water through cracks

[stevesideas]

I'm having to show water travelling through cracks. Imagine looking at a brick wall and seeing water travelling up from a single point along the pointing (Between the bricks) to create an almost tree like effect, but the water must travel through a specific structure (denoted by a texture). I was thinking about using ivy gen but wasn't sure if you could grow along a mask (or other texture). Maybe particles would work.

any ideas ?

[Alan Iglesias]

I'm having to show water travelling through cracks. Imagine looking at a brick wall and seeing water travelling up from a single point along the pointing (Between the bricks) to create an almost tree like effect, but the water must travel through a specific structure (denoted by a texture). I was thinking about using ivy gen but wasn't sure if you could grow along a mask (or other texture). Maybe particles would work.

any ideas ?

Here's an idea, Steve (sorry!) (HA!)

Anyway, just off the top of my head, you might try the Volume Select modifier based on an animated mesh (based on your texture) as the gizmo to select the faces of the water object as it "travels" up the structure. Set the Volume Select Stack Selection Level to faces and then next in the stack would be perhaps a Material modifier which would change the water material from "invisible" (say, a material with Vray Color=black in the Opacity slot) to the water material. You'd probably need an animated water material to "sell" the effect.

Kind of a hack, but hey, it might work for you...

-Alan

[stevesideas]

I see what you did there

Yeah I was thinking of something along the lines. I tried using masks in aftereffects but really need some kind of growing effect that is non-uniform. So basically it grows in a random way where the water finds the easiest route. I may just have use a simplistic masking method instead.

[Raven]

I would say it is something for particle flow or thinking particles.

I seam to remember there was an L-system type of growth that someone did for pflow. It could probably be adapted to what you need.
Check the orbaz forums.

[stevesideas]

Cheers. I'll check that out. Sounds like exactly what I need.

[Deflaminis]

Phoenix FD can also travel a spline path now with v3.