Animating Starry Night using Curl Noise in After Effects

Create vortex like patterns with an old plugin.

Follow along with my investigation into reproducing an amazing visual effect that does not seem possible in After Effects. Thanks to some insights from X user AECartographer and a handy guide from ‪@Texturelabs‬ I was able to animate Vincent van Gogh’s Starry Night.

Using the old, hidden plugin CC Time Blend FX and Vector Blur with a precomp with plenty of circular gradients, I found it was possible to make all the swirls and brush work slowly spin in place. With no keyframes or expressions needed, you can add animation to any picture or image with lots of circular patterns.

At the start of the video, I explain what Curl Noise is, and then I run through how to activate CC Time Blend FX. Then I go on to demonstrate how to use Time Blend FX for other animation. Once that’s covered, I show how to how a vector map with CC Vector Blur to create the final look. And then I start showing off, animating other images and even the clouds of Jupiter.

Can’t see this video? Click here! If you are in Safari, hover over “Safari” in your menu, click “settings for creativecow.net” and toggle the “Auto-Play” to “Allow All Auto-Play”.

Enjoying this tutorial? Sign up for the Creative COW Newsletter!

Sign up for the Creative COW newsletter and get weekly updates on industry news, forum highlights, jobs, inspirational tutorials, tips, burning questions, and more! Receive bulletins from the largest, longest-running community dedicated to supporting professionals working in film, video, and audio.

Enter your email address, and your first and last name below!