Graham Quince's Blog

Makin' Saturn: Adding a 2.5D Ring

Here's what I thought would be a challenge, but turned out to be quite straight-forward, (I won't say easy). In this video, I use Video Copilot's Orb plugin to create Saturn with a texture map from Solar System Scope, then I use After Effect's built-in effects to create a ring and have the planet appear inside the ring (with a bit if help from expressions)




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Links:
Video Copilot's Orb plugin can be downloaded here: https://www.videocopilot.net/orb/

Solar System Scope: https://www.solarsystemscope.com/

Makin' Mercury using VC Orb:




Makin' Mercury with CC Sphere:





Project file: https://www.dropbox.com/s/hjyg1bal0vlt9wf/Saturn.zip?dl=1

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Twitter: https://twitter.com/ShiveringC

Makin’ Jupiter: Animated Textures vs Procedural Clouds

Here’s a tutorial on how to create a texture for the largest planet in our solar system. I’ve actually take two approaches to creating The Gas Giant and in this video, I’ll show you how to both animate a static texture map and use Fractal Noise, Tint and Turbulent Displace effects to reproduce the look procedurally.



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Links:
Video Copilot's Orb plugin: https://www.videocopilot.net/orb/

Makin' Mercury using CC Sphere:





Project file: https://www.dropbox.com/s/g41mbm68mr8sg80/Jupiter.zip?dl=1

NASA JPL Gallery: https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/spaceimages/details.php?id=PIA07782

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Twitter: https://twitter.com/ShiveringC

Makin’ Mars: Adding orbiting moons and having them cast shadows in Video Copilot Orb

Here’s the next instalment of Makin’ Planets. This time it’s Mars. In the tutorial, After creating Mars, I then create Phobos and link it’s orbit to Mars. Then using expressions and lights, I have it cast a shadow onto the surface of the red planet.



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Expressions:
L=thisComp.layer("Phobos NULL");
L.toWorld(L.anchorPoint);


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Links:
Video Copilot's Orb plugin: https://www.videocopilot.net/orb/

Pixel Planet Emporium: http://planetpixelemporium.com/
Celestia Motherlode : http://www.celestiamotherlode.net/

Makin' Mercury using CC Sphere:





Tutorial without background music:





Project file: https://www.dropbox.com/s/wxupzsrmj9cian4/Mars.zip?dl=1

Makin’ Earth - storms, labels and auroras

Here are three separate tutorials for adding extras to a 3D Earth using Video Copilot’s Orb. There’s no point in a tutorial in recreating Earth, as Andrew Kramer has already made an excellent tutorial covering that (which is also included below), so instead, I’ve focused on adding some extras:

Adding a hurricane:

Project file: https://www.dropbox.com/s/s08ipraj1jt31xl/Earth%20%20-%20Storm.zip?dl=1

Adding 3D labels based on geographic coordinates:

Project file: https://www.dropbox.com/s/65grll005utomwd/Earth%20-%20Labels.zip?dl=1

Adding an Aurora using CC Particle World:

Project file: https://www.dropbox.com/s/9kiuux7idtt0oew/Earth%20-%20Aurora.zip?dl=1
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Expressions:
L=thisComp.layer("Position NULL");
L.toWorld(L.anchorPoint);

CC Particle World Producers:
x=thisComp.layer("Particles NULL").transform.position[0]-thisComp.width/2;
x/thisComp.width;

y=thisComp.layer("Particles NULL").transform.position[1]-thisComp.height/2;
y/thisComp.width;

z=thisComp.layer("Particles NULL").transform.position[2];
z/thisComp.width;


Here are some additional helpful links:

Andrew Kramer's Ultra 3D Earth tutorial


Video Copilot's Orb plugin: https://www.videocopilot.net/orb/


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Twitter: https://twitter.com/ShiveringC

Makin’ Planets - VideoCopilot Orb tutorials

I’ve launched a new tutorial series, Makin’ Planets, for After Effects. Each week I’m looking at different techniques to recreate one of our solar system’s planets using Video Copilot Orb.



Each tutorial launches with a Teaser / Preview on Mondays, with the actual tutorial going live on Fridays at 5pm. I figure most people will not get a chance to work through tutorials until the weekends, so this way they might get a chance to plan in some time.

It’s my voice you’ll see in the videos, but I’m using a cartoon character – I’ve done this mainly for time – I think tutorials are better with a face, but that would have meant setting up cameras, lights etc…

I’ve scripted each tutorial, then recorded my voice, then the screen and finally edited everything together in After Effects.

All the tutorials come with project files – I know sometimes you just need the answers quick. I’ve tried to keep them to be as short as possible, with a few jokes (bad ones), but not lots of waffle.





This tutorial uses Video Copilot's free Orb plugin, which can be downloaded here: https://www.videocopilot.net/orb/

Makin' Mercury using CC Sphere:



Project file here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/hzvizh9iq29jezk/Mercury.zip?dl=1

Normal Map Online: http://cpetry.github.io/NormalMap-Online/