Create an Illuminating “Light Painting” Effect

You've surely seen a "light painting" photograph by now. Sprint made it very popular in their latest advertising campaign, but it's been around for a long time, Picasso made a light painting in 1949. In this tutorial Ben shows us how to easily recreate this effect using particles in After Effects.

Author: Ben McEwan

Ben McEwan grew up in Canberra, Australia. He started learning visual effects from a young age and persistantly followed his dreams. Today, Ben does freelance work for feature films, short films and television programs, and one day hopes to win an Academy Award.

This effect is loosely based off the traditional method of shooting still photographs with a slow exposure to capture the motion path of a light. This tutorial is filled with many small tips and tricks for Adobe After Effects to enhance the average user's knowledge and speed up their workflow. If you would like some footage to experiment with, you can download the footage here

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Tutorial

Requirements:
Trapcode Particular (download the trial version here)

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User Comments

( ADD YOURS )

Jake April 8th

That’s really Fantastic! I really like!
See my video’s at:
Http://www.youtube.com/fpviacom
( Reply )
1. john bon April 8th
  
  WTF? lol…
  ( Reply )
arjunarena April 8th

nice…, thanks
( Reply )
Vizza April 8th

Nice!
( Reply )
Thana April 8th

first to comment! yay this is freaking awesome. Thanks!
(this is kinda like the effect in Coldplay’s mv Lovers of Japan)
( Reply )
Nox April 8th

Nice i like that light effect, makes it look realistic
( Reply )
Patrick Kakambong April 8th

awuuuuu,…
i love it,..
( Reply )
Zach April 8th

hahahah i’ve seen Ben on YouTube a lot. He has good stuff, some lacking originality (taken mostly from Andrew Kramer’s videocopilot site) as you can tell from the picture above, but still good job.
( Reply )
Aponwao April 8th

Second..
God tutorial, thanks. Usefull for everyone
APONWAO
( Reply )
Mimo April 8th

Thanks mate….looks brilliant…
I can imagine it on a bigger scale it would look awsome…
Greate tutorial – 10/10
( Reply )
Gavin Steele April 8th

Hey Ben, you did a great job on this tutorial. You made it look nice and simple and that is what its all about.
Cheers and I hope you have a few more up your sleeve
( Reply )
Rafi April 8th

hey! i downloaded this vid from filefront a while ago
( Reply )
Braden Keith April 8th

Is it just me or is your audio way off from your video?
( Reply )
1. Braden Keith April 8th
  
  Yeah It was just me. haha
  ( Reply )
  1. burningchariot TV April 8th
    
    I’ve only watched 3 mins, but I swear there’s a huge audio delay to. I’ll watch the whole thing, it might just be some lag whilst it’s loading. Or again, it could just be me…and you i guess. lol
  2. DB May 11th
    
    No its off for me too, by about a 2 seconds…
  3. DB May 11th
    
    Let me clarify that previous comment, the quicktime download is fine, its the embedded clip that is off.
  4. Ignat remizov January 29th
    
    It’s way off… like 3-5 seconds. it’s like he says “lets just set this to two,” and like 4 seconds later you see that he changed something to two. Very, very off.
Bueaka April 8th

Nice one!
Wouldn’t it be easier if you used motion tracking instead of animating each frame?
( Reply )
1. Ben McEwan April 8th
  
  If you filmed the footage so that the light streak were to come out of a light or something – most definately. But since my scene consisted of my finger with a ton of similar colours around it, it didn’t work so well.. You’d spend less time doing it manually in this case.
  You’re right though, I shouldv’e mentioned the motion tracking. Thanks for the input!
  ( Reply )
  1. Topher Welsh April 8th
    
    Yeah I tried tracking fingers one time… doesn’t really work unless you are on a green or blue screen, or have a very contasting color
  2. max-bear April 8th
    
