ALL DESIGN TOOLS
In this tutorial we'll use Particular and a single smoke picture to create pretty realistic smoke trails in After Effects. As a bonus I will also be using Optical Flares to add the bright lights.
Check out our New Plug-in: Optical Flares!
February 8th, 2010
89 Comments
Shadman Quazi
15 years ago
I'm kind of an amateur at this stuff...but tell me what you guys think anyway! 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AERXhDNRk5Y
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AERXhDNRk5Y
Warrior
15 years ago
hello,Andrew.I really like your tutorial, I appreciate your sharing. Very cool, I'm more interested in effects plug-ins, there are some effects plug-in idea, but I'm not programming, your effect plug-ins is very cool and I can share some knowledge about effects plug-ins.
Simon
15 years ago
Hey Mr. Kramer! You are bringing magic to the people and it will probably be mentiont in history books!
Be good..
Be good..
mediafan
15 years ago
Hey andrew really awesome stuff!! hey check this video out dont know if youve seen it already, its from lakewood church in houston texas.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RJGKFTKF_8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RJGKFTKF_8
Ethan
15 years ago
Great tutorial Andrew. I had to look it up: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Countershading
Hi Andrew
Thanks for the ultrafast delivery to France. After just 6 Days I had received my own optical flares plugin. Optical Flares and Action Essentials bundle
Now after playing and trying a little bit around,I just can recommend to everybody to buy it.It is every single Dollar worth. It produces fast and amazing results.
It was nice that you added a "How to install this plugin" as a Tutorial DVD-lesson. It made the installation very easy.(I am normally a Noob in this things)
Have a nice Weekend
Kind Regards
Robert Herrmann
Thanks for the ultrafast delivery to France. After just 6 Days I had received my own optical flares plugin. Optical Flares and Action Essentials bundle
Now after playing and trying a little bit around,I just can recommend to everybody to buy it.It is every single Dollar worth. It produces fast and amazing results.
It was nice that you added a "How to install this plugin" as a Tutorial DVD-lesson. It made the installation very easy.(I am normally a Noob in this things)
Have a nice Weekend
Kind Regards
Robert Herrmann
please andrew can you make After Effects tutorial to
cr??©ate a r??©alistic twister.
thanks
you are the best
WELCOME TO THIS.....my name's............
cr??©ate a r??©alistic twister.
thanks
you are the best
WELCOME TO THIS.....my name's............
Hey andrew thanks for this tut... awsome
by the way the shortcut to bring the zoomed out comp
i think its like hptoshop ctrl+0
thanks for your work!
by the way the shortcut to bring the zoomed out comp
i think its like hptoshop ctrl+0
thanks for your work!
adeevhi
15 years ago
To live a life i need heartbeat, 2 have heartbeat i need a heart, 2 have heart i need happiness, to have happiness i need a friend, and 4 a friend i need U.ALWAYS
ariaport
15 years ago
nice tutorial, andrew! i hope i could get my hands on particular 2 and optical flares someday ^0^
joe1010
15 years ago
Nice tutorial. But would it be possible to make the smokes differently then using an expensive USD 400 plugin? Thank you
dewagehu
15 years ago
Cool !!!!! Nice one.. !!!! Nice Tips.. !!!
It's nice to know about the different of sprite and texture poligon.. !!!
It's nice to know about the different of sprite and texture poligon.. !!!
Sergiy
15 years ago
Thanks. That's great!
Maybe it's not a time, but haven't you think of some sort of tutorial, where a person turns to an Avatar. Like in "Demon face" tutorial. That would be interesting.
From Ukraine.
Maybe it's not a time, but haven't you think of some sort of tutorial, where a person turns to an Avatar. Like in "Demon face" tutorial. That would be interesting.
From Ukraine.
bluesky
15 years ago
yeah thanks, i wait so long for this tutorial ^^
now i finished
wonderful animation
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5EXTRZGk6Y
thanks andrew !!
now i finished
wonderful animation
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5EXTRZGk6Y
thanks andrew !!
Haha, ok the "Free Tutorial" joke made my day.
Thanks for this nice tut.
Didn't know how you were getting those cool smokelets maps for the trail particles. Now I do. I feel alot better.
Anyway, keep up the kickass wor! Big fan
Thanks for this nice tut.
Didn't know how you were getting those cool smokelets maps for the trail particles. Now I do. I feel alot better.
