Path Forge for After Effects

“Squiggles, lines and loops, we can make anything with a few hoots!” — Mr. Squiggle

Path Forge gives you the ability to generate randomised 3D paths in After Effects. Featuring 3 path types: Straight, Bezier and Matrix.

Path Forge comes with: 2 Project Files, and 1 Preset.

Projects:

• Path Forge: features 3 template compositions to kick off your designs!
• Path Forge Animations: features the 3 animations above (this project requires Thicc Stroke from Plugin Everything).

Preset:

• Path Forge Preset: Apply Path Forge to any empty shape layer, or simply have no layer selected and it will create one for you! It does not create a 3D layer so you will need to create one, or select one from the layer dropdown.

Select a 3D layer to move, rotate and scale the random path!

If no layer is selected then Path Forge will only work in 2D.

Some things to keep in mind:

• Path Forge is a faux-3D setup. It won't work with depth of field, or intersect with other layers.
• If you add dashes to the stroke they probably won't behave the way you expect. They are working in 2D so there's no perspective on dashes or stroke width.
• Moving the camera too close to the path, or having the path go too far off-screen will cause errors. At a certain point the expression (mainly toComp) breaks down when things are too far outside the view. So, no cool zoomie camera moves through the path 😔
• Some of the Path Data layers might seem to act strangely as they try to ascertain the inside/outside of the path.
• The Matrix path type is quite slow to process. 🐌 '𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝗹𝗼𝘄' 🐢 '𝘆𝗲𝘀'
• It's fun to change the random seed and see the weird abstract drawings it makes!

What could be better than Path Forge? Maybe 2 Path Forges!

I'd love to see what you create using this tool! I'm on Twitter @AECartographer, and on the /r/AfterEffects Discord. If you have any feedback, shoot me a message!

Note: This is not an Effect plugin, this is a After Effects project file & preset. It uses a Pseudo Effect linked to properties with expressions.

This product should not be redistributed/sold/rebranded as a new product. If you include it as part of a template, please credit AECartographer and provide links to this page.

The following sources were adapted:

• bryc — CC BY-SA 4.0
• jetrotal