Creating a Northern Lights Effect

[martinmcglade]

I am relatively new to maya, and have really learned what i know from experimenting.
The problem im having is in creating a northern lights (aurora borealis) animated effect for the sky for most of the enviroment. Is there any tutorials anywhere that could help

Cheers

[joojaa]

make a cv line thats suitably curved... then animate the movment of the cvs... then attach one of the premade paintfx strokes to that curve (for additional effect slightly animate the color of that curve).

render and add a nice backdrop either in 3d or comp!

[thematt]

hey,
I reccently had to one myself, and I sugget not doing it with paint Fx, because from what I remember doing it was that when your Pfx stroke were superposing with each other depending on your camera angle, it made this ugly big color glow sort off...can't really explain but that was bad.
Anyway the easiest solution I came up with was to actually as joojaa said (listen to him is always right..humm...), is animate the Cv's of a curve, and use that curve as emitter for particules...then you can control color speed ect..had some motion blur (I did in post thought)..and hurry go a nice northern lights..well I thought it was better 'cause you can have more color with the particules with lots of nuances mixing with eachother it does some neat effect.

cheers

[joojaa]

In reply to:
(listen to him is always right..humm...),

Yeah sure just go and read the specular discussion on the render board (everyone can and shouldnt allways be at their best ), but hey I'm only human (sometimes i wish i would be a moose, no need to worry about all this stuff, one other reason too but in mot telling ya...)

Yeah but your right the effect will bloom if it overlaps badly, i can se that would be a problem (you could disable the glow however and then add it in comp and thereby clamping the result kindof).

Another way:

Instead of particles you could actualy use textured ribbons (might be easier), however... But particles and post are a good way too...

[thematt]

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(sometimes i wish i would be a moose, no need to worry about all this stuff, one other reason too but in mot telling ya...)
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I defenitly see what you mean, that sound like a good reincarnation wish..I'll pray for that too...

cheers