Growing 3D Vines
Do you think you know all about creating 3D vines? Well think again. Watch this amazing tutorial to learn how I did it using only After Effects.
First of all I’d like to apologize for the length of this tutorial - it’s about 50 minutes. It’s been over 3 months since my last post so I’m a bit out of shape. Hopefully next one will be shorter, but for now, before you start watching this make sure you’ve got supplies of some snacks and soda, or coffee if you prefer, so that you have everything you need to sit back and enjoy the tutorial.
I know what you’re thinking. This is the same as Andrew Kramer’s tutorial “Growing 3D Vines”. This is exactly my point. If you’ve watched my previous tutorials you know I don’t copy someone else’s work unless I have something to add to the techniques presented, which is exactly the case here.
It was said that this effect is impossible to achieve without using a 3D application like 3D Studio Max, or Cinema 4D, and I have to agree. It is impossible… but doable. What you’re about to see is made using only After Effects, nothing more.
The final result is not perfect, but since the tutorial already takes about 50 minutes I decided not to focus on the visual side so much, just the basic idea behind this technique.
Generally in this particular case I’d also decide to create this effect in 3D application. Simple shapes like that usually render pretty fast and making changes to the rendered files is not that much of a pain, but just to show you that it is in fact possible to do in After Effects alone I decided to record this tutorial anyway. Hopefully you’ll go creative on the techniques presented and create some stunning animations and effects. As always… possibilities are endless.
Inspiration for this project: Growing 3D Vines by Andrew Kramer.
The wall texture comes from Riot Gear by VideoCopilot.Project file does not contain the original Riot Gear texture to avoid any copyright issues and giving away something for free that is not mine to give. However there is a replacement texture included that should do the trick.
Download project file: Growind3DVines.zip (After Effects CS3 Professional)
WOW dude you are the only one… ;)
UmairVFX said this April 12th, 2008 at 11:24
nice :)
Darkskill said this April 12th, 2008 at 12:01
dude!!! you are the one and only AE god. Thanks for this
Craig Hellen said this April 12th, 2008 at 12:40
Georage very soon i will upload my 3d vines video by using your amazing and awesome techinics… nice one Dude.. ;)
umairvfx said this April 12th, 2008 at 15:19
I think we need an AE showdown between you and Mr. Kramer, winner gets custody of Sam Loya. ;)
Hans said this April 12th, 2008 at 15:26
Great job !
Nico said this April 12th, 2008 at 16:59
nice, nice. good job ~!!!
Splasz said this April 12th, 2008 at 17:33
Thanks guys. I just realized that something is seriously messed up with the video. For some reason I was unable to render it from Premiere, so I imported the edit into After Effects, and as I see everything is messed up. Sorry for that. I’ll try to fix it and replace the video file.
Maltaannon said this April 12th, 2008 at 20:32
yes this is Maltaannon creative man
great tutorial
thank’s wating for more
khaled said this April 13th, 2008 at 0:07
Hey Genius-M, ur BACK……hehehhehehe gr8 2 c u again.
Wat I always like abt u is ur Technique, u always try to tell some uncommon techniques, which is very useful.
gr8 job, thnx n keep us updated. Bye. MARK
Mark said this April 13th, 2008 at 5:20
i miss u moltaannon v.much
thanks 4 coming back
so nice tutorial
i want to see more
mostafa said this April 13th, 2008 at 20:12
so nice
Great job !
you are the one and only
go on
amir said this April 13th, 2008 at 20:29
finally, i can see how did do it .i can’t guess the last time -_-
CalvinWood said this April 13th, 2008 at 22:17
Ouch !!! Big Thank’s :-)
R-max said this April 13th, 2008 at 23:10
Awesome tutorial!! Thank you so much for them, much appreciated!
Vinnie said this April 14th, 2008 at 2:00
Wow… been waiting a long time for a new tutorial… it was well worth the wait… thanks man… you kick ass…
naim alwan said this April 14th, 2008 at 9:45
Hey my Genius-M, I have a request, I always wondered, how a CG element seemlessly integrates with a live action footage. I have researched but never found any good solution to it.
Any Idea or TIP or a tutorial will b very helpful, How to match the camera angle of a live action footage with a CG element? Also How to integrate both of the stuffs together to get the actual relistic Results?
I will b gr8ful to u, if u can post some example of doing this sort of STUFF.
Thank you my Genius-M for all the tutorials and plz I also beg to plz fill my request if u can.
Thanks again & Take Care - BYE - MARK
Mark said this April 14th, 2008 at 17:56
Well………..not much left to say…and not much breath left on me…so……….f. nice!
The amazing amount of information inside your tutorials make’em really interisting.
Thanxxx mate.
