SuperHi FM

In this project, our focus lies in crafting a captivating piece of art through the mesmerizing interplay of color mixing and blending. We will be using several techniques from the TouchDesigner library, such as transform, feedback, and blur to make beautiful artworks from simple shapes.

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Videos

Time to blend! In this chapter, we'll be working with mixing and blending of shapes and colors. Fun fact, this project was named after a song by 90s band Ride.

Lesson 01

Welcome to Vapor Trail

Time to blend! In this chapter, we'll be working with mixing and blending of shapes and colors. Fun fact, this project was named after a song by 90s band Ride.

Let's start by making a circle move in a circular pattern by using a Circle TOP to draw the circle, then two Pattern CHOPs to control its position.

Lesson 02

Circle moving in a circle

Let's start by making a circle move in a circular pattern by using a Circle TOP to draw the circle, then two Pattern CHOPs to control its position.

With CHOPs, we have a lot of control over the circle. It doesn't need to be in a circular pattern and it doesn't need to stay the same size!

Lesson 03

Changing the path and radius of the circle using CHOPs

With CHOPs, we have a lot of control over the circle. It doesn't need to be in a circular pattern and it doesn't need to stay the same size!

With a Circle TOP, we can control the individual red, green, and blue channels that make up its color, and whenever there's a number, we can add CHOPs!

Lesson 04

How to alter color channels with Pattern CHOPs

With a Circle TOP, we can control the individual red, green, and blue channels that make up its color, and whenever there's a number, we can add CHOPs!

A Ramp TOP is made up of 4 color channels which we can convert into its base components, by taking the TOP and turning it into a CHOP. We can then use these CHOP channels to pick a color based on the gradient.

Lesson 05

Picking a color from a Ramp TOP using CHOPs

A Ramp TOP is made up of 4 color channels which we can convert into its base components, by taking the TOP and turning it into a CHOP. We can then use these CHOP channels to pick a color based on the gradient.

Feedback, feedback, feedback. We dig it! By adding a loop into our art, we can save the previous version and then add a new version over the top of it to get a trail effect.

Lesson 06

Adding a feedback loop to get a trail

Feedback, feedback, feedback. We dig it! By adding a loop into our art, we can save the previous version and then add a new version over the top of it to get a trail effect.

We love to smash that 1 key. Reset that feedback loop easily by adding a Keyboard In CHOP.

Lesson 07

Adding a keyboard shortcut to reset the feedback loop

We love to smash that 1 key. Reset that feedback loop easily by adding a Keyboard In CHOP.

Shift and add, shift and add. By adding a transform, we can get some natural movement to our artwork.

Lesson 08

Adding a transform TOP to create movement

Shift and add, shift and add. By adding a transform, we can get some natural movement to our artwork.

Don't be On Your Own, Girls And Boys. This Charmless Man will teach you that There's No Other Way to add a Blur effect than this. Parklife!

Lesson 09

Adding a blur effect

Don't be On Your Own, Girls And Boys. This Charmless Man will teach you that There's No Other Way to add a Blur effect than this. Parklife!

Do you remember on the first project that we had a watercolor style effect? We can reuse that technique to achieve a smoky-style effect to our trails.

Lesson 10

Adding a smoke effect using Displace and Noise TOPs

Do you remember on the first project that we had a watercolor style effect? We can reuse that technique to achieve a smoky-style effect to our trails.

We love a background so let's add one in.

Lesson 11

Applying a background

We love a background so let's add one in.

Is it worth it? Let me work it... I put my thing down, flip it and reverse it.

Lesson 12

Variation 1: Flip and composite

Is it worth it? Let me work it... I put my thing down, flip it and reverse it.

HSV stands for hue, saturation, and value, which is an alternative way to describe color as numbers (similar to red, green, and blue). Here we alter our colors to change the hue of our flipped image.

Lesson 13

Variation 2: HSV Adjust

HSV stands for hue, saturation, and value, which is an alternative way to describe color as numbers (similar to red, green, and blue). Here we alter our colors to change the hue of our flipped image.

And of course, there are a million ways to change this project to get completely different outcomes. This project is an exercise in blending colors and shapes.

Lesson 14

Further directions

And of course, there are a million ways to change this project to get completely different outcomes. This project is an exercise in blending colors and shapes.

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