How to make / generate the trailing effect?

Question

If an object is moved from Point A to Point B using the Follow Path constraint, I want it to leave behind a trail of color behind it.

Note : I have enabled Freestyle under which i have unchecked Use Surfaces / Solid in the Layers Tab -- NO TEXTURES are a set to the object.

This is what the render output looks like:

UPDATE : Since, freestyle has it's limitations, I was thinking of parenting a ribbon at the bird's tail, that would give a similar trailing effect, however, I want the ribbon's Freestyle Strokes to fade away long it's length. Also, what is the most suitable cloth modifier preset to simulate a ribbon?

@pycoder think, like the bird is trailing a rainbow – Tejas Jan 22 '17 at 21:22 — Tejas, Jan 22 '17 at 21:22

score 2 · Accepted Answer · edited Jun 10 '20 at 12:57

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I can't fully get you reference to your freestyle setup, but a simple way could be using a mesh deformed by and also following the curve, using a blend texture influencing the mesh alpha.

This is a single color example, but it should be possible use a rainbow style texture...

you could combine such a trail with the freestyle based animation, perhaps... maybe using different render layers.

edit: since you asked here is a possible similar setup with cycles (renders a bit slower)

edit: since you asked, here is the .blend related to the last example (cycles)

Note: the animation is not done with follow path here, but animating the Y location after setting a curve deform modifier... the effect is similar, though.

edited Jun 10 '20 at 12:57

Community

1

answered Jan 22 '17 at 22:05

m.ardito

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Can the same be achieved in Cycles Render? I am neither comfortable nor remotely familiar with using Blender Render – Tejas Jan 22 '17 at 22:21
Yes, I think so. It should be just needed a node based "colorband" texture, see this post: https://blenderartists.org/forum/showthread.php?248307-How-to-use-blend-texture-with-Cycles-I-have-no-color-inputs&p=2207589&viewfull=1#post2207589 – m.ardito Jan 22 '17 at 22:54
I added a cycle example above. – m.ardito Jan 23 '17 at 09:02
could i have your .blend file to experiment on? – Tejas Jan 23 '17 at 09:32
sure, there you have it now :) – m.ardito Jan 23 '17 at 09:50

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Jan 22 '17 at 21:52

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How about dynamic paint to bring in a material in the trail? Not putting this forward as an answer... just wanted a way to post an image with the suggestion....

Freestyle did not recognize the trail, but I was using paint rather than a mesh deform, which it might.

answered Jan 22 '17 at 21:52

rcgauer

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Nah, i need the scene to render in Freestyle exclusively as a project requirement. – Tejas Jan 23 '17 at 07:21

How to make / generate the trailing effect?

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