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NOVEMBER 05, 2002 Butterflies!
Step 20: In order to move the butterfly through space, we need to create a body for the wings to attach too. Since this is an impressionistic butterfly, simply create a New Null Object, name the Null Body Null, turn the Body Null into a 3D layer, and parent both of the Wing Nulls to it. Now if you move the Body Null along any of the 3D axes, the wings will follow. We have covered 3D, Parenting, and Expressions so far in this tutorial. But there is one other cool feature of After Effects we can drop in - having the wings appear somewhat translucent. [an error occurred while processing this directive] Step 21: With the Right Wing layer selected add the Cell Pattern effect from Effects>Render>Cell Pattern. Change the Cell Pattern to Plates, and leave everything else at the default.  Step 22: Now add the Hue/Saturation effect (Effects>Adjust>Hue/Saturation) to the Right Wing layer. Click on the Colorize box and change the Colorize Hue to 60 degrees. Increase the Saturation to 70, and you should have a nice yellow cell pattern on the wing. Step 23: Highlight both of the effects in the Effect Control Window and press Command+C on the Mac or Control+C on the PC to copy both of the clips to the clipboard. Then click on the Left Wing in the Timeline and press Command+V on the Mac or Control+V on the PC to paste the two effects to the Left Wing.  Kind of neat huh? Step 24: Create a New Solid. Name the Solid Wall. Make the size 3000 pixels by 3000 pixels and give it a nice light blue color. Make this solid a 3D layer in the Timeline. Press the P key on the keyboard to open the Position properties for the layer. Move the Wall back on the Z-axis to 100. Step 25: Now add a light by going to Layer>New>Light. Make this light a Parallel light with a slight yellow tint and press Okay. A Parallel light gives the illusion that light is coming evenly from one direction - very similar to the way we perceive the Sun.  Step 26: Open the Transform options for the Light layer by clicking on the twirl down arrow for the layer. Move the Point of Interest to 496, 240, 0. The Point of Interest controls the direction of the Parallel light. Step 27: Now for the cool part. Highlight the Right Wing in the Timeline and press AA on the keyboard to open the Materials Options for the layer. The Materials Options allows you to define what the 3D layer is "made" of. It also allows you define the shadow and light transmission properties of the layer. Turn Cast Shadows On for the Right Wing and turn the Light Transmission to 100%. Light Transmission allows any light in the scene to "project" the color from a layer onto other 3D objects in the scene. In this case by turning on Cast Shadows and turning up the Light Transmission, the wing now allows light to pass through, giving the illusion that it is somewhat translucent.  To complete the illusion, let’s lower the opacity for the Right Wing layer. Press the T key on the keyboard to open the Opacity property and change the value to 50%. Step 28: Repeat the procedure for the Left Wing layer, and you will end up with a nice little butterfly.
On Your Own With the butterfly wing flap complete and a set in place, animate the Body Null of the butterfly to get it to fly through the scene, finally landing on the wall. I know we have blown through this tutorial rather quickly, but hopefully you have learned a little something about 3D objects, Parenting, Expressions, and how to make your 3D layers cast colored shadows. Hopefully it has also given you a new way of approaching your next composition. If you would like to look at this project in detail, you can download it here. When not working deep in the labs of the DMN Central Division testing the latest and greatest software/hardware products Stephen Schleicher can be found at the local university teaching a few courses on video and web production. He can be reached at schleicher@mindspring.com. You can also visit him on the web at www.mindspring.com/~schleicher Related sites: • Animation Artist • AV Video • Content Mastering • Corporate Media News • Creative Mac • Digital Animators • Digital Post Production • Digital Producer • Digital Video Editing • Film and Video Magazine • Mac Supplement • Production Supplement • Siggraph News • The WWUG Related forums: [an error occurred while processing this directive] 
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