After Effects: Effects A-Z series continues with Cell Pattern, a handy background creation effect originally part of the Cult Effects set of plug-ins. With a little experimentation you’ll be surprised what you can create!

The importance of experimentation to a motion designer can’t be over emphasised. Experimentation stretches your skills into new areas and has the potential to result in fresh, personalised looks, rather than copying the latest trend.

In this walkthrough After Effects tutorial I breakdown a concert/music video-style video wall look, emphasising where I experimented along the way. Plug-ins used include CC Ball Action, Trapcode Lux and Starglow,  (use motionworks10 for a 10% discount), Video Copilot Optical Flares and GenArts Sapphire.    Watch tutorial (mp4)

This seamlessly looping After Effects background is based on the Cell Pattern effect and includes a number of adjustment layers you can use to modify the basic look.

Here are a couple of Form experiments. Both use the String settings; one for an amorphous background element and the other for an interesting text reveal. Click the thumbnail for large images.  Download Project

This After Effects CS4 background is based on a 3×3 Grid created in Adobe Illustrator. Click the thumbnail to view full size images.Take a look at this on-demand e-seminar for tips on how it was set up and how to work with the Illustrator file to change the shapes.  Download project

In part 3 of this series learn how to use After Effects Shape Layers to add dynamic and organic, self-animating elements to the background.

Watch tutorial

In part 2 of this series learn how to use After Effects Shape Layers, Fractal Noise and Grid effects to create background elements, then animate them using the Convert Audio to Keyframes feature. Watch tutorial