by a + a tools·VFX
Images © a + a tools. Used for product review; image policy.
Stands out in the Toolfarm library for its patented Stick technology, which lets you paint on a rendered CG frame and have that paint follow the whole animation without any 3D geometry inside After Effects.
Paint & Stick extends the After Effects toolset with fast raster painting done directly in the comp window. Instead of working in an isolated layer window, you draw in the context of your other layers, with effects, track mattes and adjustment layers visible as you paint. Onion skinning is built in for cel animation and stays customizable, and you can apply Paint & Stick to an adjustment layer to help tweak animation of any kind.
Its patented Stick technology paints directly onto rendered 3D images, with no 3D objects required inside After Effects. Paint on a single frame and it sticks across the whole animation. A free Sticky Pass export plugin for Cinema 4D prepares your 3D animation for this workflow, treating Paint & Stick passes as multi-pass render passes.
Version 2 adds a Brush Palette with parameters such as Scattering, Shape and Color Dynamics, plus a fill brush and keyboard shortcuts. You can use Adobe Photoshop brushes through the provided export tool, capture custom brushes from your comp with transparency, and rely on Fast Draw for smooth performance, even at 4K.
aescripts + aeplugins Paint & Stick is best for cel animators painting frames in After Effects and artists who want to paint directly onto Cinema 4D renders inside their compositions.
aescripts + aeplugins Paint & Stick is completely free to download and use.
Paint & Stick does not support Apple Silicon, per its compatibility notes. It's documented for After Effects releases from CC 2015 through 2023 on supported hardware. If you're working on an M-series Mac, check the developer's page for the latest status before installing, since the listed compatibility reflects the versions the plugin was documented against rather than a guarantee for newer hardware. On Intel-based systems, the installer covers the supported After Effects versions listed for the plugin.
Paint & Stick lists compatibility with After Effects 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, CC 2019, CC 2018, CC 2017, CC 2015.3 and CC 2015. That spans several years of releases, so most recent CC installations are covered. Apple Silicon is not supported, so an Intel-based setup is required on macOS. For the exact status of any single release before you install, the developer's page is the place to confirm current details.
Paint & Stick includes a free Sticky Pass export plugin for Cinema 4D that treats Paint & Stick passes as multi-pass render passes. It's documented for Cinema 4D R20, R19, R18, R17, R16, R15 and R14. If you're on R20, the developer notes you should use the R20 plugin bridge to run the exporter. The render is fast because no lighting or fancy rendering is required, and you can then paint onto the result inside After Effects.
Paint & Stick supports Adobe Photoshop brushes: you export them using the provided export tool and then use them directly in After Effects. It also supports custom textured brushes, and you can capture a new brush from any part of your comp, with transparency, by holding a modifier key and clicking. The Brush Palette adds parameters such as Scattering, Shape and Color Dynamics, along with a fill brush and keyboard shortcuts.
Paint & Stick is listed as free here. Licensing and download terms can change over time, so the developer's page is the best place to confirm current details. Its version history notes that support for floating licenses was added in an earlier update, which is worth knowing if you manage seats across a team, but the developer's page holds the up-to-date licensing information.
Also in VFX for After Effects.
by CROSSPHERE .Koizumi
Crossphere Bokeh is an After Effects plugin for creating bokeh effects, with controls for focal distance, focus points, edge behavior, and composite mode. It supports Apple M1 machines and runs across a wide range of AE versions.
by Satori
Pixel Melt is a Satori plugin for After Effects and Premiere Pro that simulates independent stretching and displacement of pixels. It handles image distortions such as melting simulation and scanlines separation, with modulation controls for the effect.
by Satori
Recursive Mosaic is a pixelization plugin for After Effects and Premiere Pro that divides an image into a grid and subdivides it to preserve or discard detail. Useful for novel pixelization effects or JPEG artifact simulation.
by Sheffield (FxFactory)
Sheffield Softworks Keyper is a Machine Learning people keyer for After Effects, Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve that extracts people from backgrounds without a green screen, so you can apply filters and effects separately to people or backgrounds.
by Jordan Steele
Despill Maestro is a spill-removal plugin for After Effects and Premiere Pro that removes unwanted color spill while protecting skin tones and wardrobe. Controls range from subtle refinement to aggressive correction.
by Video Copilot
Saber is a free After Effects plug-in from Video Copilot for creating energy beams, lightsabers, lasers, portals, neon lights, electric, and haze effects. It includes 50 presets and works with dynamic text and mask outlines.
by Baskl.ai
CorridorKey brings Corridor Digital's CorridorKey to After Effects, DaVinci Resolve, and Premiere Pro through a plugin implementation for easy use. Currently at version 1.3.0, it ranks among the most popular entries on aescripts.
by Plugin Everything
Quick Chromatic Aberration 3 is a free After Effects plugin that adds RGB shift and distortion to emulate the chromatic aberration produced by real lenses, with GPU-accelerated, 32bpc processing and per-channel control.
by Boris FX
Boris FX Sapphire Annual Subscription is a filter set for After Effects, DaVinci Resolve, and Premiere Pro, offering wipe transitions, lens flares, glares, defocus effects, and a builder for custom effects and transitions.
by Pixel Sorter Studio
Pixel Sorter 4 is a pixel-sorting plugin for After Effects, DaVinci Resolve and Premiere Pro from Pixel Sorter Studio. It creates glitch art, digital artifacts and sorted-pixel effects with constraint masks, stretch mode and animation controls.
by Boris FX
Boris FX Continuum is a collection of effects for After Effects, DaVinci Resolve and Premiere Pro. It covers AI image restoration, footage fixes, stylizing, film looks and grains, greenscreen compositing, drag-and-drop transitions and Mocha tracking built into every effect.