Cheers.
ninguem said this April 14th, 2008 at 22:19
Ouch ! It’s great, it’s so big, what a great job and a new perspective in using after effects…
I will try to translate it in french !:)
Keep going to battle with Mr Kramer ;) thx
olivesimon said this April 15th, 2008 at 23:29
Great job
thank u
ahmed said this April 16th, 2008 at 2:41
Great tutorial dude, i saw kramers vines tutorial but i don’t have 3d max, so i was unable to to that effect, i’m pretty sure that 3d max or any other 3d application gives better results, but this is pretty useful, and, its always good to see a good trapcode particular tutorial. I dont like the after effects particular system at all. i always use particular.
and i dont think theres need a battle between u and kramer, u both are great, and u have different style
what i do to link the particular with a path is only link the position [x,y] and [z] with a animated 3d null object, but i don’t undestern why you use the time() expression, you need to use that if u link the particular emitter to a light?
is it better to link to a light that link to a null object?
and one last comment, particulars cant be bigger than 200 pxs right? what happen on a camera close up? things go blurry?
OK thats all, thanx for your great tutorial, an greeting from Mexico, continue with your great tutorials!
flatoshop said this April 16th, 2008 at 16:20
Me and Andrew Kramer are friends, or at least I think we are. We haven’t meet yet, but we do talk from time to time, exchange ideas and such. I also think that any kind of battle is pointless since (like you’ve noticed) we have completely different style and we simply do different kinds of tutorials, although taking custody over Sam is pretty tempting.
I believe that if you want to bind particles to a path you have to use the Light. PArticular was designed that way. But of course instead of using Motion path you can just animate the position of the emitter. It gives the same results in specyfic cases.
Particles can be bigger than 200×200. Particular will then display the warning but it will still work. The idea behind particles is that they are small, theres a lot of them, and they don’t have much detail in them, but if you want to use bigger particles you can. The only downside of it is the render time.
Hope that answers your questions.
Thank you for nice comments guys!
Maltaannon said this April 16th, 2008 at 19:30
idiot
noname said this April 17th, 2008 at 2:18
Don’t be so hard on yourself.
Maltaannon said this April 17th, 2008 at 5:41
Why not delete noname’s reply?
He doesn’t even show a little respect to you!
I’ve watched your tutorials Maltaannon, it’s excellent!
Though may not be that practical in this particular situation,it still leave us more to think over and explore.
Also I think you could make more tutorials so that we can be inspired, thanks!
iori said this April 17th, 2008 at 10:55
The best Tutorial after CE ShapeExtruder i think(a lot of many techniques,tips & tricks), so my friend go forward and only forward and you all will be better better and more better ;)
Andrew Hlus - MUST BE BETTER :)
fReezEr. said this April 18th, 2008 at 7:57
Wow nice dude…!
Sir Malttaanon… could i suggest you one think….?
actually my suggestion is why you not try you launch any VFX Challenge here like any vfx video same as CGtalk where you can see a forum named mini Challenge or Challenge…. hope you will consider about it…??
waiting for your response… ;)
http://www.youtube.com/user/umairvfx
check this out guys and Sir Malttaannon ;) my new try with after effects and 3d studio max …
please comments there…
Regards,
UmairVFX
UmairVFX said this April 18th, 2008 at 14:07
it’s very good thaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaanks
nomair said this April 18th, 2008 at 17:25
I thought you forgot that you have a website! Thank you for coming back…
greets from Israel
Paul said this April 20th, 2008 at 12:51
It’s nice to be back.
Maltaannon said this April 20th, 2008 at 13:11
I’m surprised that an expressions junkie like the great Maltaanon didn’t create an expression to lock the vine highlight rotation steady to the comp! Otherwise great groundbreaking tutorial Jerz! I’m sure Kramer will be humbled :)
Brian
Brian Berneker said this April 21st, 2008 at 3:10
Binding the light direction on the Bevel & Emboss layer style would require changing the particle rotation on the particle emitter to the rotation inside the custom particle precomp, and that produces less quality results. Besides, it’s hard to know how the Speed Rotation within the Particular is calculated. It could be measured I guess, but what can I say… I got lazy.
Above that - I already don’t like you dude. You seem to be thinking like me, and if theres two of me, that means I’m not special. Of course theres George, but that’s a different story ;)
Maltaannon said this April 21st, 2008 at 4:39
Great tutorial man! I learn a lot from your tuts, especiallt technical stuff. Great source for becoming confident with AE and its many tools. Looking forward to that circle tut you mentioned!
Cheers!
