When presenting molecular models, the ability to manage visibility dynamically can make a big difference. Whether you’re crafting a video for a presentation, generating educational content, or highlighting specific structural features during a simulation, controlling how objects fade in and out of view helps guide attention exactly where you need it. A key challenge arises: how do you make parts of your molecular system disappear progressively rather than instantly?
This is where the Disappear animation in SAMSON‘s Animator tool comes in handy. Instead of abruptly hiding molecular elements, the Disappear animation allows you to gradually increase the transparency of nodes over time. This subtle but effective touch lends sequences a polished, smooth visual style and can help clarify what’s being discussed by phasing out irrelevant components.
What Can Be Made to Disappear?
The Disappear animation specifically affects any node type that includes a transparency attribute. These include:
- Structural models
- Visual models
- Meshes
- Labels
It’s important to note that individual atoms and bonds don’t have transparency themselves, but their parent structural models do. So if you want specific atoms or bonds to fade from view, you need to apply the animation to the whole model.
How the Animation Works
The Disappear effect is built around a four keyframe structure:
- Keyframes 1–2: Node is fully visible (opaque)
- Keyframes 2–3: Node gradually becomes transparent
- Keyframes 3–4: Node is fully transparent
This design makes it incredibly easy to control when and how fast the disappearance occurs. You can reposition any keyframe on the timeline to extend or compress the disappearing segment. Want a quick vanish? Pull keyframes 2 and 3 close together. Want a slow fade? Space them out.
Customizing the Look
For extra control, the transparency transition can be fine-tuned via the Easing curve. This allows you to adjust how the interpolation behaves over time—linearly or more progressively—so you can match the pacing to your animation work or presentation tone.
How to Add the Effect
- Select the nodes you’d like to make disappear.
- Open the Animation panel in SAMSON’s Animator.
- Double-click on the Disappear effect to add it to the timeline.
- Adjust keyframes as needed, and tweak easing curves if desired.
Tip: While earlier versions of SAMSON used the Animation menu, current versions consolidate all control into the Animation panel of the Animator. No menu digging required.
When Should You Use Disappear?
The Disappear effect is particularly useful when you’re narrating or sequencing models and want a visual element to quietly exit without distracting the viewer. Compared to the instant “Hide” effect, Disappear helps avoid abrupt jumps in visibility—making for a more coherent visual flow.
If you’re creating animations for teaching, demonstration, or documentation, progressive transparency is not just helpful—it’s often necessary.
To explore more and fine-tune your own animations, visit the full documentation: https://documentation.samson-connect.net/users/latest/animations/disappear/
SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. You can download SAMSON at https://www.samson-connect.net.