Creating an Emitter Layer
- Click Add Layer in the Layers Panel.
- Select Emitter Layer.
- A new emitter layer will appear on your canvas. Initially, it will be empty until you add Emitter Cells.
Emitter Properties
These properties control the overall behavior of the particle system and are found in the Emitter tab.Emitter Position
The specific point where particles are created relative to the layer’s bounds.- Find Emitter Position in the Emitter tab.
- Adjust the X and Y coordinates to move the “mouth” of the emitter.
Emitter Size
The dimensions of the emission area. A larger size spreads particles over a wider area.Emitter Shape
The shape of the emission area:- Point: Emit from a single dot.
- Line: Emit along a horizontal or vertical line.
- Rectangle: Emit from a rectangular area.
Emitter Mode
Controls how particles populate the chosen shape:- Volume: Particles appear anywhere inside the shape.
- Outline: Particles appear only on the edges of the shape.
- Surface: Particles appear on the surface area.
Render Mode
Controls how particles are drawn relative to each other:- Unordered: Standard drawing.
- Additive: Particles glow when they overlap (excellent for fire or magic effects).
Emitter Cells
Emitter cells define the appearance and behavior of the individual particles. You can add multiple cells to one emitter for complex effects (e.g., mixing rain and lightning).Adding a Cell
- Select the Emitter layer.
- In the Emitter tab, find the Emitter Cells section.
- Click + Add Cell.
- Configure the cell properties in the expanded menu.
Cell Properties
- Birth Rate: How many particles are created per second.
- Lifetime: How long each particle stays on screen (in seconds).
- Velocity: The speed at which particles are launched.
- Scale: The initial size of each particle.
- Scale Range/Speed: Randomness in size and how fast they grow or shrink.
- Emission Range: The angle (in degrees) at which particles are spread.
- Spin: How fast particles rotate as they move.
- Acceleration (X/Y): Constant force applied to particles (useful for gravity or wind).
- Alpha Speed: How fast particles fade out over their lifetime.
Common Properties
Emitter layers also support standard properties in the Geometry and Compositing tabs.Geometry
- Position (X, Y): Move the entire emitter container.
- Bounds (W, H): The overall size of the emitter layer.
- Rotation: Rotate the entire particle effect.
Compositing
- Opacity: Fade all particles at once.
- Hidden: Toggle the entire effect on or off.
Troubleshooting
”I don’t see any particles”
Check:- Did you add an Emitter Cell?
- Is the Birth Rate greater than 0?
- Is the Lifetime greater than 0?
- Is the emitter layer hidden or at 0% opacity?
”The particles move the wrong way”
Solution:- Check the Velocity and Acceleration values.
- Adjust the Emission Longitude (direction) or Emission Range.
”Performance is slow”
Solution:- Reduce the Birth Rate or Lifetime. Too many particles on screen at once can impact performance.
- Test on a real device to see actual performance.
Next Steps
Creating Animations
Animate the emitter’s position
Video Layers
Use GIFs for complex animations
Export Your Project
Test your effect on device
State Transitions
Change effects between states