custom shatter maps

[michaelcorvin]

I’m trying to create a custom shatter map for the shatter effect. After effects help and the shatter creative cow tutorial tell me what a custom shatter map is, but not necessarily what it looks like and how to make one (or maybe it does and i just don’t get it). Does anyone have a sample custom shatter map that i can look at? i’m trying to take a paint texture i have and turn it into a shatter map. thanks. below is what AE help has to say about custom shatter maps.

All layers in After Effects are represented as an RGBA image (even black-and-white images). The Shatter effect calculates the luminance threshold of each channel to create a custom shatter map. Shatter calculates the 50% luminance threshold of each channel, creating an image composed of only eight colors: red, green, blue, yellow, magenta, cyan, white, and black. These eight colors become possible combinations of the channels set either all the way on (255) or all the way off (0). The shatter layer splits along the edges of these different colored sections.

We’re not losers, we’re artists.

[Roland R. Kahlenberg]

Your map has to use the colors specified. I’d suggest that you convert the map to a grayscale image and then use a color correction plugin to tighthen the colours to black and white – no grays. Your map tells Shatter how to break up the image – no inbetween values (grayscale).

HTH and if it doesn’t; I’m not a real artist. 😉

Roland Kahlenberg
broadcastGEMs
customizable animated backdrops with Adobe After Effects project files