Creating a liquid animation in After Effects !

Create a liquid animation within After Effects by Jay Baulch

Using Motion Boutique’s 2D Physics Engine Newton
to create a liquid animation within After Effects by Jay Baulch


Fluid animations have become an essential part of modern motion graphics, bringing a sense of realism and dynamism to visual content. For digital artists and animators, creating these effects can often be a complex process. However, with the help of powerful tools like the Newton plugin for After Effects, animating fluid movements has never been easier.

Get Newton for Adobe After Effects : https://aescripts.com/newton
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This guide will walk you through the process of creating fluid animations using the Newton plugin, offering step-by-step instructions that even beginners can follow. Whether you want to add a touch of realism to your projects or explore new creative avenues, this tutorial is designed to enhance your After Effects skills and unleash your creativity.

Overview of the Newton Plugin

What is Newton?

Newton is a 2D physics engine designed specifically for Adobe After Effects by Motion Boutique. It allows users to simulate real-world physics within their animations, making it ideal for creating fluid motions, bouncing objects, and other dynamic effects. With Newton, animators can achieve a level of realism that traditional animation techniques might struggle to replicate.

Key Features of Newton

  • Realistic Physics Simulation: Newton simulates gravity, friction, and other physical properties, enabling more lifelike animations.
  • User-Friendly Interface: The plugin integrates seamlessly into After Effects, allowing users to create complex simulations without extensive coding or technical knowledge.
  • Customizable Parameters: Users can adjust various attributes, such as bounciness and friction, to achieve their desired effects.

Setting Up Your Composition in After Effects

Creating a New Composition

  1. Open After Effects and create a new project.
  2. Set your composition size to 300 frames and name it “main comp.”

Designing Your Elements

Creating a Square

  1. Use the Rectangle Tool to create a square.
  2. Ensure the anchor point is centered; adjust the size to 350.
  3. Hide the fill layer and set the stroke to 5 pixels with your preferred color (e.g., #edf6f9).

Duplicating and Editing Layers

  1. Duplicate the square layer.
  2. Convert the path of the duplicated layer into a Bezier path using the Pen Tool.
  3. Select the top two points of your square, right-click, and choose “Mask” > “Shake Path.” Uncheck the closed button.
  4. Duplicate this open layer and rotate it by 180 degrees.

Designing the Background

  1. Create a two-layer background: a solid color for the bottom layer and a gradient for the top layer.
  2. Hide the background layers for now.

Creating a Grid of Circles

  1. Design a 10 by 10 grid of circles, each 15 pixels in size.
  2. Optionally, alternate colors for a multi-colored look or use a single color for uniformity.

Adding a Funnel

  1. Create a rounded funnel shape to direct the fluid.
  2. Introduce a breaker in the middle to prevent the grid from falling directly into the box.

Using the Newton Plugin for Fluid Animation

Opening Newton

  1. Access the Newton plugin via After Effects.
  2. Set the mesh precision value to 10 for smoother fluid movement.
  3. Adjust the friction for all layers to zero for seamless motion.

Setting Dynamic and Static Layers

  1. Select the box and funnel layers, changing the type from dynamic to static.
  2. Hit play to preview the simulation.

Adjusting Bounciness

  1. Increase the bounciness of the circles from 0.3 to 0.6 to create a more dynamic, splashing effect.

Keyframing Animation

Finding Keyframes

  1. Identify the first frame where the circles end in the box (approximately frame 76).
  2. Set the in-point of the box layer to frame 76 and the end point of the duplicated layer to frame 76.

Animating Rotation

  1. At frame 76, set the rotation of the box layer to zero.
  2. Move halfway through the composition and rotate the layer by 150 degrees.
  3. At frame 220, change the rotation back to -90 degrees for a flat appearance.

Easing Animation

  1. Apply easing to your keyframes to smooth out the animation transition.
  2. Adjust the speed to suit your preference (around 50 for the influence on in and out points).

Final Adjustments and Rendering

Preparing for Rendering

  1. Ensure there is a position keyframe at the end of your layer to prevent it from disappearing off-screen.
  2. Select all boxes in Newton and adjust the collision group settings appropriately.

Rendering the Animation

  1. Close Newton and select “New Composition” to render your animation.
  2. Delete unnecessary funnel and open box layers in your project window.
  3. Align the in and out points of the box layer to the beginning and end of your composition.

Applying Effects to Enhance Fluidity

Pre-composing Layers

  1. Pre-compose your grid and name it “fluid.”
  2. Check that the box layer has no keyframes before and after the main animation area.

Duplicating and Masking Layers

  1. Duplicate the box layer and turn on the fill while removing the stroke.
  2. Use this duplicated layer to mask the fluid layer.

Adding Visual Effects

  1. Add a Gaussian Blur effect (set to 50) to soften the look of your fluid.
  2. Use the Levels effect to adjust the alpha settings:
    • Change RGB to Alpha.
    • Set gamma to 0 and input white to 25.
  3. Increase saturation by 50 using the Hue/Saturation effect.

Conclusion

By following these steps, you can create impressive fluid animations in After Effects with the Newton plugin. Experiment with different settings, colors, and effects to develop your unique style and enhance your motion graphics projects. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced animator, mastering fluid animations can elevate your creative capabilities and add a professional touch to your work.

Happy animating!

Get Newton: http://aescripts.com/newton/