Elemental Magic

Chapter 5 Fire, Smoke, and Explosions

 

When attempting to animate fire or smoke, the importance of understanding the underlying forces of energy cannot be understated. Without this core energy, fire and smoke animation will simply not ring true. Animating fire and smoke is far more about understanding the energy that is in play than moving pretty shapes around in random ways, as we so often see artists do when attempting to animate these sublimely beautiful elements.

Without the forces of gravity, wind, hot and cool air currents, or excess fuel being added to a fire, a fire will actually burn as a perfect featureless sphere! (As was discovered when conducting experiments in zero gravity aboard a space shuttle.) When we look at a fire's flame, ...