Animation is science, VFX is physics
Believe it or not, visual effects has an extremely strong correlation with physics. Its up to us as artists to interpret them into stylized effects.
Lets do some basic ‘bro-science’ deductions to understand smoke better.
What is smoke?
Smoke is a mixture of gases originating from a variety of sources. They tend to originate from a burning of materials such as wood, liquid fuels, organic material, and so on.Â
Why does smoke move?
Smoke moves away from its energy source (burning of material or kinetic energy). As it travels further away, it loses its heat and kinetic energy causing it to slowly dissipate into the atmosphere.
How does smoke move?
Gas has no shape and volume so there is little to no resistance when it floats around. This causes it to move in a ‘smooth’ manner- it accelerates and decelerates at a consistent rate.
How is smoke visible?
Smoke is visible because the gases that make it up are different from the air around it. Think of it like food coloring in a cup of water. The smoke’s color, value and opacity are tied to its fuel source and density.
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