    To help with motion tracking, could you stick a little white tape over your finger before filming? It would be covered by the glow in post so it would not be visible.
  3. Rafi April 9th
    
    you could put a green dot on your finger and track it with the help of that.
hassan April 8th

thanks man for the toturial
( Reply )
Craigsnedeker April 8th

O_O
That’s awesome!
( Reply )
Milk April 8th

Hey yeah great tut nice effect!
But it’s total chaos in your room! Check out the E.Z. Storing System !
An das Bueaka said, why not a motion traking? Wouldn’t it be easier?
( Reply )
timmeh April 8th

great tut
( Reply )
Stijn Jasper April 8th

Hey, I have followed this one before on youtube. I have even PM’d with you. Kewl
Nice job
( Reply )
Ben April 8th

Not trying to call you out or say it should be taken down, but how’s this different than the one videocopilot did? Or did you do that one as well?
( Reply )
1. Lloyd April 8th
  
  [EDITOR REPLY] Ben sent me some links to the VC tutorials he is referring to. I carefully reviewed those tutorials and while I can see where you could see similarities I’ve determined that it is not plagiarism. I think Ben came up with his own interpretation and use of the light streak which is a very common technique and not exclusive to video copilot. Having said that, we take tutorial plagiarism very seriously here at Aetuts+ so thanks for bringing this to our attention and please continue doing so in the future whenever you feel an author has committed plagiarism.
  ( Reply )
HEY! April 8th

HEY! nice work.
( Reply )
chlp April 8th

Yes man, thak you a lot, i like
( Reply )
Parka April 8th

You can actually use a light named “emitter” as the emitter source in particular instead of a null object, which could also be used as the point light for the scene.
This would eliminating a bit of time and minimize layers as well as allow the ability to auto-orientate the light along the path if you were to use a spot light in a 3D environment.
( Reply )
Loay April 8th

Thank You
( Reply )
David Wood April 8th

Nice effect even though the audio is a faster then the video.
( Reply )
mehmet akif April 8th

great
( Reply )
mehmet akif April 8th

great.
( Reply )
Casey April 8th

I love how many different ways you can do everything in AE
I’ve done something similar and totally different
( Reply )
jason April 8th

wow, video copilot is really working for you. congrats on emulating instead of improving upon.
( Reply )
1. Lloyd April 8th
  
  [EDITOR REPLY] Hi Jason, another reader sent me some links to the VC tutorials that he felt were copied in this tutorial. I carefully reviewed those tutorials and while I can see where you could see similarities I’ve determined that it is not plagiarism. I think Ben came up with his own interpretation and use of the light streak which is a very common technique and not exclusive to video copilot. Having said that, we take tutorial plagiarism very seriously here at Aetuts+ so thanks for bringing this to our attention and please continue doing so in the future whenever you feel an author has committed plagiarism.
  ( Reply )
Arash April 8th

You could have used tracking, it would have been much faster… But overall, a very nice tut!!
( Reply )
Billy April 8th

Been pretty lightweight around here since Alex Verlan’s raindrops tutorial. Jurrien’s handwriting tutorial was pretty good and Markus’ website tutorial was solid….but overall, pretty lightweight since Alex’s massive blockbuster. Hope to see something from Lloyd here pretty soon…..hoping….
( Reply )
Mike April 8th

Plagiarism might be a bit of a stretch, but I’m not sure if this is dissimilar enough from something that Video Copliot has come up with that I care.
I would wager most people are equally as capable of putting together two of Andrew Kramer’s techniques on their own. I wouldn’t say this the type of quality tutorial that will keep a site afloat.
( Reply )
1. Billy April 8th
  
  Amen…..gotta fully agree. This is simply too much like AK’s stuff for me to give it too much of my time. Plus…it is just lightweight fluff. Really….
  ( Reply )
Ghost Digital April 8th

Magneeta? Is he a new villan in some mutant movie?
( Reply )
Karpathia April 8th

Really nice…
Just a question…
- Is it mandatory for a designer to have his room completely messed up with everything out of place?
just kidding…
( Reply )
Anthony April 9th

Really really Awesome, im still learning cuz i just got adobe after effects. This tutorial ROCKs, im ganna watch it again
( Reply )
Ben McEwan April 9th

