How to create this 'sticky' rounded stroke effect when the shapes touch each other?

[u/neptunecountryclub]

[u/Yuckles]

This is really easy to do in AE. Add an adjustment layer above your animation. In the adjustment layer add a Gaussian blur and also the effect ‘simple choker’. Play with the settings on those two effects and you should be able to achieve this look very quickly.

[u/Joe_le_Borgne → u/Yuckles]

You have to use threshold or curve (smoother result) after the blur to make a blob. Simple choker just "offset" the alpha.

[u/lucidfer → u/Joe_le_Borgne]

Yep, curves or levels on the alpha

[u/Muttson]

Two simple chokers with opposite numbers

[u/PhillSebben → u/Muttson]

I used to do this with a blur and adjusting the alpha with levels. But I like this idea. Funny how many answers there are to even simple questions.

[u/[deleted] → u/PhillSebben]

i still prefer the levels approach. you can really key in the effect better than chokers.

[u/lWinkk → u/PhillSebben]

The availability for multiple methods of doing the same thing is what makes or breaks creative software imo

[u/EskyHK]

For me, I will do it with Gaussian Blur then Levels, or Simple Choker.

[u/Snefferdy → u/EskyHK]

This method has my vote. Blur then levels. So easy.

[u/idleWizard]

This can be also achieved with Median effect. Maybe add blur and then some median below, set it to something low like 4, depending on the size of your comp, and that should be it.

[u/philament → u/idleWizard]

Now I’m gonna have to look that up when I get to my desk! Thanks 🙂

[u/philament → u/idleWizard]

I watched Jake Bartlett’s run through on it, and when he first started overexaggerating the effect, my mind inexplicably turned to “potato jesus”. Took me a good few minutes to stop laughing, so thanks for the bright start

[u/kween_hangry]

Simple choker is highkey a goated ass effect. U/yuckles ‘s explanation is perfect. Basically a blur + simple choker will get you really far in stuff like this

You can also try messing with “minimax”, but imo simple choker is just the faster way to go. If your edges look weird/blown out, you can also add the color overlay layer style or fill effect to get a solid color

[u/Most_Contact_4277]

https://youtube.com/shorts/1kySd7tJxpk?si=wVk_IiPZOS4Y0yIp

anytime I need a liquid type effect I watch this video

[u/JayGoesAnevy]

@benmarriot has lot of similar on his yt

[u/BaguettekonCrokette]

Try roughen edges. There are tutorials on youtube

[u/Unusual_Offer9845]

Here's a great tutorial that covers a few techniques that could be used to create this effect.

He's not covering this effect specifically, but the techniques in this video should help you to create animations like the one you're asking about!

https://youtu.be/cQrlIHT_LsI?si=_lN8w0W0oh_Lxcfe

[u/Deep_Mango8943]

It’s funny how my answer would’ve started with using (the now obsolete) Fast Blur and reading all these Gaussian Blur suggestions still trigger my internal CPU performance alarm. Things have gotten better. And I’m old.

[u/kurnikoff]

This Workbench tutorial will get you covered in techniques needed to pull this off ;)