Blender : Animate a Fire with Blender
By Saraja Olivier


 

I  n  t  r  o  d  u  c  t  i  o  n

Modelling a fire is an unavoidable step in one's tridimensional artist career. Most of the time, you don't even notice it when it's time... you become curious and you stop trying to model cups of coffee in order to pay a look to Particles systems. You then realize that you are no more a newbie but, somewhat, some sort of a an initiate. Your skill has matured, and you show more insight in the building of new scenes.Time has come to learn even further. But enough with this low level philosophy ! You are here to read a quick and efficient turorial about Particles. The purpose is easily set : we'll make a good old campfire !

As you will see, the method is very easy and straightforward, and should not prove difficult now that you masters most of the basics of Blender. First of all, we will create a mesh that will become our particles emitter. Its material will be turned into a Halo, to which a procedural marble texture will be associated, with carefully chosen colors... A few texture parameters setting later, our fire will be completed ! Doesn't seem difficult, right ? So get into you fireproof pants and go one !

Important note : during the turorials about animation of fire and smoke with Blender, you should remember that the particles systems don't always have the expected behavior in the close vicinity of the emitter. For this reason, we suggest you to build your scenes in order to have your emitter away under the floor, for example. Anyway, you will see by yourself, while making your first renderings with this tutorials, what's wrong if you keep the emitter exactly facing the camera. Happy blendering !