Ice Frost and Ice Crystals Forming?

[Danny Winn]

Without getting too complicated, I would start with a white solid and bring down the opacity almost to 0. Then mask the ball out with the pen tool or shape tool.

Under generate, there is an option for crystals and crstalize in which you can change the size of the crystals smaller or larger, and adjust the crystal color.

With fractal noise and blur effects added I’m sure you can get really good results with some trial and error. Of course all of this will have to be keframed as far as the progressive generation of the ice. Adjust your opacity level to suite the best look.

Oh, you could also make your round mask slightly larger than the ball to make it appear to have some thickness to it if needed.

[David Green]

Many thanks! The fractal noise filter really looks like a good icy pattern.

I don’t have the Crystalize filter in my Generate pulldown…is this a special plugin?

Also, do you suggest applying a CC Sphere to the white solid, to make it look more like a spherical shape? Thanks again!

[Danny Winn]

Oh yeah, I didn’t write it quite right. Under effects go to generate, choose “Cell Pattern”. Then in the Cell Pattern effects settings there is a default setting called “Bubbles”, drop that menu down and you’ll have the crystals and crystalize option as well as a few more.

You can tweek about all of that effect from size to movement. You can also go to the color correction effects to change the crystal colors.

As far as creating the circle mask around the ball, the easiest way is probably to just change the rectangle tool (next to the pen tool)to the ellipse tool and then press shift when masking the ball to keep the circle perfectly round.

It might be a good idea to set your crystal layer to overlay (in the blending mode options), try a few to see what works best.

[David Green]

Super cool! Many thanks for the great leads!