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Me and my Arrow
Looking at some of the free Motion content, I got inspired by some of the canned arrows animations, want to use arrows on an upcoming mograph piece, but none of them are quite what I need.
I’m looking for the best way to make a simple arrowhead triangle that I can steer and drive around in 2-d and 3-d space, with the arrowshaft as a trail emitting from the rear of the arrowhead, that doesn’t end, but follows and flows off the triangular arrow head, wherever I steer it.
I’m guessing I do this with a replicator effect, is this right?
And if so, anyone care to explain the basics of how to make the arrow this way, so that I can keyframe the triangular arrowhead and just let the tail trail behind, curving as I turn, or straightening as straighten the head’s motion path?
Or are particles the way to go? I want the arrow to follow a serpentine and irregular path.
Any help greatly appreciated.
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6 Replies
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Motion makes this very easy, Create a line using the Bezier, B-Spline or paint tool. I like the B-Spline tool. Go to the Shape tab in the Inspector. Go to the Start or End Cap option. Change Round to Arrow and you have an arrow head. Change the Arrow head length with the Arrow Length slider and the width with the Arrow Width slider. Feel Free to ad a Write on Behavior and the arrow will animate with the right on. Best of luck.
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I wouldn’t use a replicator or an emitter – this is a perfect application of a shape – any shape with an outline and no fill, set to solid, can have an arrow head that you can adjust, and you can set any control points to set the path of the arrow. Then use a write-on behavior to animate the arrow along the path.
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Mark Spencer
Freelance Producer/Editor/Motion Graphics Artist
Apple-certified Master Trainer
Author, Motion 4 from Peachpit Press
https://www.applemotion.net -
Jinkx 🙂
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Mark Spencer
Freelance Producer/Editor/Motion Graphics Artist
Apple-certified Master Trainer
Author, Motion 4 from Peachpit Press
https://www.applemotion.net -
[Mark] Jinkx 🙂
Instead of Jinkx, I prefer, Great minds think alike. Mark, you are a great asset to the Motion community. Keep it up.
Check out my Motion Training DVD
Check out my Motion Tutorials
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Yes, a much more reasoned and adult response, thanks, Stephen!
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Mark Spencer
Freelance Producer/Editor/Motion Graphics Artist
Apple-certified Master Trainer
Author, Motion 4 from Peachpit Press
https://www.applemotion.net -
Guess I owe you guys a soda:-)
I’ll try out both methods tomorrow.
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