swirling strands moving along the surface of a tree

[Dr. Sassi]

P.S.: Here is the file that creates a circle motion upwards around your tree model.
I have reMeshed the tree to keep the scene "light".

The basic idea is from this tutorial, as mentioned above:
https://www.youtube.com/live/QaDFSdG2BFI?si=paGl_Xn0Wjn1zLxF&t=2462

However, the curly pattern is not your target and I assume it was overused by now anyway, while the motion you are after is kind of intriguing and elegant.
It needed some adjustments from the tutorial content, but the content Noseman and Domenik share should be watched and turned into muscle-memory.

To keep the Spline (or the driving Particles for the Tracer) close to any surface, the Closest point was added, plus an Add Node (vector) to add with each frame a great Y value.
The Tree created a problem, as most Particles got somewhere lost in the tree, so the Field moves up and sets new starting points for fresh Particles to provide enough coverage.

My understanding is that the Geometry of the "tree-object" is the "blueprint" and should not be seen directly, just the Splines shape the form.

Here is the file
https://projectfiles.maxon.net/Cineversity_Forum_Support/2026_PROJECTS_DRS/20260203_CV4_2026_drs_26_PAsr_01.c4d.zip

A preview

After thoughts:
The scale of the RS Render should be smaller, I guess, and perhaps the add Node before the Nearest Point on Surface is perhaps the more logical way, especially for fast Y+ movements. Note that the Tracer can create only one point per frame max, meaning if it moves too fast, it cuts through the "wood". Higher frame rates are needed then.

Enjoy

[signature-view]

Dr Sassi! Thank you! The first experiements are fantastic but unfortunately I'm aiming to get something that resembles a more intricate surface like the tree, rather than a spline. I think as a last resort something like that might have to do. The preview image from your last post looks very promising! The file you listed in the same YouTube tutorial video. Would you mind sending me a link to the c4d file so I can have a look at see what you've done? Thanks again!

[Dr. Sassi]

Thank you, signature-view,

Thanks for the feedback. Yes, those (three files) were more to recreate the image.

I got it that you like to have the Tree from your file in that way.

Sorry that I messed up the link, I had it uploaded and well, obviously the wrong URL in the "memory". It was way past midnight, after a long day, no excuse, just the context. My fault.

Here is the file, and it is not so much different than in the YouTube file:
https://projectfiles.maxon.net/Cineversity_Forum_Support/2026_PROJECTS_DRS/20260203_CV4_2026_drs_26_PAsr_01.c4d.zip
I hope it works for you.

Cheers

[signature-view]

No worries! I think the link you just posted is the path to the original 3 files from your first post. Was there another one similar to the image you posted?

[Dr. Sassi]

Please check again, I noticed that. Murphy's Law tonight, Sorry about that.

I was just updating the post and double check, downloading my own file and open it again in C4D.
Go to frame zero and press play.

Enjoy

[Dr. Sassi]

P.S.: thanks for your patience.

Here is a short preview of the last file.

https://projectfiles.maxon.net/Cineversity_Forum_Support/2026_Clips_DRS/20260203_CV4_2026_drs_26_PAsr_01.mp4

Tip: Once the timeline is one time through (Mode set to Simple) the Tracer can be used for the "Current State To Object", and this can be used in MoSpline>Spline>Simple to animate in many ways.

[signature-view]

this is incredibly fantastic, thank you! I've never use the particle node modifier so I'll have to spend some time wrapping my head around it. Thanks for the tutorial video. Going to watch that and see if I can make sense of it. I'm guessing the particle node modifier overrides any other forces in the particle group, right?

[Dr. Sassi]

Thank you, signature-view, for the kind feedback.

To my knowledge, it works just like one instance, with the data that is available at that processing time, and then “In-Process-Out”, then to the next.

You will spot easily the changes that I made, and to see their influences, just cut the wire to the position-out.

It is a very powerful option, worth the time.

Enjoy

[signature-view]

thanks again! Lots to chew on!

[Dr. Sassi]

Yes, signature-view,

I understand what you mean. Like with so many other things we all have had to confront, which are now muscle memory. (I'm not sure if that motivates, but at least that is my intention here.)

I hope you enjoy the exploration, and thanks for the reply.

Cheers