Today I began creating one of the small effects I planned which was the thermometer drastically rising in temperature; I think this will work well in giving a visual of shock of temperature to people of all ages.
My idea on how I would do this would be by using software ‘Adobe After Effects’ to create a red rectangle, fitting over the thermometer so it looks like its full. I would then set the settings from the beginning of it low and then change the settings (adjust the size) a couple of seconds after to it being full. When played this would hopefully look as if the thermometer is rising to the top.
To begin I simply began searching for cartoon style images of thermometers on google images, finding this one below.
I then began editing the image in photoshop ready for animation; removing the white background to make the background transparent, removing the numbers and colouring over the marks to enable to make the animation easier to create.
After then I then did another version of the thermometer; filling it all with the same colour red to look like its full.
After this, I then imported the thermometer half full image into the current project in After Effects.
My plan was to make the thermometer swing in and look as though its rising in temperature.
To do this I set the ‘Position’ options of the image, so its off the screen on the left. I also adjusted the ‘Rotation’ options to give the thermometer a slight slant as it comes in.
After about 0.5 seconds, I changed the ‘Position’ and options, making it on screen but still slanted.
Then after another 0.2 seconds, I changed the ‘Rotation’ options, making it slightly slant in the opposite direction. When played this made the thermometer make a sudden rush into the screen; like when putting a bottle down, because of the sudden force it wobble afterwards.
Then after a split second I changed the ‘Rotation’ settings once again, but this time making it straight. This made it look like the thermometer was wobbling when it was suddenly rushed in.
Making It Rise In Temperature
From here, I then created a long recatangle in the ‘Shape Tools’. I then put it over the thermomer, matching the colour and the width of the current redness, I also made the height very small; this was so it didn’t look like it had suddenly risen when played back.
I then set the current ‘Scale’ and ‘Position’ settings of the square from where it appears. After a few seconds, I changed the ‘Scale’ settings, making it fill up the thermometer. If I didn’t then adjust the position of the shape, it would just resize over the thermometer, so from here I adjusted the ‘Position’ settings, making it match the inside of the thermometer.
When played back, the shape would transform into the new settings; making it look like the thermometer is filling up.
When full, I then imported the image I did in photoshop of it in total redness. Placing it in, I matched the current position and size of the previous.
I then changed the ‘Rotation’ settings, making it slant in an opposite direction every slit second.
When played back this made it look like when full, the thermometer started to shake.
Once this was done, to give it good transition out, I began adjusting the position settings. Setting the current as it was and then after a few second changing them to it now off screen at the bottom. When played back this made the thermometer have a sudden drop.
mattbroonline 