Particles Animation

First, let's explore the basics of particle emitters. By default, you'll notice particles emitting from the emitter. These particles can be customized extensively to achieve different effects.

Particle Attributes

• Color A and Color B: These define the starting and ending colors of the particles. You can create gradients between two colors or choose random colors for a dynamic effect.
• Coloring Modes: Choose between 'Blend' for smooth color transitions or 'Random' for randomized colors between Color A and Color B.
• Size: Adjust the size of particles to control their visibility.
• Rotation: Modify particle rotation for added dynamics.
• Birth Rate (Emit Rate): Control the frequency of particle emission.
• Lifetime: Determine how long particles remain visible.
• Fading: Set up alpha and size fading for smooth transitions in particle appearance.
• Speed: Adjust particle speed to control movement dynamics.
• Orientation: Define the direction of particle emission, especially useful for changing emitter shapes.

Particle Emitter

When customizing a particle emitter in Spline, you have the flexibility to adjust various properties that determine the appearance and behavior of the particles. Here's a breakdown of the customization options available:

Shape

• Choose from options like Plane, Box, Sphere, Torus, Cone, or even a Custom Shape.
• Define the shape of the particle emitter, influencing the direction and spread of emitted particles.

Size

• Determine the size of the emitter object, affecting the overall area from which particles are emitted.

Autoplay

• Decide whether the emitter should emit particles automatically or wait for manual activation.

Emit Time

• Choose between Infinite, Loop, or One Time emission modes.

• For Loop and One Time modes:

  • Delay: Specify the time until the emitter starts emitting particles.
  • Duration: Set the duration of the particle emission period.

Particle Forces

In Spline, Particle Forces offer precise control over how emitted particles behave within your animation. Here are two crucial elements you can adjust:

Gravity

Gravity influences the vertical movement of particles. Positive values lift particles upwards, while negative values pull them downwards.

Collision

Collision settings enable you to select a particle collider or force that influences the behavior of the particles emitted by your selected emitter.

Particle Noise

Adjusts how particles move by applying various types of noise:

• Type (Curl, Simplex, or Fbm): Choose the type of noise pattern to apply.

  • Curl: Creates swirling patterns, like turbulent fluid or clouds.
  • Simplex: Generates natural-looking patterns efficiently.
  • Fbm (Fractal Brownian Motion): Produces intricate and detailed patterns, ideal for creating complex visual effects.
• Scale: Determines the size of the noise patterns, affecting the overall appearance of the noise effect.
• Variation: Alters the level of randomness within the noise, allowing for different degrees of complexity and irregularity.
• Seed: Provides consistency by allowing specific noise patterns to be reproduced reliably.

Particle Randomness

Introduces randomness to particle behavior and appearance:

• Scale: Adds randomness to the size of particles.
• Rotation: Adds randomness to the orientation of particles.
• Mass: Adds randomness to the mass of particles, affecting their movement and interaction with forces.

Customizing the Particle Force

Particle Forces in Spline are specialized areas that interact with particles, altering their behavior and movement. After selecting a Particle Force, you can tailor its properties to suit your animation needs. Here's what you can customize:

Force Type

• Collider: Particles will collide with the force area.
• Attractor: Particles will be drawn towards the force area.
• Vortex: Particles within the force area will orbit around its center.

Shape

• Choose between a box or sphere-shaped force area.

Size

• Adjust the size of the force area to control its influence on particles.

Helper

• Toggle the visibility of the viewport helper for the force area, aiding in visualization while editing. And that's all! By learning how to use particle emitters, forces, and colliders in Spline, you can get creative and make awesome visual effects for your project.

ow to create a particle animation with Spline

https://my.spline.design/6pM-3AKYWvku-0b9MNsW5sYd/

Now that you're familiar with the basics, let's dive into a practical exercise. Together, we'll recreate this particle animation step by step.

• Create a new project
• Set the background to black

Creating the First Particle Emitter

• Navigate to the toolbar and select "Particle Emitter."
• Rename it to "Small Particle Emitter" and align it to the center (X0 Y0 Z0).

Customizing the Particle Attributes

Add the following attributes below:

1. Color A and Color B: A #EF46F5 B #15DCFE or use color of your choose.
2. Coloring Modes: Select 'Random'.
3. Size: Adjust the size 2.
4. Rotation: Set to 1.
5. Birth Rate: Adjust to 2000.
6. Lifetime: set to 6.
7. Fading: Set up alpha and size fading to Linear Fade Out.
8. Speed: Set to 5.
9. Orientation: Choose Surface.
10. Image: Utilize Dot Sharp, or any desired image.

Customizing the Particle Emitter

We'll choose a sphere or any shape you prefer, such as a patch, text, or any other shape available.

• Shape: Choose "Sphere".
• Size: Set all dimensions to 224.
• Autoplay: Enable.
• Emit Time: Select "Infinite".

Customizing the Particle Force

Adjust the particle force:

• Gravity: Set to 0.20.
• Collider: By default, it's set to none.

Customizing the Particle Noise

Modify the particle noise settings:

• Type: Select "Curl".
• Scale: Slide to 6.
• Variation: Slide to 10.
• Seed: Set to 100.

