Whenever characters or objects move really fast, we see a smear trail follow them for readability, quality or comedic effect. Sometimes even slow motion!

Now, without having to model these things, you can add them to your shots with this post processing node! See the demo video to see it in action!!

Features:

• Centered on the current frame
• Speed based Opacity mask to amplify effect over objects at higher speeds
• Outline removal (needs a mask from user) for cleaner smears (special bonus - not needed in most cases)
• Spike size based on certain depth settings to increase size based on proximity to the camera
• Gen Outline Mask Erosion can inflate the outline mask for greater coverage in removal.
• Spike Outline Color customization
• Spike base texture offset and scale

Special feature!

• Driver panel on the inside that controls speed, samples and blur strength among other things.

Defaults based on real-world projects and custom options exposed, simplifies the process so you can focus on your art! Just remember that it can only work with what is visible in the frame over 3 consecutive frames - vector pass.

The best part is that this is not limited to anime, but any NPR application that would require such a motion effect!

Instructions:

• Append the Motion Smear (Spikes) nodegroup - with fake user ticked.This will import the other functional groups it also uses.
• In the compositor, Tick Use Nodes, Add, Groups, Motion Smear (Spikes)
• Connect the relevants passes and object mask and it should work well by default.
• Customize colors and other details for your project!

NOTE:

• This is a global effect, so I recommend you add all your smear objects to one node group. You can do more than one, but this was not designed that way and neither was the vector pass, which is the foundation for this effect.
• So far only works with Cycles, because of the vector pass, but the developers claim all passes will be supported with the re-write, so keep that in mind.
• This node also uses the normal pass, which is different between cycles and eevee. If you can use this in eevee, because the vector pass is now supported, adjust the normal dot to be perfectly centered on the camera, for it to be mixed right.
• Have fun!

More info on the development here:http://www.pantherdynamics.yolasite.com/panther-dynamics-blog/newfeat