RBFs are splendid, but you don't need to have them "decay with distance", indeed, ones which don't (mutliquartics etc) often have better approximation properties and better-conditioned linear systems to solve, give them a go! https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S09557...
Tbh, I tried several different functions, but nothing worked better than inverse quadric function. Though, I'm not sure if I tried anything without decay
Mesh gradients are a powerful way to create smooth, organic color transitions. Traditional techniques like spline-based interpolation or multiple overlapping radial gradients can be effective—but they also come with trade-offs: visual artifacts, complexity, or the need for structured meshes.
In this article, I’ll show you how to use Radial Basis Function (RBF) interpolation to generate seamless gradients from just a set of colored points. This approach is portable, flexible, and simple to implement.
Tbh, I tried several different functions, but nothing worked better than inverse quadric function. Though, I'm not sure if I tried anything without decay