If you’ve ever dipped your toes into character animation, you know that rigging is where the magic really begins. Animating characters in After Effects can be powerful, but it’s not always intuitive. One of the core decisions you’ll face is whether to use forward kinematics (FK) or inverse kinematics (IK) to control your rigs. Each […]

Designers know that sometimes the smallest detail makes the biggest difference. Shadows, for example, are one of those subtle touches that can completely transform a flat graphic into something with depth, dimension, and personality. But here’s the catch – creating precise and customizable long shadows in Photoshop isn’t exactly quick or intuitive. That’s where the […]

When it comes to exploring creative boundaries in Photoshop, most designers are familiar with brushes, filters, and layer effects. But what happens when you want to step beyond traditional tools and dive into something that feels futuristic – something rooted in complexity, randomness, and organic beauty? That’s where Lattice, the advanced generative design Photoshop plugin, […]

If you’ve ever tried to add lens flares in Photoshop, you already know the built-in effects can feel a little… limited. They’re fine for quick mockups, but when it comes to professional work – especially anything cinematic – they just don’t cut it. That’s where Ultraflares comes in. It’s widely considered the most advanced lens […]

If you’ve ever tried working with paths inside After Effects, you’ve probably realized pretty quickly that animating along a path isn’t always as smooth as it should be. The software has tools for path animation, but they often come with workarounds, extra keyframes, and limitations that can slow down the creative process. That’s where a […]

Character animation is one of the most exciting yet challenging areas of motion design. Whether you’re working on a quirky explainer video, a cinematic short, or a polished advertisement, animating characters can bring projects to life in ways no static design ever could. But if you’ve ever tried animating characters in After Effects, you already […]

Motion Mosaic v1.2 for After Effects has been officially released. This small update has addressed a memory leak that was found. You can grab the latest version in the product page.

If you’ve ever tried to animate a layer or a sprite along a curve or motion path in Adobe After Effects, you know how painstaking it can be. Before you start, you’re already battling dozens of keyframes just to approximate motion. That’s why traditional After Effects path animation can feel outdated compared to modern tools. […]

The brand new path animation plugin developed for After Effects has just been released! No more cumbersome keyframes when animating along a path in After Effects. With Path Animator, you simply specify the path and the layer. Animate with ease using one single slider. Animate along a single path, or multiple paths… concurrently or sequentially! […]

When it comes to animating characters in After Effects, things can get messy fast. Character rigging, especially when inverse kinematics (IK) are involved, can be time-consuming, unintuitive, and downright frustrating with native tools. That’s where an After Effects rigging plugin like IK Studio from Richard Rosenman Advertising & Design completely changes the game. IK Studio […]

If you’ve spent any time animating in Adobe After Effects, you know that while it’s incredibly powerful, it doesn’t always do everything you need right out of the box. That’s where After Effects plugins come in. These tools extend the software’s core functionality, making it faster, smarter, and far more capable. Especially when you’re diving […]

If you’re deep into the world of animation, motion graphics, or visual effects, chances are you already know how powerful Adobe After Effects can be. It’s practically the go-to software for professionals working in everything from explainer videos to full-on cinematic intros. But if you’re not tapping into the world of After Effects plugins, you’re […]

If you’ve spent any time in the world of motion graphics, you already know that Adobe After Effects is one of the most powerful tools out there. But let’s be honest: what really takes it from great to exceptional are the After Effects plugins. These plugins not only streamline your workflow but also unlock creative […]

If you’ve ever tried your hand at animating characters, you already know that rigging can be one of the trickiest parts of the process. Whether you’re working on a short film, a YouTube animation, or even a commercial project, getting your characters to move naturally is key. And when it comes to rigging in After […]

The Best Lens Flare Photoshop Plugins If you’ve ever looked at a high-end movie scene or a sleek digital ad and thought, “Wow, that lighting looks epic,” chances are, lens flares played a big part. These striking bursts of light are everywhere in visual media – from sci-fi blockbusters to glossy magazine covers. They add […]

If you work in motion graphics, visual effects, or video editing, you already know that After Effects is one of the most powerful tools out there. But even this creative powerhouse has its limits until you unlock its full potential with third-party After Effects plugins. These add-ons supercharge your workflow, adding everything from advanced motion […]

If you’ve ever found yourself buried in keyframes, yearning for that one missing feature in Adobe After Effects, you’re not alone. That’s where After Effects plugins come into play. Within the first few months of diving into After Effects, most motion designers and video editors discover these powerful add-ons that completely transform the way you […]