Urt said this April 22nd, 2008 at 11:54
thanks 4 46 min!! wow
mike said this April 22nd, 2008 at 15:16
dobry den!
i am only a student and i don’t have possibilites to pay with paypal coz u need a credit card ( u can’t have one if u don’t have steady income)
anyway wanted to say great job
i just discovered your site today (before i only knew video co pilot)
good to know there is an AE god on this side of the world (europe)
i like the way you think!
im a belgian student doing internship in czech republic
i visited poland 3 weeks ago (krakau it was nice!)
have a nice day and plz keep it up
poor students and aspiring aftereffect artists (a³) need YOU
Karim Dehbi said this April 23rd, 2008 at 13:15
Karim Dehibi said it well. Students like us need a way to learn AE…Im incredibly grateful for all of the tutorials.
Wesley Ob said this April 23rd, 2008 at 15:10
Your comments give me a good reason to continue guys! Don’t stop, and I won’t stop either. By the way… If any of you is going to be in Poland (Warsaw) just give me a call. Maybe we’ll meet and have a beer. Cheers!
Maltaannon said this April 23rd, 2008 at 18:36
Thanks for coming back!
Keep it up!
Mazzimiliano said this April 24th, 2008 at 20:20
[...] of the sites in the Toolfarm network is Maltaanon.com. Check out his two newest AE video tutorials: Growing 3D Vines and Flashlight Titles. They are really amazing. Posted by Michele Yamazaki on Tuesday, April 29, [...]
aefreemart : Maltaanon.com Tutorials said this April 29th, 2008 at 19:33
Unbelievable Masterpiece!
One note:@ 34:31 Video always breaks down, maybee becaus im using the opera Browser. Im a trying it again with firefox, cant wait to see the finish!
illd said this April 29th, 2008 at 22:35
thanks for the kind works. I really don’t know why the video doesn’t work for you. I checked it and it works for me, and no one else complained about it. I think the problem might be somewhere on your side. Anyway… you can always download the project file and see it all in full glory. Enjoy.
Maltaannon said this April 29th, 2008 at 23:00
You are the best of the best man 10Q so much for those tutorials. we love you Addis Ababa,Ethiopians
Habehsa said this May 1st, 2008 at 7:10
What can i say you are The best not only that Best of the best!
Habehsa said this May 4th, 2008 at 8:08
Just wait till you see the next one.
Maltaannon said this May 4th, 2008 at 11:58
“Polak potrafi”
Pozdrowienia z Niemiec
olek said this May 4th, 2008 at 23:29
Great job Maltaannon!!!, you owned Andrew Kramer HAHAHAH !
Its 100 times better, without using any 3D programs ;)
Bob said this May 5th, 2008 at 13:13
this the gOOd one I pay u ********
harry said this May 6th, 2008 at 8:26
Well you managed to take few of the Andrew’s coolest tutorials/ideas, recycle and spit out your own “genuine” 2in1 tutorial and get away with it while bashing Kramer…
You could’ve at least point out that you used everything form Andrew Kramer, and then added some small things like Bevel & Emboss… And I don’t care that you two “talk” from time to time if he used/based something on your tutorials he would’ve given you a full credit for your work/idea. I just hate to see that you fool/mislead people into thinking that you’re better than Kramer with this cheap knock-off! 18/31/32/61
AngryMan said this May 7th, 2008 at 7:32
Well… that’s not really my point. Andrew knows about this tutorial and I always talk with him before posting something that is somehow relevant to his work to get his agreement. Besides I pointed out in this tutorial that I would also do it in 3D max or any other 3D app, and I also said that it is a good and probably best approach to this certain situation. I just wanted to show you guys that it is also possible to do in AE to some extend. The results are not as slick and you simply can’t do some things in AE - thats it’s nature - to be a 2.5D app, but I believe that creative people can get some out of this tutorial anyway, and that was the point of making it. To bad you can’t see that.
Maltaannon said this May 7th, 2008 at 15:28
Hey, I’m looking for a good sound loop to accompany the vine growth. Any ideas?
Amit Zinman said this May 7th, 2008 at 19:37
http://Shockwave-sound.com/, http://flashkit.com/loops/, I don’t really know. I’m usually doing my own stuff.
Maltaannon said this May 7th, 2008 at 19:55
Hey Maltannon
Thanks for great tutorial.
My question is what different does it make if i use null objects and link the positions of emitter to the null than just doing it with light(motion path)? Is there any difference? I just want to know if animating the emitter by using motion path is any different than doing it by using a null so i know which to use in which scenario.
Thanks
Joon said this May 12th, 2008 at 23:49
its funny how i watch every tutorial you and andrew ever made and i still get a diff idea from each of them .. ive never used yours or any one elses tutorials for anything they were doing . but id catch one little thing i never knew and it sparked something so different ..ideas sparked just from watching your tuts have sent me into so many diff directions .. thanks so much bro .. i reallly appreciate it
LifesShort said this May 14th, 2008 at 2:20
Thank you. Thank you so much. I know exactly what you mean, and what you’ve mentioned is a real purpose of my tutorials. It’s all about the sparks.
