Particulate

Particulate is a Generate effect.

What it does

A particle system.

Parameters

Parameter	Control	Range	Default	Unit
Shape	Dropdown	Point · Line · Ellipse · Rectangle · Mask path · Ellipse outline · Rectangle outline	Point	-
Position x	Slider	0 to 3840; any value by typing	960	Pixels at composition size
Position y	Slider	0 to 2160; any value by typing	540	Pixels at composition size
Position z	Slider	-2000 to 2000; any value by typing	0	Pixels at composition size
Width	Slider	0 to 2000; higher	400	Pixels at composition size
Height	Slider	0 to 2000; higher	400	Pixels at composition size
Depth	Slider	0 to 2000; higher	0	Pixels at composition size
Emitter angle	Dial	Any angle; snaps every 15° while a modifier is held	0°	Degrees
Follow	Dropdown	Mask · Shape	Mask	-
Mask path	Masks	This layer’s masks	First mask	-
Density layer	Layer	Any layer in the composition	None	-
Map placement	Dropdown	As placed in comp · Stretch to fit · Centre	As placed in comp	-
Emit rate	Slider	0 to 1000; higher	150	-
Direction	Dial	Any angle; snaps every 15° while a modifier is held	-90°	Degrees
Direction z	Dial	Any angle; snaps every 15° while a modifier is held	0°	Degrees
Spread	Slider	0 to 360	360	Degrees
Spread z	Slider	0 to 180; up to 360	0	Degrees
Initial speed	Slider	0 to 2000; higher	90	Pixels at composition size
Speed jitter	Slider	0 to 100	50	Per cent
Burst	Dropdown	Off · Once at start · Every N frames · On trigger	Off	-
Burst count	Slider	0 to 1000; up to 1000000	100	-
Burst interval	Slider	1 to 120; higher	24	Frames
Trigger	Slider	0 to 1; any value by typing	0	-
Life	Slider	0.1 to 10; down to 0 and higher	2	Seconds
Life jitter	Slider	0 to 100	30	Per cent
Size	Slider	0 to 200; higher	4	Pixels at composition size
Size jitter	Slider	0 to 100	40	Per cent
Size over life	Curve	2 to 32 points in the unit square	The identity diagonal	-
Opacity over life	Curve	2 to 32 points in the unit square	The identity diagonal	-
Colour	Colour	Each channel 0 to 4, scene-linear	1, 1, 1, 1	-
End colour	Colour	Each channel 0 to 4, scene-linear	1, 1, 1, 1	-
Rotation	Dial	Any angle; snaps every 15° while a modifier is held	0°	Degrees
Rotation jitter	Slider	0 to 360	360	Degrees
Spin	Slider	-720 to 720; any value by typing	0	Degrees
Align to motion	Checkbox	On or off	Off	-
Size by	Dropdown	Age · Speed · Random	Age	-
Opacity by	Dropdown	Age · Speed · Random	Age	-
Colour by	Dropdown	Age · Speed · Random	Age	-
Speed min	Slider	0 to 2000; higher	0	Pixels at composition size
Speed max	Slider	0 to 2000; higher	200	Pixels at composition size
Gravity	Slider	-2000 to 2000; any value by typing	0	Pixels at composition size
Wind x	Slider	-2000 to 2000; any value by typing	0	Pixels at composition size
Wind y	Slider	-2000 to 2000; any value by typing	0	Pixels at composition size
Wind z	Slider	-2000 to 2000; any value by typing	0	Pixels at composition size
Drag	Slider	0 to 10; higher	0.5	-
Turbulence amount	Slider	0 to 500; higher	40	Pixels at composition size
Turbulence scale	Slider	10 to 1000; higher	200	Pixels at composition size
Turbulence speed	Slider	0 to 5; higher	0.3	-
Edge	Dropdown	None · Kill · Wrap	None	-
Edge margin	Slider	0 to 500; higher	20	Pixels at composition size
Collide with	Layer	Any layer in the composition	None	-
On contact	Dropdown	Bounce · Slide · Stick · Kill	Bounce	-
Bounciness	Slider	0 to 100	60	Per cent
Friction	Slider	0 to 100	10	Per cent
Separation	Slider	0 to 100	0	Per cent
Alignment	Slider	0 to 100	0	Per cent
Cohesion	Slider	0 to 100	0	Per cent
Flock radius	Slider	0 to 500; higher	150	Pixels at composition size
Sparks	Slider	0 to 50	0	-
Spark speed	Slider	0 to 2000; higher	200	Pixels at composition size
Spark life	Slider	0.1 to 5; down to 0 and higher	0.5	Seconds
Spark size	Slider	0 to 100; higher	50	Per cent
Persistence	Slider	0 to 100	0	Per cent
Zoom	Slider	-100 to 100; higher	0	Per cent
Turn	Slider	-360 to 360; any value by typing	0	Degrees
Mode	Dropdown	Disc · Sprite · Streak	Disc	-
Feather	Slider	0 to 100	100	Per cent
Sprite layer	Layer	Any layer in the composition	None	-
Streak length	Slider	0 to 0.1; higher	0.02	Seconds
Particle blend	Dropdown	Normal · Darken · Multiply · Colour burn · Linear burn · Darker colour · Add · Lighten · Screen · Colour dodge · Lighter colour · Overlay · Soft light · Hard light · Linear light · Vivid light · Pin light · Hard mix · Difference · Exclusion · Subtract · Divide · Hue · Saturation · Colour · Luminosity	Normal	-
Max particles	Slider, whole numbers	1 to 200000; up to 1000000	20000	-
Seed	Seed	Any whole number	A fresh random seed per instance	-
Mix	Slider	0 to 100	100	Per cent
Blend	Dropdown	Normal · Darken · Multiply · Colour burn · Linear burn · Darker colour · Add · Lighten · Screen · Colour dodge · Lighter colour · Overlay · Soft light · Hard light · Linear light · Vivid light · Pin light · Hard mix · Difference · Exclusion · Subtract · Divide · Hue · Saturation · Colour · Luminosity	Normal	-
Matte	Layer	Any layer in the composition	None	-
Invert	Checkbox	On or off	Off	-
Channel	Dropdown	Luminance · Alpha · Red · Green · Blue	Luminance	-

