Adobe After Effects is an effective tool for generating and manipulating visual effects. A notable example of such an effect is crafting lifelike smoke. In this blog post, we will guide you through the steps to produce smoke using Adobe After Effects. Let’s begin!
Step 1: Create a New Composition
First, open Adobe After Effects and create a new composition (Composition > New Composition). Set the parameters you desire, but for this tutorial, we will use the following settings: Width: 1920px, Height: 1080px, Frame Rate: 24 frames per second, Duration: 10 seconds.
Step 2: Create a Solid Background
Now, create a new solid background for our composition. Go to Layer > New > Solid. Set whatever color you prefer for the background. Here we’re using a black background.
Step 3: Apply the Fractal Noise Effect
We will use the Fractal Noise effect to create the smoke. To apply this effect, select the background layer, click on Effect > Noise & Grain > Fractal Noise.
Step 4: Configure the Fractal Noise Settings
After applying the Fractal Noise effect, we need to configure its settings to give it a smoke-like appearance. We’ll provide the settings but feel free to experiment and achieve the look you desire.
Set the Fractal Type to ‘Dynamic Progressive’, Contrast to 150, Brightness to -30, Complexity to 10. Under Transform settings, uncheck ‘Uniform Scaling’ and set Scale Width to 400.
These settings will give a static smoke look. To animate the smoke, we’ll adjust the ‘Evolution’ setting.
Step 5: Animate the Smoke
In the Evolution setting, hold down the Alt button and click on the stopwatch next to ‘Evolution’. This will open an expressions field, where you will input the following expression: time*150. This expression will cause the fractal noise to evolve over time, giving the impression of smoke rising.
Step 6: Adjust the Colors
The last step involves adjusting the colors of the smoke. For this, we will use the ‘Tint’ effect. Go to Effect > Color Correction > Tint. Under ‘Map Black to’, select the color of your smoke. For this tutorial, we’ll use a grey color.
And there you have it! You’ve successfully created smoke in Adobe After Effects. Remember, the key to mastering any software is practice and experimentation. So, don’t be afraid to tweak the settings and see the effects.
