Desert Heat - post work for hot air rising
by Philip Staiger · in Artist Corner · 06/17/2007 (7:17 am) · 0 replies
Here's a tutorial in the making, using the new Animated Swap feature of PD Pro 4.1, to simulate the distortion effect of hot air rising (can also be used for underwater effects)
thebest3d.com/pdpro/tutorials/animswap/index.html
In a nutshell, the displacement map DWA was created byvertically flipping an animation containing snowfall. Lots of snowfall, to the point where you don't see or recognize a few distinct snow flakes. Instead, it's a whole 'wall' of particles moving like through rush hour. Large flakes, lots of them. And not too much contrast either unless you want it crazy distorted.
I also used an alpha channel with progressive transition (linear alpha fader) so the amount of distortion is stronger up high and down low. As a result and side effect, when the camera moves sideways fast and you see the edge of the sand dune go from high to low along the slope, you see a ghost image, like double-vision. Not intended, but actually a neat effect when you want to convey the looks and feels of fata-morganas and you're about to collapse from this desert heat.
Welcome to Death Valley ;-)
-Philip
PS: if you got PD Particles here at GG and don't have your upgrade discount coupon but are interested in going to PD Pro please ping me.
thebest3d.com/pdpro/tutorials/animswap/index.html
In a nutshell, the displacement map DWA was created byvertically flipping an animation containing snowfall. Lots of snowfall, to the point where you don't see or recognize a few distinct snow flakes. Instead, it's a whole 'wall' of particles moving like through rush hour. Large flakes, lots of them. And not too much contrast either unless you want it crazy distorted.
I also used an alpha channel with progressive transition (linear alpha fader) so the amount of distortion is stronger up high and down low. As a result and side effect, when the camera moves sideways fast and you see the edge of the sand dune go from high to low along the slope, you see a ghost image, like double-vision. Not intended, but actually a neat effect when you want to convey the looks and feels of fata-morganas and you're about to collapse from this desert heat.
Welcome to Death Valley ;-)
-Philip
PS: if you got PD Particles here at GG and don't have your upgrade discount coupon but are interested in going to PD Pro please ping me.