In the Effect Controls panel:

Emitter groups Shape, Position x, Position y, Position z, Width, Height, Depth, Emitter angle, Follow, Mask path, Density layer, Map placement, Emit rate, Direction, Direction z, Spread, Spread z, Initial speed, Speed jitter.
Bursts groups Burst, Burst count, Burst interval, Trigger.
Particle groups Life, Life jitter, Size, Size jitter, Size over life, Opacity over life, Colour, End colour, Rotation, Rotation jitter, Spin, Align to motion.
Variation groups Size by, Opacity by, Colour by, Speed min, Speed max.
Forces groups Gravity, Wind x, Wind y, Wind z, Drag, Turbulence amount, Turbulence scale, Turbulence speed.
Edges groups Edge, Edge margin.
Collide groups Collide with, On contact, Bounciness, Friction.
Flock groups Separation, Alignment, Cohesion, Flock radius.
Sparks groups Sparks, Spark speed, Spark life, Spark size.
Trails groups Persistence, Zoom, Turn.
Render groups Mode, Feather, Sprite layer, Streak length, Particle blend, Max particles.
Feather is editable while Mode is set to Disc.
Sprite layer is editable while Mode is set to Sprite.
Streak length is editable while Mode is set to Streak.
Burst count is editable while Burst is anything but Off.
Burst interval is editable while Burst is set to Every N frames.
Trigger is editable while Burst is set to On trigger.
Edge margin is editable while Edge is anything but None.
Mask path is editable while Follow is anything but Shape.
Particle blend is editable while Separation is 0.
Particle blend is editable while Alignment is 0.
Particle blend is editable while Cohesion is 0.
Particle blend is editable while Sparks is 0.
Density layer is editable while Separation is 0.
Density layer is editable while Alignment is 0.
Density layer is editable while Cohesion is 0.
Density layer is editable while Sparks is 0.
Map placement is editable while Separation is 0.
Map placement is editable while Alignment is 0.
Map placement is editable while Cohesion is 0.
Map placement is editable while Sparks is 0.
Particle blend is editable while Persistence is 0.
Density layer is editable while Persistence is 0.
Map placement is editable while Persistence is 0.
Particle blend is editable while Collide with names no layer.
Density layer is editable while Collide with names no layer.
Map placement is editable while Collide with names no layer.
On contact is editable while Collide with names a layer.
Bounciness is editable while Collide with names a layer.
Bounciness is editable while On contact is set to Bounce.
Friction is editable while Collide with names a layer.
Friction is editable while On contact is anything but Stick.
Friction is editable while On contact is anything but Kill.
Matte is an input to an effect, scaling the strength. Invert inverts the mattes for calculating strength.

What each control does

The Emitter group, where particles come from and travel:

Shape: which emitter.
Position x, Position y and Position z: where the emitter sits.
Width and Height: how big the emitter is.
Depth: how far the emitter reaches through the plane.
Emitter angle: turns Line, Ellipse and Rectangle about Position.
Follow: what a Mask path emitter walks. Mask is one of the layer’s masks. Shape is the outline the Shape layer the effect is on draws, after any trim, offset or combine, and dashes as drawn, one line after another, repeater copies included. On any other layer Shape emits nothing.
Mask path: which of the layer’s masks particles are emitted from.
Density layer: a layer whose brightness weights where particles are born inside the emitter. A birth with nowhere bright enough to go is skipped. While it is set, the points effects below Particulate on the same layer can read its particles, and Points sample and Layer points cannot.
Map placement: where the Density layer’s picture sits on this layer. As placed in comp reads it where that layer sits in the composition. Stretch to fit stretches it over this layer. Centre centres it at its own size. An effect saved before this row existed stays on Stretch to fit.
Emit rate: new particles per second.
Direction: which way particles travel.
Direction z: how far they lean out of that plane.
Spread: the cone about Direction.
Spread z: the lean’s own cone.
Initial speed: how fast a particle leaves.
Speed jitter: how much particles differ from each other in that speed.