Thankyou all for your comments. I would like to set a few things straight though.
Video Copilot was a huge inspiration to me when I first got started with VFX, and as my YouTube channel reflects, it taught me a lot. Although, plagiarism is something I take very seriously. I offered this tutorial to AEtuts because of the outstanding questions I had about the effect on YouTube. Kind of a favour – giving this website a bit more popularity. Although I can see why some complaints are being made – and for that I’m sorry.
The idea was completely original and was made before I even knew about Video Copilot. It’s just been spruced up in this tutorial. I know I can’t prove that, so you’ll just have to take my word. But keep in mind, I’m trying to teach people more about how After Effects works (to the best of my knowledge), and not just the final effect so you can take the information and apply it elsewhere.
There have also been some complaints about the simplicity of the tutorial. I try to get as in depth as I think necessary so that everybody understands what I’m doing and why I’m doing it. The audience isn’t filled with entirely After Effects guru’s. So in saying it’s too easy, that means I’m achieving what I set out to achieve.
Comment by Mike:
“I wouldn’t say this the type of quality tutorial that will keep a site afloat.”
Never fear! I’ve already submitted a few more tutorial ideas on effects I whipped up at work. These effects are a lot more complex and are 100% original (unless somebody has done something like it before that I’m unaware of).
Again, I’m deeply sorry for the confusion and simplicity of this tutorial.
( Reply )
1. illd April 9th
  
  Hi Ben,
  don´t care about these people “hating on you” out there. You´ve done a pretty solid tutorial on your own without copying or steeling something. Although this tutorial may not be the most complex one ever (which isnt god or bad!) – I learned a lot from it and it was fun to folllow it. Especially I like the technique of using the 3D lights for the lightmood overall.
  But I also have question: Why didnt you use the standard after effects glow for the particles? I mean its cool that you showed how to build our own glow effect, but you didnt even mention the standard glow inside AE.
  So keep on doing your thing. I am shure we will see a lot of good things from you in the future.
  Greetings from Germany.
  ( Reply )
2. Topher Welsh April 9th
  
  Don’t apologize dude, I got a few hate emails myself in my day, just from people looking at stuff on my website. People can hid behind a computer screen and say whatever they want.
  Point is, Lloyd approved the tutorial, as well as you informing him in the first place that it might get mistaken for VC ideas.
  I think you did a killer job, and don’t let these people bring you down. Keep it up man, you doin awesome.
  ( Reply )
3. lalz April 24th
  
  “Video Copilot was a huge inspiration to me when I first got started with VFX”
  “The idea was completely original and was made before I even knew about Video Copilot.”
  hmm?
  ( Reply )
4. nn October 18th
  
  hola BEN no hablo ingles tratare de traducir esto tambein necesito de tu ayuda amigo, comence tu tutorial pero en el momento es que aplicas el efeto nulo y mueve la flcha de la opcion que sale abajo de pocision xy a el efecto nulo me tranco por que no me sale esa opcion y de verdad no se que hacer por que al correr el video no me sale en la forma que sale en el tutorial subiendo recto sino normal las particulas por todos lados ayudame que hago.
  ( Reply )
JACKUSBLACKUS April 9th

Ben, I doubt your apologies are needed.
This is an absolutely fantastic site and the work is top-rate. This idea that all work must be original is a little vague and self serving to posters that use such terms to qualify the content.
I mean, what is original for a free tutorial?… really???… by bypassing the general idea of simple FREEEEEEE education (bit arrogant for people to think they’re ENTITLED to get all of this for free, right, but these are the extraordinary expectations of the ill-informed today), how would anyone learn if nothing is copied or deconstructed…? or if this tute is only done by one person at one time with one audience?? Do you people realize that the light bulb was invented by numerous people before Edison “invented” it? That means that many more people than Edison had this idea and that Edison actually COPIED other people’s work, then patented his version. So get real.
There are always people entering this industry and without tutes like this on sites like this, people may never discover their passion for this kind of thing. Ignore the self-serving posts, they’re easy to spot. I like that you’re avatar is an homage to AK, as I’m sure he would.
Overall I think plagiarism in the post world is a bit of a non sequitur.
( Reply )
Henry The Jedi April 9th