Customizing the Particle Randomness

Finally, customize particle randomness:

• Scale: Set to 0.
• Rotation: Set to 0.
• Mass: Set to 1.

You've done it! Here's the result of the small Particle Emitter.

Create a Second Particles Emitter

We are going to duplicate the first particle emitter and change some of the settings. Before that let’s rename it to Big Particle Emitter.

Particle Attributes

Add the following attributes below:

1. Color A and Color B: A #A167F0 B # 68CEF1 or Use color of your choose
2. Coloring Modes: choose 'Random'
3. Size: Adjust the size 4.
4. Rotation: Set to 1.
5. Birth Rate: set to 200.
6. Lifetime: set to 6.
7. Fading: Set up alpha and size fading to Linear Fade Out.
8. Speed: Set to 2.
9. Orientation: Set it to Surface.
10. Image: Dot Blur

Customizing the Particle Emitter

Now, let's customize the particle emitter shape:

• Shape: Choose "Sphere".
• Size: Set all dimensions to 224.
• Autoplay: Enable.
• Emit Time: Select "Infinite".

Customizing the Particle Force

Adjust the particle force:

• Gravity: Set to 0.20.
• Collider: By default, it's set to none.

Customizing the Particle Noise

• Type: Select Curl
• Scale: Slide yo 6
• Variation: Slide to 10
• Seed:Set to 100

Customizing the Particle Randomness

Finally, customize particle randomness:

• Scale: Set it 0
• Rotation: Set it 0
• Mass: Set it to 1

Well done! You've successfully created the big Particle Emitter.

Custom Shape

Let’s customize the particle emitter shape to a custom object. This can be any shape you like, such as a icon, sphere, a patch, text, or any other shape available.

Import the SVG Icon

• Click on the Import button at the bottom left of the Spline App.
• Select SVG and locate your image, then click Open.
• Position the icon at the center and resize it to your preference.

Create a Particle Emitter for the Icon

• Navigate to the toolbar.
• Click on the plus icon.
• Select Particle Emitter.
• Position it at the center.

Particle Attributes

Let's adjust the particle attributes:

• Set Color A and Color B to A #7833FF and B #F12FEF at 40%, or use colors of your choice.
• Choose 'Blend' for Coloring Modes.
• Adjust Size to 2.
• Set Rotation to 0.
• Set Birth Rate to 1000.
• Set Lifetime to 4.
• Set up alpha and size fading to Constant for Fading.
• Set Speed to 1.
• Set Orientation to Axis.
• Utilize Dot Sharp for Image.

Customizing the Particle Emitter

We'll use a custom object:

• Shape: Select Custom Object.
• Object: Choose "Home" or select your desired image.
• Size: Set all dimensions to 8.
• Autoplay: Enable.
• Emit Time: Select "Infinite".

Particle Forces

Adjust the particle forces:

• Gravity: Set to -0.06.
• Collider: Set to none.

Customizing the Particle Noise

Modify the particle noise settings:

• Type: Select Fbm.
• Scale: Slide to 0.
• Variation: Slide to 0.
• Seed: Set to 1.

Customizing the Particle Randomness

Finally, customize particle randomness:

• Scale: Set it to 0.20.
• Rotation: Set it to 0.
• Mass: Set it to 0.50.

Awesome! You've successfully created the custom shape.

Custom Particle Forces

Next, let's create the particle forces in our scene. Particle Forces are custom areas that interact with particles, altering their behavior.

Create the Particle Forces

• Go to the toolbar.
• Click on the plus icon.
• Select Particle Forces.
• Position it at the center.

Collider Setting

Configure the collider settings as follows:

• Force Type: Collider
• Shape: Sphere
• Size: Set all dimensions to 220
• Helper: Optional setting to show or hide the helper.
• Ensure that the position of the collider is at X0 Y0 Z0.

Here's the outcome of the Particle Forces.

Applying Particle Force to Particle Emitters

How to apply particle force to particle emitter. Here how:

• Select the Small Particle Emitter layer.
• Navigate to the Particle Force panel.
• Choose "Particle Forces" from the dropdown option in the collider row.
• Set Elasticity to 1.

Repeat the same steps for the Big Particle Emitter layer.

Adding Follow Event to Particle Force

The "Follow" event in Spline enables objects to track or follow other objects within a scene, allowing for dynamic animations and interactive elements.

• Select the Particle Force layer.
• Go to the Events panel.
• Click on the Plus Icon to add a new event.
• Change the event type from "Start" to "Follow."

You can leave the settings at default or experiment with them to achieve different effects.

Animated Turntable Feature

Next up, let's take advantage of the Animated Turntable feature to add a captivating rotation to our scene.

• Go to the Play settings and find the Animated Turntable option.
• Toggle the feature on to activate rotation.
• Adjust the Speed and Direction parameters to control the rotation's speed and direction.

Experiment with these settings to find the perfect spin for your scene.

Conclusion

In short, particles in Spline are like magic for making cool animations. You can use them to create all sorts of effects, like smoke or fire, and add extra detail to your animations. With Spline, it's easy to play around with particles and make your animations look amazing. So, give it a try and see what you can create!