2D Smoke & Explosions in After Effects Tutorial

A simple After Effects tutorial on how to easily achieve 2D cartoonish explosions and smoke effect. This method can also be used in order to give your After Effects animation a traditionally- animated look without animating it frame-by-frame.
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►Music:
Massive thanks to madmomentsgo for providing that amazing music for my intro!
check out his other brilliant work here: bit.ly/2ER0bJF

[@akrititiwari4304]

'We always label our layers' is stuck in mind forever

[@BenMarriott]

This is good. I can finally rest :)

[@salmasabek4698]

I can’t believe this is available for free, I’m so grateful.

[@Eggman-zq8xp]

hi salma

[@VideoGameAnimationStudy]

Excellent work, and algorithm recommendation submission!

[@BenMarriott]

Thanks, dude! big fan of your channel :D

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[@redtadpole]

This is easily my favorite MoGraph KZbin channel. Thank you for producing the exact content I want and need at such a high production quality!

[@nickyveenstra]

I was smiling and headshaking during some segments of this tutorial. It's so simple yet so clean looking. You sir, are a boss. Keep up the good work!

[@kinatonchi]

As someone who constantly watches tutorials, I can confidently say that Ben is one of the best at explaining everything in super understandable and clear manner. Kudos!

[@thealanyo]

This is exactly what I needed for a current project - trying to make a thought bubble disappear in a pleasant way. I gasped when I saw your IG post advertising this tut. Works like a charm!

[@jerrykurek7986]

This is brilliant! Especially love the idea of using noise with the extract effect to break up the smoke.

[@CarlCampbell]

Man, this is great! I'm currently working on a project that draws heavily from 2D animation and it's great to see how a little ingenuity goes a long way. Thanks so much for sharing your process and tips!

[@bruno.m7913]

I really appreciate all the support and help I received from you!!!

[@celo2043]

these pure AE based effects are simply fantastic, thank you, you rock!

[@LearnHowToEditStuff]

I love seeing your thought process on this kind of stuff... I wouldn't have thought to accomplish this in the way you did, love it!

[@BenMarriott]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@JuliaReally]

Really love these bite-size tutorials! They are so helpful and provide so many good tips / tricks along the way. This channel is SO underrated.

[@hedvig6746]

Wonderful, and so much fun!

[@bananabike279]

This tutorial totally BLEW my mind!! Thank you so much for this!!

[@Sapov]

The result its amazing

[@charlieyuncken7674]

Loving the work Ben! Best tutorials on KZbin!!

[@itsallblessed]

Might be one of my favourites of yours yet!

[@maalexf]

Really appreciate your tutorials!! ❤️❤️❤️

[@basiliogonzaleziii7779]

Great tutorial again! Can't wait to see the course you're working on!

[@tomtoons]

This is GOLD, thank you!

[@coenrens]

Really, really cool tutorial. Great to see you get so much out of a simple circle animation, maintaining control while achieving a very traditional cel animation looking result. This could be applied to so many effects like this! Good inspiration, thank you!

[@EslamAhmed-bn4hx]

great work ben , thanks

[@Rockberries]

Incredibly smart and elegant process! Thanks so much Ben, you're a monster!

[@ramalsrougi]

GENIUS! 😍😍 gonna try it ASAP 😍❤

[@PericlesCosta28]

Incridible ❤

[@jeremychristensen7731]

You are a lifesaver as always! This is EXACTLY what I needed!

[@KuizinStudio]

another great demonstration of skills. thanks

[@aaronlee7012]

Brilliant! Thx Ben

[@Hiribio]

Great video as usual, thanks again for all the tips !

[@vincentlataste4327]

Excellent as usual 👏

[@davidguerreroonatevia5075]

Wow, this is gold Ben! Very useful technique and easy to implement. Thank you for sharing as always!

[@TcgStudio]

i actually can't believe how simple yet effective it is

[@xExtraNapkins]

Great tutorial as always.

[@Mike-in3cp]

Thank you. This will come in handy!

[@LanceTheunissen]

Another great tutorial man! So freaking simple and elegant! Love it.

[@thequicksketcher]

That's so good Ben! 👍🏼✨

[@teunmetz2621]

another amazing tutorial!

[@frau_shto7660]

Very cool! Thank you so much for your lessons!

[@lucasparra2585]

I love you, I learn so much in every tutorial! THANKS

[@kasiastefanska7006]

This is exactly what I needed! Thank you! 🤩

[@rumenkitov4656]

Thank you for the tutorial!

[@williambjork2777]

Amazing, using this for my 2D platformer

[@marl1ghost]

super good tutorial! thank you!

[@koksya3574]

Thank you for simple and understandable guide!

[@xilipiz]

Mannn this cut out with noise idea is brilliant. Thanks!

[@kaidowind9042]

Awesome tutorial! 💥

[@aleksandrcarameil4331]

Just Wow!

