Deborah R. Fowler
Houdini Overview
Posted Dec 12 2017
Updated on July 9 2024
Overview of the essentials in video form as per title:
And non-video form ...
This section is intended to
give an overview of commonly used techniques in Houdini. This is
from my personal perspective - opinions are freely given. There
is extensive documentation
at SideFX.com which goes into greater depth. There are
also numerous other resources - good
starting points here. Houdini is a multi-purpose package
and I will focus my website on its
- non-destructive node based proceduralism
- dynamics and
- vex/vops
Click on the link to the topic you are interested in below:
INTRODUCTION TO COMMON CONCEPTS
General Concepts (page
format)
INTRODUCTION TO COPY / LOOPING
LOOPING
(For-each and links to point wrangle, python) also see
the video above on Houdini copies and variation.
INSTANCING
Example file
showing the concepts discussed also in the section on LOOK DEV
below. Instancing in general and in Mantra and Redshift featured.
LOOK DEV
Lighting in various Renders (Redshift, Karma, Mantra)
Compositing in Houdini - for serious compositing work, use Nuke,
however Houdini has a handy in-application compositing network
which is terrific for testing layers/passes without having to ever
leave the package. I use it frequently.
Dealing with Images in Houdini (super excited to see the preview
of 20.5 with Copernicus but in the meantime there are cops
examples below)
Fun with Logos and Markers
- Example of Modeling
- Very Basic Fracturing (not including the RBD Material Fracture Node)
- Mocap Marker Fun
COMPLEX
SCENES see also good habits (advice for the beginning
user)
ANIMATION
Basic Trig Review (for procedural animation)
Caching/Saving
Geometry
PDG (Topnet) Wedging