If you’ve ever tried to replicate cinematic depth of field in your motion graphics or compositing work, you know how challenging it can be. While After Effects offers some basic built-in tools, achieving photorealistic results often requires more advanced solutions. Enter DOF PRO (Depth Of Field Generator PRO), a professional-grade After Effects depth of field […]

Generative design is changing the way artists and designers create stunning visuals, and with the right tools, the possibilities are nearly limitless. Whether you’re working in motion graphics, digital art, or visual effects, leveraging generative design techniques can open up new creative frontiers. The best part? You don’t need to code from scratch—After Effects plugins […]

Adobe After Effects is a powerful tool for video editors, motion designers, and visual effects artists. While it comes packed with incredible features, sometimes you need extra tools to push your creativity further. That’s where After Effects plugins come in. These plugins extend the software’s capabilities, offering advanced effects, automation, and improved workflow efficiency. Whether […]

Depth of field (DOF) refers to the range within a photograph or video where objects appear acceptably sharp and in focus. It is a critical aspect of visual storytelling, guiding the viewer’s attention to specific elements within a scene while creating a sense of depth and realism. In Adobe After Effects, achieving precise and photorealistic […]

I’ve just released my Box Fitting plugin for After Effects – and it’s 100% free. The algorithm works by creating a single box and enlarging it until it either reaches the maximum size allowed or reaches the edge of another box. Ultimately, the canvas is filled with as many boxes as possible turning the image […]

When it comes to rigging characters in After Effects, there’s certainly no shortage of available options. Depending on what the character animation requirements are, there are different tools offering different capabilities and some may be more suitable than others. Some of these tools come in the form of scripts while others come as native plugins […]

The brand new IK Studio plugin for After Effects has been released! IK Studio is a powerful After Effects plugin that generates a joint angle using inverse kinematics. It’s a sophisticated IK solver designed for the facilitation of complex character animation and, unlike all other existing After Effects IK scripts, it’s a blazing fast native […]

What are Photoshop Plugins? Adobe Photoshop is arguably the undisputed champion when it comes to image editing software. There is no app more powerful, flexible and recognizable than Photoshop, and with the reputation of over three decades of production-proven experience. Although Photoshop can cover just about any area of digital image editing, its true power […]

Top 10 After Effects Plugins to Enhance Your Creativity Adobe After Effects is an industry-standard tool for motion graphics, visual effects, and compositing. However, its real power lies in its ability to integrate with third-party plugins. These plugins can supercharge your workflow and expand the creative possibilities at your disposal. After Effects plugins are especially […]

Do you have an After Effects plugin idea you’d like to get developed? Check out the custom plugin development services as well as existing freeware and commercial plugins. After Effects has revolutionized the motion graphics and visual effects industry by offering unparalleled tools for animation and compositing. However, the true potential of this software is […]

Particle Projection v1.2 for After Effects has been released, featuring Multi-Frame Rendering (MFR) support among many other improvements. New sub-pixel interpolation results in 100% clean renders when using many particles closely packed together. You can check it out here!

Motion Mosaic for After Effects has been updated with Multi-Frame Rendering (MFR) support. Additionally improvements and features have been added. Motion Mosaic is a complex After Effects plugin that generates a motion mosaic using a displacement and icon layer. The ability to rotate, scale or offset the icon layer’s time by the displacement layer is […]

DOF PRO for After Effects has been updated with Multi-Frame Rendering (MFR) support, receiving a fairly significant speed boost. In one test, DOF PRO featured a performance gain of 40%. In a second test, it featured a performance gain of 13.2%. In a third test, it featured a performance gain of 14.8%. The more CPU […]

As an animation professional, creative director and studio owner with over 25 years in the industry, one of the top requests I’ve always received over the years is for tutoring. So after a considerable amount of setup, I’ve put together a tutoring service that I think will be greatly appealing to many people. There is […]

All After Affects plugins for Mac have been updated to support M1 Silicon compatibility. Enjoy!

A breathtakingly-beautiful short CGI film developed by the uber-talented Aris Michailidis has just been released. The meticulous attention to detail, cinematic lighting and beautiful camera work is something to marvel at. Aris pointed out that many of the shots were developed using DOF PRO. Check out the gorgeous short film here.

DOF PRO v5.2 has been released. This exciting update contains a number of important bug fixes as well as improvements. To see the updates, please review the Changelog located at the bottom of the documentation tab. You can check it out here!

