_preview	False-color layer ID preview.

Presets

Papercraft diorama

output_mode = composite
rasterization_levels = 12
layer_color_mode = color_zones
color_zones_per_layer = 4
enable_shadow = true
shadow_distance = 8
shadow_blur = 6

Minimal flat paper

output_mode = composite
rasterization_levels = 8
layer_color_mode = flat_average
mask_feather = 0
enable_shadow = true

Black and white stencil

output_mode = composite
layer_color_mode = black_white
black_white_threshold = 0.5
enable_outline = false

Export every cut layer

output_mode = all_layers
rasterization_levels = 16
layer_color_mode = original

Development

pip install -r requirements.txt
python -m pytest tests/ -q

License

MIT