* Note: Unable to find author of following text. * Most likely came from Compuserve (GreG ?)Create an object that will be the length of the "sparkle" stream. I suggest a very elongated tear drop shape, though you can create whatever suits you. Note, make it symetric, ie: don't worry about making it bend or twist yet. Make the object BRIGHT. Set the filter values to the object at 255,255,255. Do not set specular. We now have an invisible object. Apply the old workhorse CONFETTI.ITX to the object. Set the 2 colors to your liking, a yellow and an orange should work well. Make V1=0.5, and V2=0.55. Leave everything else at the default settings. Now render the object to see how large the confetti particles are. Scale the confetti texture axis down to decrease the size if they are too big. What you have now are little bright "particles" that follow the shape of the teardrop. This will be used to create a following trail. If you want more particles, decrease V1, if you want less, increase it making it closer to V2.
In your animation, you should create a spline path that your wand follows for it's motion. We need it done this way so that we can have the confetti teardrop follow the same path as it CONFORMS to the path. Having it conform to the path will cause it to twist and turn and bend fluidly behind the wand as it moves. But the best is that we are not limited to types of motion. Make sure that the parent axis of the wand is located somewhere in the tip of the wand, because that axis is what follow the path.
Ok, great, we have a wand that has a tail that follows it, but the confetti particles are static, it'll look wierd! Ok, then apply the technique you asked about in the previous question, and morph two teardrop objects where the second object has the displaced confetti texture axis. Now the confetti will also be in motion.
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