Why does the Surface Deformer provide negative motion in the animation?

[let-fall]

Hello, how can I change direction of animaton on the surface with surface deformer? When I add the surface deformer on the object, It does not sit directly on the object. It produces a strange reverse image. How can I solve this problem?

https://we.tl/t-Plkz4eFWQH

[Dr. Sassi]

Hi let-fall,

Thank you very much for the file and using Wetransfer.

The overall size is not changing; only the growth is. The object is "normalized" and then brought into the UV space (A normalized space 0-1).
When an object grows over time, the normalization will eliminate the size but not the internal growth, as in your example.

How to overcome this?

I have placed a Disc into the mix, whereby I deleted the Polygons while holding the Shift key to keep the points.
These points define the largest growth of the ornament. With this, the normalization is based on the points; what is inside the points is not important for the normalization.
Now, we can see the "ice crystal" grow, and we have no counterproductive normalization working on it.

Here is your file back
https://stcineversityprod02.blob.core.windows.net/$web/Cineversity_Forum_Support/2023_PROJECTS_DRS/20231208_CV4_2024_drs_23_ANsd_01.zip

My best wishes