The Bursts group, particles thrown out all at once beside the steady flow:

Burst: Off, Once at start on the layer’s first frame, Every N frames, or On trigger, once each time Trigger rises past 0.5.
Burst count: how many particles one burst throws out.
Burst interval: how many frames apart the bursts are.
Trigger: the number On trigger watches. Wire a beat driver to it, or keyframe it.

The Particle group, how a particle looks:

Life and Life jitter: how long a particle lasts, and how much that varies.
Size and Size jitter: how big it is at birth, and how much that varies.
Size over life: multiplies Size against the particle’s age, from birth on the left to death on the right. Flat by default, so a particle stays the size it was born.
Opacity over life: the same curve for opacity. It starts solid and ends invisible.
Colour and End colour: the colour at birth and at death, blended across the particle’s life.
Rotation: the rotation of particles.
Rotation jitter: how much particles differ from one another in that rotation.
Spin: how fast that rotation turns.
Align to motion: turns each particle to face the way it is travelling, with Spin added on top.

The Variation group, what runs those changes:

Size by, Opacity by and Colour by: what runs Size over life, Opacity over life and the blend to End colour. Age runs from birth to death. Speed runs from Speed min to Speed max. Random is a number of the particle’s own that stays the same all its life.
Speed min and Speed max: the speeds, in pixels per second, at the left and right ends of the curve or blend.

The Forces group, what moves them:

Gravity: a constant pull.
Wind x, Wind y and Wind z: the air’s speed.
Drag: how quickly a particle’s speed comes round to the wind’s.
Turbulence amount: how far a rolling noise pushes a particle off its path.
Turbulence scale: how far apart two particles have to be before the noise pushes them different ways.
Turbulence speed: how fast that noise evolves as a particle ages.

The Edges group, what happens at the edge of the layer’s frame:

Edge: None lets particles carry on out of sight. Kill ends a particle the first time it leaves the frame, and it does not come back. Wrap brings it back in on the opposite side.
Edge margin: how far past the frame a particle goes before Edge acts.

The Collide group, what particles hit:

Collide with: a layer whose shapes and masks particles hit. A layer with neither is hit at its rectangle. While it is set, each frame’s particles are worked out from the frame before. A particle keeps the place it was born when the emitter moves, and a change of force acts from the frame it happens on. Density layer and Particle blend are not read, and at most 100,000 particles are alive at once.
On contact: Bounce sends a particle off the other way. Slide carries it on along the surface. Stick holds it where it hit, moving with that layer. Kill ends it.
Bounciness: how much of its speed a particle keeps as it bounces.
Friction: how much a particle slows along the surface.

A layer facing the same way as this one is hit across and down, at every depth. One turned against it in 3D is hit where particles pass through its shapes.

The Flock group, particles steering by their neighbours:

Separation: how strongly a particle steers away from neighbours that are close.
Alignment: how strongly it steers to go the way its neighbours go.
Cohesion: how strongly it steers towards the middle of its neighbours.
Flock radius: how far away another particle can be and still count as a neighbour.

Steering turns a particle and leaves its speed as it was. A particle stuck to a layer neither steers nor is steered by.

The Sparks group, small particles thrown out where one dies:

Sparks: how many sparks a particle throws out when its life ends, Edge kills it or it is killed on contact. Sparks throw out none.
Spark speed: how fast they fly out, every way at once.
Spark life: how long a spark lasts.
Spark size: how big a spark is, against the particle it came from.

Sparks fade and change colour by the Particle group’s rows, over their own life.

With Separation, Alignment, Cohesion or Sparks above nought, each frame’s particles are worked out from the frame before, as with Collide with, and Density layer and Particle blend are not read. A row that is keyframed, has an expression or is wired counts as above nought.

The Trails group, a picture kept from frame to frame:

Persistence: how much of the kept picture is left after one second.
Zoom: how much the kept picture grows each second, about the emitter’s position.
Turn: how far the kept picture turns each second, about the emitter’s position.

With Persistence above nought, each frame’s particles are drawn over the picture kept from the frame before, after it is faded, zoomed and turned, and that picture goes over the layer. Every frame from the layer’s in point goes into it. Density layer and Particle blend are not read, Streak draws its tail back along each particle’s speed, and the Sprite layer’s picture at the current frame is stamped on every earlier frame.

The Render group, how they are drawn:

Mode: Disc, Sprite or Streak.
Feather: how soft a disc’s edge is. Disc mode only.
Sprite layer: the layer stamped at each particle. Sprite mode only, and discs are drawn until you set it.
Streak length: how long the tail is, in seconds.
Particle blend: how particles combine with each other where they overlap, by the layer blend modes. They then go over the picture together, as Normal particles do.
Max particles: the most particles that may be alive at once.

The remaining properties:

Seed: changes the randomness.
Mix: how much of the result replaces the picture underneath.
Blend: how the particles composite with the layer they are drawn over.
Matte and Invert drive the strength of the effect from another layer’s brightness. See Effects.

Particulate

What it does

Parameters

What each control does

Related