Anyway, keep up the kickass wor! Big fan
RedCoon
15 years ago
nice tutorial,
by the way it's a nice way you used Optical Flares in that cinama-commercial:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPj3UdnDmm0
greetz
by the way it's a nice way you used Optical Flares in that cinama-commercial:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPj3UdnDmm0
greetz
Trev Burley
15 years ago
Excellent as usual. I bought optical flares for a project recently and it really is great especially when combined with effects like in this tutorial.
Thanks - Trev
Thanks - Trev
Thanks for this great tutorial. One of my favourite parts of the Optical Flares showreel is the part with the soda can and the two colored lights with the smoke trail. I hope there will be tutorials of those too.
I'm very glad I bought Optical Flares with the pro presets and I would recommend everyone that reads this to do the same because there are so many ways to use it which makes it a must-have.
The smoke you're using in Particular from a picture and turn it into particals... I was wondering if you could use a transparent movieclip or 3D object of let's say a butterfly, and have particular make it look like a random group of them flying around.
I'm very glad I bought Optical Flares with the pro presets and I would recommend everyone that reads this to do the same because there are so many ways to use it which makes it a must-have.
The smoke you're using in Particular from a picture and turn it into particals... I was wondering if you could use a transparent movieclip or 3D object of let's say a butterfly, and have particular make it look like a random group of them flying around.
Hi Andrew Can you make a tut on how to make those circle. square and torus and how to add optical flares to them please.
Thanks!
Jefferson
Thanks!
Jefferson
tariqdesign
15 years ago
nice tutorial
"Carnivale title sequence TV DRAMA (2003)
any idea about its make off did they use after effects
"
by the way i have idea what about a tutorial for somthing
like Carnivale title sequence
"Carnivale title sequence TV DRAMA (2003)
any idea about its make off did they use after effects
"
by the way i have idea what about a tutorial for somthing
like Carnivale title sequence
hey guys ,in my trapcode i dont have sprite nor texture in the setting any ideas why ,i cant change the cloud.
goran
15 years ago
oooh, i was wondering how to do that, thank you, why am i thanking? i didn't see it yet, well, it does not matter. thanks anyway.
julio
15 years ago
I was looking forward to see this one, great andrew!!!! guy's optical flares rocks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
thank you
thank you
Edris Mohammadi
15 years ago
Thank For This Tutorial!!!
I Have question:
why you don't take my Comment on your web site?
please tell me ?
I Learn Every Thing From You.
I Am Edris mohammadi from Iran/kurdestan.
I Have question:
why you don't take my Comment on your web site?
please tell me ?
I Learn Every Thing From You.
I Am Edris mohammadi from Iran/kurdestan.
paul
15 years ago
great tut as always....hope your flares are selling like hotcakes I've got them in the next budget for plug-ins this was an easy sell to the boss
谢域
15 years ago
Finally,new tutorial comes.I waiting for a long time.
Thank you very much Andrew.
Thank you very much Andrew.
ken c
15 years ago
thanks, Andrew - another great tutorial, I was hoping you'd do this one... super job. Great to see how a pro does it.
andi
15 years ago
that smoke reminds me of the old arcade game After Burner, same technique was used on all the missiles and jet trails
I couldn't wait for this tutorial just like Matthew Sabia and i did everything myself by just looking on the movie with usage of optical flares. I am really amazed how much i have improved thanks to You Andrew, You inspired me and showed me new way of beeing creative, I will gonna be in debt with You forever
Btw, it is such a pitty You don't teach us physics in my school because You are such a good techer that i could pass every exam with no sweat
Btw, it is such a pitty You don't teach us physics in my school because You are such a good techer that i could pass every exam with no sweat
Andrew Lu
15 years ago
Dang andrew! another one of ur great work . thanks a lot greetings from texas
AMS
15 years ago
So, is there EVER a situation where telling OF to render on Transparent is a better choice than changing the transfer mode to screen or add?
Hey Andrew, why do you like to use the transfer mode rather than the render on transparent feature? Is it a render time issue, just a work flow habit, or is there a visual difference? You've done it in several of the tutorials and promo material and I was hoping you'd enlighten us.
Paul_M
15 years ago
hey Andrew, I got 2 questions:
Would Optical Flares also work with 3D Matchmoving Software like Syntheyes?
Oh...and when will the promo vid be released?
Greetings from Autria
Would Optical Flares also work with 3D Matchmoving Software like Syntheyes?
Oh...and when will the promo vid be released?
Greetings from Autria
Thanks for this cool tutorial...one question...does the plugin include the rock concert tutorial and other project based ones?
Best from Uruguay
Best from Uruguay
Hey Andrew can't wait to see the tutorial and I actually made this video last week lol - http://www.youtube.com/watch?vPBeLhK9NyE
PBeLhK9NyE
