Creating a spray can effect

[Mike Clasby]

I see what you mean.

I really like Dan Ebbert’s expression driven 3D particle generator, here:

https://library.creativecow.net/articles/ebberts_dan/particle_gen.php

It does exactly what you want. In the downloaded aep, go to the comp named “Fountain”. If you move the Null over time with keyframes, the particles stay where they should over their life, like a real spray can.

You just need to come up with some particles of your own that look like paint spray, something simple, see his “specs” particle, or use a colored solid (Dan uses 128×128 particle) and use CC Ball Action on it, grid 0, then up the Scatter. On top of that you can add Scatter to make the paint particles finer.

Select one of Dan’s particle and hit “ee” to reveal all expressions. Then you can change the Gravity and Angles from which it emits, velocity etc. I added sliders on the Null to control all of this, then duplicated the particle as many times as I needed, then the whole setup is easily controlled with sliders.

It is a great particle generator as it is 3D and you can fly through the particle field with a camera for some really cool stuff.

Good luck.

[Mike Clasby]

OK, feel a little foolish, here, after a quick test, that oldie-but goodie, the red-headed step-child of particle generators, Particle Playground, does exactly what you want, just animate Cannon position over time, and then hit it with Scatter.