The brand-spanking new Motion Mosaic plugin for Adobe After Effects has just been released! Motion Mosaic is a complex After Effects plugin that generates a motion mosaic using a displacement and icon layer. The ability to rotate, scale or offset the icon layer’s time by the displacement layer is what produces truly unique results. Check […]

Check out the brand new, ultra-powerful DOF PRO plugin for After Effects! DOF PRO is a powerful plugin for After Effects, capable of complex depth of field effects. This is a full port of the Photoshop version, complete with tons of additional new features and optimized for After Effects! You can check it out here.

The Ascii Art Photoshop plugin has been updated. Users stated that it produced a MEMORY ACCESS VIOLATION error when trying to save the ascii file. You can check it out here.

It took some time but all After Effects plugins are now Mac compatible. When downloading any demos from their respective pages, the archives will now contain both Mac and Windows versions. Installation and Activation instructions have also been updated to show support for both platforms.

There is a brand new DOF PRO video tutorial that covers highlight processing. Take an in-depth look at how to correctly process highlights generated with DOF PRO using standard Photoshop tools. The tutorial has also been posted in the product page under Tutorials and you can also find various other tutorials on my YouTube Channel […]

The brand new Palette Mapper plugin for Adobe After Effects has officially been released. It’s 100% FREE – go check it out!

An update has been added to Particle Projection, bringing it to version 1.1. This includes some bug fixes as well as several new and exciting features. Check it out!. You can check it out here!

I’m delighted to announce the immediate release of my first After Effects plugin, Particle Projection. Particle Projection is a powerful After Effects plugin for generating complex particle arrays projected through the use of a displacement layer. Particle Projection can create stunning and unique generative effects with an incredible level of detail. Music from https://filmmusic.io:“Crypto” by […]

I’m excited to release my latest plugin: Electra for Adobe Photoshop! Electra is a powerful Photoshop plugin for generating electric rays, lightning bolts, electrical charges, power currents and much more. Electra is fast, packs a rich feature-set and is fully-integrated within Adobe Photoshop. Check out the free demo here!

The development of Photoshop plugins, as well as any type of computer graphics software, requires certain key aspects to be taken into consideration. This article will discuss some of them in detail based on my experience, and explain why they are important. While this article has been written with Photoshop plugins in mind, it is […]

The Halftone plugin has been updated to v2.0 with a ton of new features. You can check it out here!

The brand new plugin Long Shadow, for the generation of flat, graphic shadows easily within Adobe Photoshop, has just been released! Long Shadow features a minimalist interface with powerful tools for creating all types of graphic shadows. Check it out here.

A quick but excellent of example of using DOF PRO for adding depth to this beautiful watch image, originally without depth of field. This is using DOF PRO’s chromatic aberration features and the built-in linear depth map function so a computer generated depth map wasn’t required. A pentagonal iris shape was used and highlights were […]

Ultraflares is much more than a lens flare plugin; it’s a full feature light studio. Its elaborate feature set provides an endless number of applications. One interesting use for Ultraflares is in the creation of bokeh backgrounds. These backgrounds provide a subtle and minimalist out of focus backdrop from which your subjects can stand out […]

I’m pleased to announce the immediate availability of Ultraflares Flarepack Vol. 3, a collection of 30 cutting-edge lens flare presets for Ultraflares. This collection focuses specifically on technology lens flares, providing detailed and sophisticated flare presets for all your modern hi-tech imagery.

I’m pleased to announce the immediate availability of Ultraflares Flarepack Vol. 2, a collection of 30 cutting-edge lens flare presets for Ultraflares. This collection focuses specifically on cinematic lens flares, providing detailed and sophisticated flare presets for all your modern photography and design.

There is a brand new Ultraflares video tutorial that covers how to work non-destructively with Ultraflares. This workflow applies to many other facets of Photoshop, in addition to Ultraflares so it is an invaluable tutorial: The tutorial has also been posted in the product page under Tutorials and you can also find various other tutorials […]

There is a brand new Ultraflares video tutorial that covers using lens textures in great detail. If you’ve ever wanted to know how to use this killer Ultraflares feature, this is for you: The tutorial has also been posted in the product page under Tutorials and you can also find various other tutorials on my […]

I’m pleased to announce the immediate availability of Ultraflares Flarepack Vol. 1, a collection of 30 cutting-edge lens flare presets for Ultraflares. This collection focuses specifically on anamorphic lens flares, providing sleek and sophisticated flare presets for all your modern photography and design.

