Anime Explosion
SOFTWARE
DESCRIPTION
Unreal Engine 5 - Houdini - Maya - After Effects - Substance Designer - Procreate
I worked on a month-long VFX project inspired by anime and mechs, focusing on creating 2D anime-style explosions in a 3D environment. We kept the environment simple to maintain focus on our work. I was responsible for all VFX and compositing, done in Unreal Engine 5 using Niagara and Houdini, with final touches in After Effects. I rigged both the character and the gun, and also handled the concept art. I used material blueprints to craft shaders, and textures and impact were created by hand in Procreate and Photoshop, with additional procedural textures generated in Substance Designer. The team included Dylan Yan as the weapon modeler, Gary Carrasco as the animator, Noa Baggs as the character modeler, and Yegues Schettini for audio.
PROJECT BREAKDOWN
MAIN VFX:
This is a showcase of a variety of effects including a large explosion, ground destruction, a gunshot, multiple explosions, and a charge-up effect, each massively contributing to the dynamic energy of the scene.
SUPPORTING VFX:
The supporting VFX are designed to enhance the main effects by aiding with transitions and adding impact. They seamlessly contribute to the overall scene, ensuring that the key moments like explosions and destruction feel more immersive and dynamic.
HAND DRAWN REFERENCE:
I created two loose drawings to give an initial idea of what we might be creating. While they were just rough concepts, I ended up going beyond what was originally planned, though they served as the foundation for the first ideas.
EXPLOSION REFERENCE:
We wanted to create a large, dramatic anime-style dome explosion. Our vision included a powerful beam shooting upwards from the center, with additional rings spreading out to emphasize the effect, capturing the energy typical of iconic anime explosions.
HAND DRAWN TEXTURES:
I created these in Procreate, with some specifically designed as impact frames. These textures added a personal, artistic touch to the effects, helping to enhance the overall visual style of the project.