Nice works, Ben, I am very glad and in fact surprised that you covered a topic that Henry The Jedi also managed to cover on his training DVD.Check out Henry The Jedi’s work on Advnaced Lightstroke animation at http://www.henrythejedi.com/prod01/prod01_ae_unmatched_ch05_preview.html
The main difference is that Henry uses only After effects, instead of using the very expensive Trapcode plugin that not even a quarter of visual effects artists out there can afford. anyways, congrats
( Reply )
1. Ben Wotton April 10th
  
  not even a quarter?! what are you on about? How can VFX artists not afford particular…but can somehow afford AE that is 3x the price! I know untrained 18 yr olds who earn enough to buy particular in two days work, so how is it that professional artists can’t afford this very fairly priced plugin?
  ( Reply )
2. Mike April 12th
  
  You refer to yourself in the third person, which is always a little bit disconcerting.
  ( Reply )
  1. taneil May 1st
    
    yeah I’m not sure what you’re complaining about but your attack is motivated by what…hmmm? Let me guess. And the moderators think this an all american (not white supremacist fear) comment. Remove this like you remove the people of colors posts you don’t like or are a little too afrocentered. I’m sick of this.
3. taneil May 1st
  
  Henry love your work and thank you for the map tutorial. I’ve been waiting for something as concise as this instead of a lot of talking. Thanks for being focused and professional.
  ( Reply )
Diego SA April 9th

Awesome, loved it!
( Reply )
Rick V April 9th

You are a legend. Ive been trying to do this for aages. Just been waiting on a nice tutorial like this to come along.
THANKS!!
( Reply )
Ariyo April 9th

Fanfreakintastic
( Reply )
DVD April 9th

Thanks for the tutorial. I appreciate your time and skill.
( Reply )
Greg April 9th

Yeah…Nice work man! Cool technique and I appreciated your variations with using this effect.
( Reply )
Ben Carroll April 9th

dude I was in the process of recording the same tutorial… great what I am supposed to do now?
( Reply )
1. Ben McEwan April 10th
  
  Show me up, of course
  ( Reply )
  1. Ben Carroll April 12th
    
    Hahaha but that wouldn’t be very fun. I do use a different technique to this. Maybe I could submit it as an alternate way to do it.
    And great tut btw.
voxel April 9th

Too much “wows & awesomes”. But that’s true, In creativity there is a time when is hard to don’t step in something like videocopilot…
( Reply )
Brandon April 9th

Nice delivery, clear and concise commentary. Keep up the good work.
( Reply )
Sina April 9th

The lighting effect was very unique, I loved it. I definently have to try this one out at some point.
You also explained the whole “matte”ing thing very good as well since I was always confused as to what it was and how it works.
I still am, but I know a little more .
Great tut.
( Reply )
1. Ben McEwan April 10th
  
  Yeah, it’s pretty hard to explain fluently and in one go. At least for me. I’ll give it another shot some other time
  ( Reply )
Bonus April 14th

hi ben i saw this in your channel long time ago when searching for the ipod commercial , it looked great, and the tutorial is perfect, that 3d light that glows the room make a perfect final effect.Congrats , give up on haters , never give up on good things.
Peace
( Reply )
Christina April 14th

Does anyone know how to make this look more organic? I want to have the light streak very smooth and i cant figure out how… HELp
( Reply )
CgBaran Tuts April 18th

Nice effect thanks
( Reply )
digg April 24th

any one have download link of this tutorial…bs here download link is not working…too slow site but really wow. thanx reply me.
( Reply )
digg April 24th

my work
( Reply )
foxnett April 28th

Thank you for this tutorial
foxnett.netsons.org
( Reply )
Alokozay May 1st

Hey this is Obaid alokozay form Afghanistan
and want to tell this that
i thing the best is your site
thanks from good doing for people and i am thankful specially from
Andrew Kremer
bests wishes
( Reply )
newbie May 5th

