Mesmerizing TFT-Inspired Real-Time Stylized Butterfly Spell VFX

PopcornFX's artist Elenna Raguin made this stunning butterfly spell effect by using the PopcornFX Unreal Engine plugin. The effect was inspired by Riot Games' auto battler, Teamfight Tactics, which is a League of Legends spinoff. "It was mainly done to practice a more stylized approach and continue testing the Unreal plugin to improve it," the artist wrote on Discord. 

The butterfly effect started with a few concept sketches: a vortex with small butterflies, an explosion with tiny butterflies flying outwards, and a giant stylized butterfly. The effect was supposed to start with a butterfly vortex at point A. It would form a huge butterfly, which would then give rise to the airflow effect, carrying tiny butterflies to point B, where the butterfly explosion happens. 

Elenna Raguin

The artist then proceeded to do the blockout for the main parts of the effect and did the first pass to see how the butterfly spell looked. On the second pass, she added more airflow streaks to reinforce the start of the effect where the energy accumulates before the explosion. She also added a vertical light beam effect just before the explosion dissolves into countless tiny butterflies. Elenna Raguin ended up adding spiraling airflow streaks at the end of the explosion, going up and slowly dissipating with the butterflies.

The artist said she set up all the particles and base materials for the VFX in PopcornFX. Then she used a few custom materials in Unreal Engine to enhance the flow of the effect and ensure it worked properly in the engine. 

Elenna Raguin

Elenna Raguin

If you're curious about PopcornFX and want to learn more about creating similar particle effects with it, read this interview with Maxime Dumas. Also, if you liked Elenna's butterfly spell effect, check out some more of her work on ArtStation or LinkedIn. Stylized real-time explosion effects made with Unreal Engine are the artist's specialty. 

Elenna Raguin

Elenna Raguin

Elenna Raguin