[@hodaramy9804]

you are a life saver

[@interactivebenchyb1393]

first time hearing about the extract effect , big thanks to you sir

[@ElisaM193]

This is awesome!

[@NAU_csj2]

You are the MAN. Thanks. Keep up the awesome work.

[@Heidyasparagus]

You are a wizard, Ben

[@RobynO_O]

this is so great, thanks so much! I've been doing mine a little differently, but this'll be much quicker. Also, love how quick and to the point your videos are!

[@dayandattebayo]

as cool as always

[@user-or1yh5tv6b]

Amazing...

[@UltraSexyChipotle]

thank you so much this made my animation sooo much better

[@user-tb6ch1qq5b]

Thank you so much man. Learned a lot today thanks to you

[@barbecuebae1728]

I am literally blown away (:)) by this tutorial. It seems so hard but it actually isn't! It's so satisfying to watch

[@jsmith9213]

12/10! Gotta say, your teachings are a *blast* to learn from! Thanks for sharing your wealth of knowledge, it’s super inspiring!

[@ICEBUNNo]

You are a life saver. This is an amazing resource!

[@filipemecenas]

Great work flow, i love your channel

[@dreamboi4268]

excellent tutorial! Thank you so much your channel is awesome

[@kieucuong4818]

U so talent, Ben!

[@وسبر]

thank you for making it free

[@megumi2896]

thank you! you're a life saver!

[@hyejipark5896]

Are you SO genius... I DO LOVE you💓

[@user-paint-alexandra]

thank you, it`s very bueatifull

[@ReodoraPurple]

So clever and cool!

[@tarasparallax162]

Man you're a genius. Thank you

[@mafiawaifu]

Cool. So glad something like this can be achieved so simply. Thanks :)

[@NERV0USMONKEYS]

Easy and perfect!

[@Alexfmzika]

My wife just sent me this video and I dont even know how After Effects work but damn... Thats was a great tutorial. Really well made. Nice done, mate.

[@Dr.JimmyBrungus]

That was a masterclass on After Effects effects.

[@gustavosaliola]

Great Tutorial Ben! Thanks. It's a great "out of the box" thinking/build example. Had to do something similar for an animated corporate logo reveal, and used some of this techniques.

[@dingar7191]

SUCH a good solution. You are once again proving why you're a master. Great shit.

[@BLUESCREAMPRODUCTIONS]

THX for the free project !

[@PastelNeigh]

this is so cool!! all your tutorials and techniques are super interesting and creative, and your videos are always so well produced! thank you for posting them ♥

[@BenMarriott]

Thank you so much for watching, I couldn't do these without you all. I really appreciate the comment too :D

[@chillyem]

thx a lot. this is just what I look forward. bless you!

[@timmyzillen5064]

This is a good video. Highly enjoyable!

[@andreaspamsky]

Finally found this great tutorial, thanx for the great work Ben..

[@BenMarriott]

Thanks for finding it!

[@animatorjatin4837]

You are a magician

[@RavenwestR1]

Amazing! Thank you

[@emanuelretamales1485]

Awesome!!!

[@Motionphile]

Great lesson 🙌🤯

[@Arminkenedi]

Rly great video. Thank you

[@TheAlba321]

BEN, you are a saint mate!! The remapping trick is brilliant :)

[@hereshowtofixit]

Beautiful

[@Coollovegirly]

Awesome, what a life saver!

[@BenMarriott]

Thanks for watching :D happy to save lives with cartoon smoke haha

[@karolinastyczen7014]

thanks!

[@TheRampax]

Nice. I didn't know about Extract, that is super useful, cheers Ben.

[@berkaysaylam1745]

I want to get up and applaud you

[@lina-theresehuesson]

Thanks for this, it's awesome!

[@KERINATSU]

Thank you ! 😊😊

[@Muffinman17JG]

You're a freaking genius. I've been wanting a purely Ae, no plug-in tutorial on cartoon explosions for years, thanks so much Ben 👍 Could you use the roughen effect for easier "dissipation" of the smoke near the end?

[@BenMarriott]

Oooo, roughen edges is a very good call. thanks my man! :D

[@KristianEgge]

Great tutorial as always!😍 Trying to shift from 3D to 2D animation and watching your videos is really inspiring - but I must admit it was good to see some 2D work that doesn't involve drawing every frame too 😂 Keep'em coming.

[@WhySitHome]

Thank you so much, Ben! You saved my video haha

[@Mathing]

This is Goldddddddd

[@user-kc7qm4ft2l]

Thanks for that!👌🏻😎

[@AndreasKungl]

If you envision a certain look and then determine that you would probably need three days of grinding before reaching any kind of result, the real value of which will only become apparent after actually spending that much time, it is always worth considering spending said time viewing, no STUDYING Ben's videos instead, as it will certainly lead to something way better. What an amazing chanel. I deeply envy not only the artistic creativity at play, but even more the procedural ingenuity.