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M
Martijn M. Maas
Participant
September 6, 2022
Question

Linear/Non-bezier Mesh Warp distortion effect?

  • September 6, 2022
  • 1 reply
  • 1108 views

Hello,

I'm looking to distort an image based on a mesh, similar to the Mesh Warp effect After Effects has built in. The unfortunate thing about the Mesh Warp effects is that it's built on a vertex-system with bezier handles, which distort my image based on an easing/curves, which is not what I'm looking for. I need a 'linearly' mapped distortion: subdivision based on columns and rows, and point-to-point distortion without beziers.
Is there another effect or method to achieve this? I've tried as much with the Mesh Warp effect as possible, but it's simply not workable for my intended goal.

Thanks in advance!

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1 reply

Mylenium
Mylenium
Legend
September 6, 2022

The closest to that would likely be a 3D-ish plug-in like Plexus or Freeform with the tension for the underlying deformable grids being cranked up to 11 so it looks like flat polygons. However, the texture distortion would still be a problem. Otherwise this is perhaps really more a thing for 3D programs where you could achieve the effect by unwelding the underlying UVs of a per-poly vertex map. As much as I try to think of something, short of using complex expressions and patching together e.g. multiple Corner Pin effects I can't think of an easy way to solve this. It's really an unusual request/ requirement.

 

Mylenium

    M
    Martijn M. MaasAuthor
    Participant
    September 6, 2022

    Thanks for your reply Mylenium! I've started looking around how to achieve this 3D software (Blender in my case), like you said, but doing this would be equally cumbersome considering my desired animation is dependant on the alignment of shape-layers and the mentioned distorrted image layers. I was hoping to achieve it in AE, since it has the best path/point placement- and interpolation-control of all the software options I have.
    I think it's strange you mention that it's an unusual request, considering what I'm looking for seems to me to be a more rudimentary version of the existing Mesh Warp effect. I'm a little disappointed that none of the Adobe software seems to offer what I'm looking for. I might code something up myself.

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