How to Create a Snow-Based Impact VFX In UE5

Introduction

Hi everyone! My name is Lydia Jara, and I'm a VFX artist based in Spain. I've always been passionate about cinematography and visual arts, which led me to study Film at ESCAC and later specialize in Houdini and Unreal Engine through several master's programs.

Currently, I'm working as a VFX Artist at MercurySteam. What I enjoy most about this field is the constant learning process and the wide variety of challenges it offers, as VFX represents the perfect balance between art and technology. This motivates me to keep improving and continuously explore new creative possibilities.

The Ice Man

My projects usually start with a single idea, which I then develop through research and by studying the work of other artists. I've always wanted to create an ice-based effect. I've never tried one before, and I enjoy experimenting with different types of visuals, pushing myself beyond my comfort zone.

For inspiration, I often turn to platforms like Magesbox, where I gather references and create moodboards using frames from various visual effects. To stay organized, I use PureRef, which allows me to analyze shapes, colors, and key elements, ensuring visual consistency throughout the process.

Snow Peaks Destruction

For the destruction of the snow peaks, I used Houdini. Once the simulation was completed, I exported the result as a single FBX file and imported it into Unreal Engine. During this process, I focused on creating large, simplified fragments to keep the overall polygon count as low as possible, which is essential for real-time performance.

As a general optimization tip, I filtered out the very small pieces from the "inside" group based on their area and removed them. This approach allowed me to preserve the overall silhouette while maintaining good performance.

This destruction was complemented by an ice shader, along with several additional textures and small low-poly debris elements.

Snowy Terrain

To make the snowy terrain feel more than just a flat surface, I aimed to give it depth and subtle variations that convey the natural undulations of snow.

• Core of the terrain: The central area is built as an accumulation of snow. I created the necessary textures in Substance 3D Designer to drive Parallax Occlusion Mapping in Unreal Engine, giving the surface real depth and detail.
• Terrain outskirts: Around the core, I placed static particles in polar coordinates shaped like shockwaves, adding structure and subtle visual interest to prevent the ground from feeling completely static.

Energy Build Phases

There are two key moments where the energy builds. The first occurs at the beginning, when the entire ice aura charges, and the second happens midway, as our character raises the sword overhead.

For the initial energy, one of my main priorities was ensuring the textures had a strong contrast to create defined lines, giving a sharp and energetic appearance. The core of this type of shader comes from offsetting the UVs using a Normal Map, which significantly distorts the overall form.

The second energy build primarily relied on three custom textures  I created. To enhance the effect, I added a rotating particle trail around the character, helping to convey both motion and the flow of energy during the charge.

Atmosphere and Aura Elements

Other subtle elements I used to bring the scene to life included smoke flipbooks and particles simulating ice, which added depth and enhanced the overall atmosphere. Above the main character, I placed additional aura particles, creating a gentle magical glow that reinforces the sense of energy release.

At the climax, I wanted to convey the sensation of the screen freezing. I drew inspiration from effects that often encompass the entire viewport rather than just the character.

Finally, to unify the scene and give the final sequence a cohesive, polished impact, I added camera shakes to the scene along with a post-process material incorporating chromatic aberration and radial blur.

Conclusion

I hope you've enjoyed this breakdown. Working on this VFX sequence was a lot of fun, and it was incredibly rewarding to see all the elements: snow, energy, and magical auras, come together into a cohesive, dynamic scene.

I'm still learning and experimenting in VFX, and there's so much more to explore, which makes it exciting. Even though I have a lot to figure out, there's a real satisfaction in discovering new techniques and seeing them work in practice.

Lydia Jara, VFX Artist