Handy Particles

PENCIL Park Handy Particles is a particle generator that creates particles from shapes, even custom ones.  This feature is not native to After Effects.  You can create particles using shapes like Ellipse, Rectangle, Star, Polygon, Triangle, Bar, and your own custom shapes.

Customize particle size, shape, and direction. You can choose between a static size or random sizing

Burst effect including exploding or imploding particles

Fine-tune your setup using Effect Controls

“Handy Particles”, a feature from Tweaks for After Effects is an extensive, feature-rich After Effects tool designed to create and manipulate particle Flow and Burst. It also offers a unique feature in After Effects’ native tools: the ability to create particles from custom shapes.

Handy Particles Highlights

Interface:

The UI is user-friendly, featuring intuitive sliders and dropdowns. Ideal for quick setups, it’s especially appealing for those who prefer a straightforward approach to particle creation without delving into complex settings. The user interface allows users to select the number of particles, shapes, directions, and sizes (random or not) and whether to implement a burst cycle – exploding or imploding.

Advanced Customization in Effects Panel

Beyond its initial ease of use, the script offers advanced customization options in the Effect Controls Panel. You can fine-tune details like particle size, movement, angle, balancing simplicity and detailed control.
It allows users to customize particle fill and stroke color, adding a layer of aesthetic versatility. This simple yet powerful feature enhances the ability to match particle effects with the overall design palette of a project.

Seamless Integration

Despite its simplicity, “Handy Particles” does not compromise on customization. The tool integrates seamlessly with After Effects, enriching your toolkit for quick tasks and elaborate projects. This tool is ideal for users who need a manageable yet potent particle creation tool, enhancing the aesthetic appeal and dynamic feel of their After Effects projects.

Good to know:

If you need to use a complex shape as reference, make sure that all the paths are in the very first group (Content> Group 1 > path 1, path 2…etc): the name of the group does not matter. The depth is 15 paths. just drag and drop the paths in the group.

If you need to duplicate your layer “Handy Particles” to create an offset, Precompose each Handy Particles layer.

” Handy Particles” is an excellent choice for adding unique visual flair to projects, combining simplicity with creative flexibility.

Unlike the standard CC Particle World or CC Particle Systems II effects in After Effects, which have predefined particle types (like Line, Star, Bubble, etc.), this script offers more customizable particle shapes like Ellipse, Rectangle, Star, Polygon, Triangle, Bar, and even a Custom Shape option.

While CC Particle World provides a 3D particle system with various emitter and physics options, “Handy Particles” focuses on customizing the particle shapes and their detailed behaviour.