I came across an absolutely stunning photo of a snowflake featuring very prominent achromatic aberration, which tends to happen in macro shots due to lens imperfections. This photo was shot by Egor Kamelev and his work is quite beautiful. Achromatic aberration is a key feature of the new DOF PRO v5.0 and it is capable […]

There is a brand new Ultraflares video tutorial that covers the plugin in great detail. If you are considering purchasing this plugin, or have purchased it but still wish to know how it works better than you currently do, this is for you: The tutorial has also been posted in the product page under Tutorials […]

A new update has been released for Ultraflares, making it version 1.2. This update focuses on various interface improvements such as maximize and minimize interface & browser, resize interface, and more. To see the full list of changes, please review the changelog in the documentation section on the product page. Grab the new version of […]

I’ve just released the Image Light Leaks Vol. 3 – a huge follow-up collection of 162 4K professional image light leaks for digital artists, designers, photographers and retouchers! Check it out here!

A cutting-edge DOF PRO render adding clean, crisp depth of field to the engine in this gorgeous photo. This process features some of DOF PRO’s intricate features including achromatic aberration and optical vignetting. The processing integrity is what makes this image: take note of how clean and razor sharp the depth of field effect is, […]

A quick process with DOF PRO to add focus through the use of depth of field to the steering wheel in this gorgeous photo. This process features some of DOF PRO’s awesome features including achromatic aberration and optical vignetting. For more info, check out DOF PRO now.

Seeking an uber-talented Adobe After Effects developer for an exciting new plugin development project. If you think you’ve got what it takes and are interested in collaborating on cutting edge cool & creative software get in touch!

A new image created with 3ds Max, then DOF PRO for post depth of field using a computer generated depth map. Glints added with Ultraflares!

A quick test using Element 3D and it’s ability to export depth maps. It was then brought into DOF PRO and processed for cutting-edge depth of field. In addition, the motion blur was created with MBL PRO, the glows were created with Lumiere, the post-processing with Image Light Leaks Vol. 1, and the lens flare […]

The latest Photoshop plugin is here! I’m pleased to announce the immediate availability of DOF PRO v5.0 (Depth of Field Generator PRO), the undisputed leader in photorealistic depth of field effects for Adobe Photoshop and compatible hosts. DOF PRO v5.0 has had its core functionality greatly expanded and now includes some absolutely killer technology not […]

It’s been over a year since the release of Ultraflares, the ultimate lens flare and light studio solution for Adobe Photoshop, and thanks to you, it continues to grow in popularity! Ultraflares has become a best seller and it’s no surprise why: it’s the definitive Photoshop plugin for those demanding the very best in photorealistic […]

MBL PRO, the Photoshop plugin for the creation of sophisticated motion blur effects, has been updated to v1.3 fixing a bug that resulting in freezing with high resolution images.

Another absolutely killer generative design find by Christoph Bader & Dominik Kolb, over at deskriptiv.de. Beautiful structures oozing with organic flow as well as available 3D prints. Be sure to explore all the different gallery sites for some truly stunning work!

There’s been some silence on the home front but that’s due to several new plugins that are currently being updated / developed and will be made available soon. Needless to say, there is some awesome technology coming out soon that will be of great interest to artists, designers and photographers. While there is no specific […]

I’ve just released the Image Light Leaks Vol. 2 – a massive collection of 150 4K professional image light leaks for digital artists, designers, photographers and retouchers! Check it out here!

I’ve just released the Image Light Leaks Vol. 1 – a massive collection of 200 4K professional image light leaks for digital artists, designers, photographers and retouchers! Check it out here!

I’ve just released the Image Light Leaks Free Pack – a 100% free collection of 20 4K professional image light leaks for digital artists, designers, photographers and retouchers! Check it out here!

I’m pleased to announce the immediate release and availability of Lattice, my new particle based procedural lattice generator for Adobe Photoshop and compatible hosts! Lattice is a novel Photoshop plugin for designers, illustrators and digital artists for the creation of generative design. What are you waiting for? Go check it out now!

I’ve just come across the work of Leonardo Solaas who was commissioned to produce some stunning generative art pieces for a book called Propagaciones in Chile. You can check out the entire collection on his Flickr page. Additionally, you can see some of Leonardo’s other work on his website.

A stylish, fun and very well crafted short film called Romeo Reboot by Rafael Grampá. You can see it in full, along with a making of featurette, here.

A pretty interesting and well executed short film called Traveler written and directed by Simon Brown. See it here.