Maltaannon said this May 14th, 2008 at 2:44
:)…true
bogdan bucur said this May 14th, 2008 at 19:54
very nice maltoon. You really solve it, you took the challenge. Your the man!
kris said this May 18th, 2008 at 1:05
:D when i first see the name of tutorial, i realy think this was amazing…
but this the old song about particles, ш was disappointed..
I thought this is a new revolutionary way :D but this only particles
but you as before at a height, respect….
:)
Patrick said this May 19th, 2008 at 14:26
Well… yeah. You cant really do anything in 3D in AE so far. I know for some people this usage of particles is obvious, for most it’s new, since particles are always categorized as things to do snow, rain, smoke and such, so I figured I’d show a few different approaches like this one.
Maltaannon said this May 19th, 2008 at 14:56
WOW..maltaanon…I m reallly so happy for wht U do for US in free..I m curious abt wht are you doing these days or wht r ur recent prjects and which company u belong to? do u own ur motion graphics or VFX company???? plz ans my question if that’s not that private…!!!!!!!!!I m AE slave and work for many MUSIC VIDEOS, VFX and Motion graphics, Obviously Inspired by u and kramer too,I simply ENJOY AE, watch out my stuffs:
http://www.youtube.com/vfxnitin
Nitin Chand said this May 22nd, 2008 at 20:19
All the answers are in the About section.
Maltaannon said this May 22nd, 2008 at 20:45
WOW! Now that was something! One of the best and most useful tutorials of my life! thank you verrrrry much!!!!
LA said this May 24th, 2008 at 6:30
Oh my god
u are fantastic
Zorba said this May 26th, 2008 at 4:14
[...] • 62 Comments [...]
TGD said this May 26th, 2008 at 20:40
How to get the effects in the after effets?
Samuel said this June 2nd, 2008 at 10:10
huh?
Maltaannon said this June 2nd, 2008 at 11:21
[...] שנראים אותו דבר, מה שאני אוהב שהם מכירים אחד את השני, והם מנסים להראות מי יותר טוב, ואז אנחנו מקבלים כל הזמן מדריכים יותר ויותר [...]
אפטר אפקט, מדריכי וידאו בחינם 2 . (עוד כמה אתרים). » Seriously said this June 5th, 2008 at 8:38
i really like watching your stuff, man! some good ideas. keep it up
p’
thepeterchen said this June 11th, 2008 at 16:07
Hi maltaannon. I’m new in after effcts so it’s kinda hard for me to follow your tutorial, especially this one. I’d really like to do this vines but i can’t use the MOTION PATH technique that you said. It does not appear in my TrapcodeParticular fx. Hope you can teach me or somehow tell me what to do, or some ideas. THanks a lot. By the way, you and Kramer are my teachers in AE, thank for both of you.greetings from Philippines. (wait for your reply)
Ricahrd Castro said this June 21st, 2008 at 3:59
If you don’t have motion path in your particular than you are probably using an older version of the plugin. I think motion paths were introduced in version 1.5
Maltaannon said this June 21st, 2008 at 14:35
You’re amazingly right! how d’you know it?
I’m using vr 1.1 or 1.0.1 I think… I’ll just buy the new version or maybe update to a new version if possible. Thanks men… you help a lot of people by sharing everything little thing you know in AE. Keep up the great works you’ve got and JAH bless you always..
Richard Castro said this June 23rd, 2008 at 6:32
Great job
keshoo said this June 23rd, 2008 at 12:30
Hello, this is my first post in your site. I want to thank you for sharing your knowledge with all the people around the world. Thanks very much.
Pulpo said this July 7th, 2008 at 6:54
where do u download the extras?
akz said this July 16th, 2008 at 21:39
soz for double post but…
where u get the pluginz?
akz said this July 16th, 2008 at 21:39
Hey man i tried to import a Z-Depth .PNG image sequence to AE, but it keeps showing an error, any way i can solve this?
Santiago said this July 18th, 2008 at 3:39
Give me more details. What kind of error, when does the error show up? How did you generate the zdepth sequense… everything you can give me will be useful. I never came across an error that might be similar to what you’re describing, and I’ve been working with zdepth quite a lot.
Maltaannon said this July 18th, 2008 at 5:12
GOOD ONE!!!!!
JJ said this July 21st, 2008 at 7:47
[...] dort auch recht gut erklärt. Es sieht aber eher wie Wellen auf nem Teich, nicht wie im Meer aus. Maltanoonhat auch was zu Wellen in AE gemacht, dazu nur das ganze andere (über Kabel, etc.) nicht beachten. [...]
Wellen in AE - digitalvideoschnitt.de - das Videoschnitt- und Camcorder-Forum said this July 21st, 2008 at 19:33