The Slingshot Pad

The pad is the main interaction surface. It represents your composition space. Where you click sets the launch origin, and the direction you drag determines where layers scatter.

The idle pad shows a dot grid. Click anywhere on the pad to set a launch origin, then drag to aim and throw.

Aiming and Throwing

The slingshot uses a pull-back metaphor. Drag in the opposite direction of where you want layers to land.

While dragging, the pad shows all the visual feedback you need to aim precisely:

  • Launch origin at the point where you clicked, with a ring and glow.
  • Elastic band connecting the origin to the draggable knob.
  • Scatter cone fanning out from the origin in the throw direction.
  • Preview dots showing where each selected layer will land.
  • Projection beam extending from the origin through the scatter zone.

The further you pull, the stronger the throw. Force follows an exponential curve, so small movements give fine control and large pulls send layers far. There is a small dead zone near the origin to prevent accidental micro-throws.

Shaping the Scatter

Two controls adjust the scatter pattern:

  • Spread controls the width of the scatter cone. Higher values fan layers out wider perpendicular to the throw direction.
  • Reach controls how far along the throw direction layers cluster. Higher values push layers further from the origin.

Adjust these in the toolbar, or in the config overlay when the panel is narrow. You can also drag vertically on the Spread or Reach cells in the toolbar to adjust their values directly. Double-click either cell to reset it to default.

See Controls Reference for value ranges.

Instant vs. Confetti Mode

Slingshot has two scatter modes, toggled with the confetti control in the toolbar.

Instant mode (confetti off) teleports layers to their scatter positions. No keyframes are created. This is useful for static arrangements and quick repositioning.

Confetti mode (confetti on) creates an animated burst. Layers start at the launch origin and animate outward with:

  • Staggered timing so layers arrive in sequence.
  • Rotation spin on each layer.
  • Scale pop from small to full size.
  • Opacity fade from full to transparent.
  • A gravity arc curving the motion path downward.

The Speed control sets how fast the animation plays. Lower values create slower, more dramatic bursts. Higher values create snappy explosions.

Confetti Toggle Behavior

  • Click when off turns confetti on.
  • Click when on turns confetti off (if you do not drag).
  • Drag vertically when on adjusts the confetti speed without toggling off.

Modifier Keys

Hold modifier keys during or at the end of a throw:

  • Alt (held during drag) switches to uniform distribution. Layers space evenly within the scatter cone instead of using randomized positions.
  • Shift (held on release) duplicates the selected layers before scattering. Originals stay in place and the copies are flung.

Layer Selection

Slingshot works on all selected unlocked layers. Locked layers are skipped silently.

Re-throwing

If you throw the same selection again without deselecting first, Slingshot remembers where those layers started. The next throw scatters from the original positions, not from where they landed last time. This prevents cumulative drift and lets you try different scatter patterns without undoing.

Deselect and reselect to reset the remembered positions.