It’s been quiet around here as of late and it’s because I’ve been working hard finishing one of my latest projects. Today, CGPlugins.com was officially launched! CGPlugins.com (Computer Graphics Plugins) is a website designed for developers to promote their computer-graphics related plugins & scripts, for free, so as to draw attention, improve product visibility and […]

Beeple is the work of Mike Winkelmann and undoubtedly one of the most original artists out there today. His work is cutting-edge CGI and a lot of it consists of VJ clips – which he even gives away for free! I’ve been following Mike’s VJ work for some time (I have many favorite links on […]

In case you’ve been living under a very large rock for the past few years, you’ve been aware of the discovery of the plotting of the famous Mandelblot fractal in three dimensions, called the Mandelbulb, developed by Daniel White and Paul Nylander. Skytopia showcases some of these stunning 3d Mandelbulb projections and discusses the algorithmic […]

One of my favorite CG fractal artist is Tom Beddard over at his (recently revamped) website Sub.Blue. Tom has been developing some of the coolest CG generate art experiments I’ve ever seen, all custom written with various scripts, including a powerful Mandelbulb explorer complete with ambient occlusion coded using Adobe’s now-defunct Pixel Bender. A while […]

I’ve been a long-time fan of the super-talented Jared Tarbell’s Complexification site: a gorgeous display of computer algorithms developed for generative art creation. Jared has a jaw-dropping number of striking pieces all developed with processing.org, the open-source flexible software sketchbook and language for learning how to code within the context of the visual arts. Among […]

Another gorgeous fractal / generate art experiment created by Lee Griggs using XGen cubes rendered with Arnold. He uses a texture map to drive the length and color of an XGen primitive. While I haven’t personally used Arnold yet, it is claimed to be able to render millions of instances of geometry without any problems. […]

A gem of a find: Novastructura is maintained by Giuseppe Randazzo, a designer from Turin (Italy). Some absolutely stunning fractal experiments created with custom written scripts / software and then 3D printed. In particular, check out the Stone Fields section.

It’s no surprise I have an admiration for CFD solvers and the other day I came across this experiment which floored me – a fully GPU-accelerated computation fluid dynamics system working within a browser developed by George Corney. If you have a modern video card, this baby flies! You can check it out here: GPU […]

I just watched the first trailer for the Gooseberry Open Movie Project created with Blender and rendered with Cycles called Cosmos Laundromat. Not only are the visuals kick-ass but the story is wonderfully captivating. Congratulations to everyone who participated for doing such a great job! Read about more of the project here!

All freeware and commercial plugins have been updated to support Windows 10. Previously, there was a bug that produced a crash in some rare circumstances. If you haven’t yet explored the plugins, Check them out now!

I’m pleased to announce the immediate availability of Ultraflares v1.0, the ultimate lens flare and light studio plugin for Adobe Photoshop and compatible hosts! Backed by over a year and a half of research and development, Ultraflares boasts some of the most advanced and realistic lens flare features available today. Ultraflares comes packed with hundreds […]

I’m pleased to announce my popular MBL PRO plugin for Adobe Photoshop or compatible hosts has been finally released as a 64 bit application. MBL PRO (Motion Blur Lab PRO) is an Adobe Photoshop (or compatible host) plugin capable of producing high-quality, multi-directional and variable-strength motion blur effects quickly and efficiently using motion vectors. MBL […]

I’m pleased to announce my popular Lumiere Photoshop plugin for Adobe Photoshop has been updated to v2.0 and, more importantly, finally released as a 64 bit application. Lumiere is an extremely powerful plugin for Adobe Photoshop that generates advanced glow effects. Lumiere can produce sophisticated specular blooms, flared highlights and diffused glows with complete control […]

I’m happy to announce my 3D Sphere PRO plugin for Adobe Photoshop has been updated to v2.0 and, more importantly, finally released as a 64 bit application. 3D Sphere PRO is a versatile Photoshop plugin that generates 3D spheres. 3D Sphere PRO boasts a feature-rich tool set including texture mapping, procedural mapping, light position & […]

I’m happy to announce my very popular Lens Corrector PRO plugin for Adobe Photoshop has been updated to v1.5 and, more importantly, finally released as a 64 bit application! This the first of my many commercial plugins to be released in 64 bit. Lens Corrector PRO is a powerful Photoshop plugin capable of correcting virtually […]

After thousands of requests and a significant overhaul, I’m pleased to announce the immediate availability of my freeware plugins for Adobe Photoshop, compiled and fully working in 64 bit. Additionally, there are many new, never before seen plugins available. Please feel free to check them out and most importantly, remember they are all FREE! These […]

Absolutely stunning film by Erik Wernquist called Wanderers, a vision of our humanity’s future expansion into the Solar System. Erik is an insanely talented digital artist and animator from Stockholm, Sweden.