Hi people from all over the world.
We all have a common love ….AE and we are starving for great tutorials.
That’s why we all visit the coolest sites to get inspired and learn things.
Andrew Crammer Is EXCEPTIONAL and many other guys(not to be mentioned here) but I REALLY appreciate each and every one who is conducive to AE people’s progress by any means.
Instead of hurting people who contribute to the prevalence of AE capabilities ,it certainly would be better encourage them and egg them on keeping up the good work.
It’s not our business to criticize people,,,,,,OUR BUSINESS IS ONLY TO LEARN.
Congratulation Crammer or Ben or Eran Stern or……..
Thank you all for getting us one step further..
( Reply )
Flavio Fernandes da Costa May 9th

Otimo parabéns
( Reply )
aliZap May 11th

hi, please upload the footage to another upload center…
if you can give a direct link that’s better.
but connection speed is low and i cant download from file front…
( Reply )
aliZap May 11th

I cant download Tutorial file!
when download progress reaches 98% my download manager stop downloading and that was closed… what i should to do?
i try downloading with two pc’s and with that two pc’s download having error
Help Me Plz!!!
( Reply )
blake May 21st

i bought particular and installed the program but how do i put it on the after effects
( Reply )
1. Lloyd May 21st
  
  Check out this tutorial: http://ae.tutsplus.com/tutorials/beginner-series/after-effects-for-beginners-effects-animation/
  ( Reply )
Zack May 28th

Thanks a ton dude!
( Reply )
jelly June 27th

Awesome! I learned al ot! Thanks!
( Reply )
Priyanka July 19th

hi,
I an wanting to make a complex video light effect.(with a lot of movement) Isn’t thr a way to do it live while moving and painting..Or is this the only way.
thanx
( Reply )
Rafael July 21st

NICE!
( Reply )
me July 24th

Clean your room.
( Reply )
BHUSHAN August 1st

Hi people from all over the world.
We all have a common love ….AE and we are starving for great tutorials.
That’s why we all visit the coolest sites to get inspired and learn things.
Andrew Crammer Is EXCEPTIONAL and many other guys(not to be mentioned here) but I REALLY appreciate each and every one who is conducive to AE people’s progress by any means.
Instead of hurting people who contribute to the prevalence of AE capabilities ,it certainly would be better encourage them and egg them on keeping up the good work.
It’s not our business to criticize people,,,,,,OUR BUSINESS IS ONLY TO LEARN.
Congratulation Crammer or Ben or Eran Stern or……..
Thank you all for getting us one step further..
( Reply )
BHUSHAN August 1st

Thank you for this tutorial
( Reply )
elvis antonio huaroc August 10th

soy de perú y gracias por ese tutorial esta busimo
( Reply )
vicente castillo August 10th

buen tutorial, very good friend!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
( Reply )
AK August 23rd

very nice
( Reply )
Dodo September 13th

its really a helpful tutorial you had made for the beginners…. Thanks a Lot Sir.
( Reply )
abre September 23rd

very nice! thank you..
( Reply )
nn October 18th

BEN hello I do not speak English to translate this case tambein need your help friend, I started your tutorial but the moment is that you apply the truth a zero and moves the flcha the option that comes down to the xy pocision no effect that I stride I leave that option and really not to do that by running the video did not I get in the way that goes straight up in the tutorial normal particles but everywhere I do help me
( Reply )
1. Ben McEwan November 17th
  
  I’m sorry, I don’t understand what you’re asking.
  ( Reply )
ChrisMag December 13th

i did the tutorial but i have a giant red “X” through my video, any reason why? is it because I chose the “trail” version the “particular” effect from the website? like a watermark or something till i buy the actual product?
( Reply )
1. DoPar December 31st
  
  I have the same giant X …. any answers?
  ( Reply )
bassualdo December 29th

search here
http://bassualdo.blogs.linkbucks.com/
( Reply )
DoPar December 31st

I have the same giant red X … can anyone explain why?
( Reply )
1. Ben McEwan January 31st
  
  Your Trapcode Particular is unregistered. The download from Trapcode’s website is a free demo. The plugin is pretty cheap to buy for what it can do!
  ( Reply )
charly February 6th

i dont know how to do in 5′50′ .just set the mask’s key. it’s all show in font and in last….
( Reply )
charly February 6th

i can’t follow you without captions.can you send me one?
( Reply )