Beautiful liquid simulations using Caustics and Wave World | After Effects Tutorial

Introduction

In this tutorial, we will explore how to create beautiful liquid simulations using caustics and wave effects in Adobe After Effects. By following the steps outlined, you'll learn how to enhance your compositions with realistic water effects that can be applied to logos or other graphical elements.

Chapter 1: Influenced Liquid Reveal

1. Setup Composition

   • Create a new composition and add a bottom layer with the After Effects logo overlaid on a pool tile background.

2. Add a Shape Layer

   • Create a new shape layer.
   • Apply the Fractal Noise effect:
     • Set the fractal type to Swirly.
     • Adjust the contrast to 115.
     • Alt-click on the evolution stopwatch and enter time * 100 to animate the evolution over time.

3. Add Blur Effect

   • Apply the Box Blur effect:
     • Set the blur radius to 15.
     • Enable Repeat Edge Pixels.

4. Pre-compose Layer

   • Pre-compose the layer and name it Map. Move it to the back of the composition.

5. Apply Caustics Effect

   • On the top layer, add the Caustics effect:
     • Change the water surface to Mat.
   • Scrub through the timeline to see the pool effect in action as the evolution changes.

6. Import Sky Image

   • Copy a sky image from Chrome and paste it into your composition.
   • Scale it down to fit the composition and move it to the back.

7. Adjust Caustics with Sky Image

   • In the Caustics effect, set the new sky image as the overlay.
   • Adjust the intensity to control how much of the sky is visible.

8. Lighting Adjustments

   • Go to the Lighting settings:
     • Set light type to N’ Source.
     • Adjust ambient light, light intensity, and color (e.g., orange for a sun-like effect).
     • Explore different light types (e.g., Point Source for a lamp effect).

9. Enhance Reflections

   • Play with material properties to adjust reflections and highlights.

10. Duplicate Map Layer

    • Duplicate the Map layer.
    • Apply the Levels effect to increase contrast by adjusting sliders.
    • Use the Shift Channels effect to take alpha from luminance.

11. Add Vector Blur

    • Add the Vector Blur effect and set the amount to 25.
    • Overlay this layer on top of others, adjusting opacity to around 50% for realism.

12. Final Adjustments

    • Experiment with water depth, refractive index, surface color, and caustic strength for desired effects.

Chapter 2: Liquid Logo Reveal

1. Create a New Composition

   • Set up a new composition with the After Effects logo keyed out and filled.
   • Add a black background shape layer.

2. Pre-compose Layers

   • Pre-compose the logo and background, naming it Ground.

3. Add Wave World Effect

   • Create a new shape layer and add the Wave World effect:
     • Set the ground to the Ground pre-comp.
     • Adjust the grid resolution to 300.

4. Hide Ground Layer

   • Hide the ground layer to observe the effects.

5. Adjust Wave World Settings

   • Decrease the height of the ground layer to just below the surface.
   • Set keyframes for amplitude, starting at 0.5 and reducing to 0 after some frames.

6. Create Caustics Layer

   • Add another shape layer for caustics, setting surface opacity to 0.

7. Set Background Color

   • Create a new layer for the water color (e.g., blue).

8. Update Main Composition

   • Copy the logo and paste it into the main comp without fill or color.
   • Pre-compose the logo and water background, naming it Bottom.

9. Apply Caustics to Bottom Layer

   • Place the caustics effect on the Bottom layer and set it to use Wave World.

10. Animate Opacity for Reveal

    • At the beginning of the timeline, set the logo opacity to 0% and keyframe it to 100% after 20 frames.
    • Adjust the timing to make the reveal quicker.

11. Refine Wave Effects

    • Increase wave height and specular reflection.
    • Set smoothing to 15 for a polished look.

Conclusion

You have now learned how to create stunning liquid simulations and logo reveals using After Effects. By experimenting with different settings and effects, you can achieve unique and visually appealing results. Don't hesitate to explore and share your creations, and consider subscribing for more After Effects tutorials. Happy animating!