ADOBE AFTER EFFECTS 7.0
User Guide
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Zoom and Universe Size controls for the Foam effect
Zoom Zooms in or out around the center of the bubble universe. To create really large bubbles, increase the Zoom
value instead of the Size value because large bubble sizes can be unstable.
Universe Size Sets the boundaries of the bubble universe. When bubbles completely leave the universe, they pop and
aregoneforever.Bydefault,theuniverseisthesizeofthelayer.Valuesgreaterthan1createauniversethatstretches
beyond the borders of the layer. Use higher values to make bubbles flow in from off-screen, or make it possible to
zoom out and bring them back into the picture. Using a value lower than 1 clips the bubbles before they reach the
edge of the layer. For example, when you want to confine bubbles to a specific area, such as inside a mask shape, set
Universe Size a little larger than the mask size to remove all the extra bubbles and speed up the rendering process.
Rendering controls for the Foam effect
The Rendering controls specify the appearance of the bubbles, including their texture and reflection:
Blend Mode Specifies the relative transparency of bubbles as they intersect. Transparent blends the bubbles
smoothly together, allowing you to see the bubbles through each other. Solid Old On Top makes a younger bubble
appear to be underneath an older bubble and eliminates transparency. Use this setting to simulate bubbles flowing
toward you. Solid New On Top makes younger bubbles appear to be on top of older bubbles and also eliminates
transparency. Use this setting to make bubbles appear as if they are flowing downhill.
Bubble Texture Specifies the bubble texture. Use a preset texture, or create your own. To see the texture, make sure
that View is set to Rendered. To create your own texture, select User Defined, and then from the Bubble Texture
Layer menu choose the layer you want to use as the bubble.
Note: The preset bubble textures are prerendered 64 x 64 images. If you zoom in above 64 x 64, the bubble appears blurry.
To avoid this, use a higher-resolution custom bubble.
Bubble Texture Layer Specifies the layer you want to use as the bubble image. To use this control, choose User
Defined from the Bubble Texture menu. If you want the layer to appear only as a bubble, turn off the video switch
for the layer in the Timeline panel.
Note: You can use any file type that After Effects supports. If you plan on zooming in or using a large bubble size, make
surethattheresolutionofthelayerishighenoughtoavoidblurring.Remember,thisdoesn’thavetobeanormalbubble.
You can make blood cells, starfish, bugs, space aliens, or flying monkeys. If it’s a layer in your composition, it can be a
bubble.
Bubble Orientation Determines the direction that the bubble rotates. Fixed releases the bubble from the producer
right side up and keeps it that way. Use this control if the bubble has built-in highlights and shading, as all of the
preset bubbles do. Physical Orientation buffets and spins bubbles around by the forces on them, creating a chaotic
scene. Bubble Velocity faces the bubble in the direction of its motion. This is the most useful setting for flocking-
style animations.
Environment Map Specifies the layer that is reflected in the bubbles. If you want to use this layer only for the
reflection, turn off the layer’s video switch.
Reflection Strength Controls how much of the selected Environment Map is reflected in the bubbles. The higher the
value, the more the reflection obscures the original bubble texture. Reflections appear only on opaque pixels, so
bubbles with high degrees of transparency, such as the Spit preset, don’t reflect much.
Reflection Convergence Controls how much your Environment Map is distorted as it is mapped onto the bubbles.
A value of 0 projects the map flat on top of all of the bubbles in the scene. As the value increases, the reflection
distorts to account for the spherical shape of each bubble.
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