Editing Points while they are Following a Path?

[KetchupCarjack]

I’m trying to make one cloud following a circle path, so far so good, but when I try to move some points when the cloud is move along the path to make it a bit more animated, suddenly every points just moves on their own and flees in every directions! I’m wondering if this is something I should not do.

Since I was hoping to put it in a particles layer to achieve this kind of effect.

[J. Baker]

Are you editing the path on frame zero? Otherwise your path will be animated.

[Greenlaw]

I believe what's freaking Moho out is that you're transforming points that the Follow Points tool is actively transforming at the same time, so there is a conflict occurring.

Typically, you would edit the art on frame 0, but of course, that doesn't help when you want to animate the points. So, instead, try attaching a grid mesh warp to Follow Path, and use the grid to deform the cloud. Now, you should be able to edit the points in the cloud within its layer in the middle of the animation (I suggest using the Magnet tool for this.)

This works because the grid mesh warp is actively warping the cloud art only at frame 0. If you try to animate the grid while it's being deformed by Follow Path, it will probably explode like your cloud art did.

Here's an example of the grid artwork warping a cloud vector art along a path, and then me directly editing the cloud artwork layer in the middle of the timeline using the Magnet tool, and then the Transform Points tool...



My! How well-behaved the points are now!

And here's the project file for you to play with...

Download: CloudPathDemo.moho

Hope this helps

[Greenlaw]

By the way, you can use the same grid mesh warp to animate other elements in your cloud effect simultaneously.

[Greenlaw]

If you're using a particle emitter though, you don't need the grid mesh warp or Follow Path to deform it. Just attach the emitter using Follow Path without the Bend option. The emitter should handle how the particles follow the path.



Moho's Particle System is somewhat limited, but I think the above example can be improved with a few tweaks.

[Greenlaw]

Same as above, but using different settings to better show how the particles will follow the path on their own (no bend option required)...



If you want it to look more like the example you posted, I would use Scatter Brush for the particles and just push that element through Follow Path—no need to use a Particle Emitter for this effect. To make it more interesting, you can layer a couple of Scatter Brush drawings, and offset their Follow Path timing. Next Level: Add a little point animation in these layers for 'drift'.

[Greenlaw]

Another idea to try: This is an example of using Follow Path for a 'fire-smoke' effect. I created this project to demonstrate how to set up and animate a scene in Moho Debut 14.2...



This might look complicated, but it's just a brush stroke being pushed along a path. The spinning bits are static spiral drawings in separate vector layers, and the layers are only rotating and dissolving in/out. That's pretty much it.

Here's what it looked like in Debut...

[NanotechBeasts]

Cool little effect!

Another idea to try: This is an example of using Follow Path for a 'fire-smoke' effect. I made this project to demonstrate what can be done using Moho Debut 14.2...



This might look complicated, but it's just a brush stroke being pushed along a path. The spinning bits are static spiral drawings in separate vector layers, and the layers are only rotating and dissolving in/out. That's pretty much it.

Here's what it looked like in Debut...

[KetchupCarjack]

Thanks guys! I manage to get it done.



Though now I’m stuck on another phase where I want rays of light going inward to the center before a big beam goes off, and I’m hoping there’s a more efficient way to do that than using Stroke Exposure on every lines

[Greenlaw]

Pretty neat!

I did something like that for several episodes of Fast & Furious Spy Racers, where the director wanted to see 'anime style' speed lines. I just keyframed lines moving in and out randomly and arranged them to aim at a point in the horizon. So, this was technically a '3D' effect, but convincing enough as a 2D animation effect.

I probably did most of that effect in After Effects, but there was nothing Ae-specific about it, and it should be easy enough to create in Moho.

[Greenlaw]

To make it easier, make a Cycle for a handful of the speed lines, and offset the animations using Sequencer.