wondertouch by GenArts has just released their popular particleIllusion for After Effects on the Mac. Previously, this release was only available as a standalone sibling to particleIllusion 3.0 and piAE for Windows, but is now available as a plug-in right in After Effects. This allows users the flexibility to create natural, high quality effects such as smoke, fire, explosions, sparkles, fireworks, and abstract effects without having to leave the After Effects environment.

New features for piAE on the Mac include:

* The ability to load most of the more than 2,800 existing particleIllusion emitters in After Effects, including the popular “Pro Emitters”

* The same emitter search engine found in wondertouch particleView

* Access to all top-level particle parameters, including size, life, number, velocity, etc. to further customize the particles for each project

* OpenGL-accelerated rendering

* Full support for HD content

The price for all of these amazing features is only $299. Existing customers can get the plug-in for $179. particleIllusion will also come bundled with their other programs and Pro libraries as well.

The particles solution artists have been waiting for.

Sprite-Based 2D Particles Plug-In Delivers Stunning Natural Effects With Unprecedented Simplicity

Wondertouch by GenArts announced today the immediate availability of particleIllusion for After Effects (pIAE) for users of Adobe After Effects on Windows. Available as a plug-in for the first time, particleIllusion for After Effects enables artists to create gorgeous particle effects directly within After Effects, producing a more efficient workflow and significantly enhanced productivity. Like its stand-alone sibling particleIllusion 3.0, pIAE is built on the industry’s most robust 2D particle generation engine. As a result, it features the same highly acclaimed speed and ease of use that have made wondertouch products so popular with more than 10,000 compositing artists around the world. In addition, pIAE provides access to the thousands of existing wondertouch emitters — downloadable presets designed to allow users to effortlessly create natural, high-quality effects such as smoke, fire, explosions, sparkles, fireworks and countless abstract effects — without ever leaving the After Effects environment.

GenArts Inc., the premier provider of specialized visual effects software for the film, television and video industries, announced today a definitive agreement to acquire particleIllusion™ and all related products and technologies from wondertouch LLC. The acquisition includes particleIllusion SE, all Emitters and Pro Emitters, particleIllusion for AE, and all additional intellectual property from wondertouch LLC. As part of the acquisition, Alan Lorence, the former CEO of wondertouch and creator of particleIllusion, will join GenArts as a full-time developer. Read the rest of this entry »