How to Make Smoke in After Effects with Shape Modifiers

Max Kravchenko

Motion Designer & Tutor

In that case, we will try to use as many shape modifiers as we can. Find out how to use Repeater in combination with Merge Path and Round Corners. And the last modifier will be wiggle transform to make the random movement. What about other modifiers? We will be glad to see your experiments!

Guide: Creating Realistic Smoke in After Effects

Adding realistic smoke effects to your videos can enhance visual appeal and create a cinematic atmosphere. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the step-by-step process of creating compelling smoke using Adobe After Effects. No prior expertise required—let’s get started!

1. Setting Up Your Composition

Open After Effects and create a new composition by clicking on “Composition” > “New Composition.” Set the desired resolution, frame rate, and duration for your project.

2. Creating a New Solid Layer

• Right-click on the timeline, choose “New,” and select “Solid.”
• Pick a dark color for the solid layer; this will serve as the base for your smoke.

3. Applying Fractal Noise

• With the solid layer selected, go to “Effect” > “Noise & Grain” > “Fractal Noise.”
• This effect will be the foundation for your smoke simulation.

4. Adjusting Fractal Noise Settings

Experiment with these settings to achieve the desired smoke appearance. The “Evolution” parameter can be keyframed to create the illusion of swirling smoke.

5. Colorizing the Smoke

• Add a “Tint” effect (under “Color Correction”) to the Fractal Noise layer.
• Choose subtle colors (e.g., shades of gray or blue) to mimic realistic smoke.

6. Adding Movement to the Smoke

• Create keyframes for the “Evolution” parameter to make the smoke move.
• Enable motion blur for a more realistic effect: click on the layer, and check the box next to “Motion Blur” in the timeline.

7. Fine-Tuning the Animation

• Adjust the opacity of the Fractal Noise layer to control the density of the smoke.
• Add additional keyframes for Scale and Opacity to simulate smoke dissipation.

8. Rendering Your Composition

Once satisfied with your smoke animation:

1. Go to “Composition” > “Add to Render Queue.”
2. Set your desired output settings.
3. Click “Render” to export your video with the smoke effect.

Congratulations! You’ve successfully created realistic smoke in After Effects. Feel free to experiment with different settings and techniques to customize the look of your smoke for various projects. Happy animating!