Houdini Procedural Modeling Course

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Rigging

Create powerful modeling workflows

This course will be an in-depth look into procedural modeling in Houdini; throughout the course, students will gain a strong understanding of how proceduralism can be used to create powerful modeling workflows. We will explore a variety of concepts used to create procedural assets, with each lesson having a finished product demonstrating the principles of that week. We will learn how to organize your workflows and create artist-friendly interfaces for reuseability. Together, we’ll create several finished model assets with fully procedural controls.

Registration Now Open

Registration Period

Oct 12, 2023 - Jan 29, 2024

Course Start

Jan 22, 2024

Course Format

Standard

Skills Level

Intermediate to Advanced

Duration

6 weeks

Q&A

Once a week

Feedback

Individual recordings

Lecture Type

Pre-recorded

Assignment

Due each week. Expect to spend 10-20 hrs/wk viewing lectures, Q&A, and time on assignments.

PREREQUISITES

Strong understanding of Houdini SOPs & UI. Good understanding of VEX/VOPs.

MATERIALS

Houdini (18.0)

The more you know, the better.

Week #1

Hard Surface Models Part 1: Chandelier

Build a generator to for creating a customizable chandelier | Explore how we can use point attributes to give extra levels of control & complexity through proceduralism | Learn the basic attributes used to control copies (N, up, pscale, scale)

Week #2

Hard Surface model Part 2: Mechanical Bird

Explore the tools we can use to get a hard-surface mechanical look | Explore methods of add slight imperfections to our setup to add believability | Learn methods for troubleshooting bad topology | See how, with the proper procedural setup, a “rig” comes for free, and we can control and pose the bird via the controls we created | Explore methods for adding a detail pass to our model

Week #3

Organic Models Part 1: Succulents & Cacti

Build a generator for a cactus model | Explore how to use the topology of the mesh to generate ridges and spines | Build a generator for a succulent | Learn methods for duplicating and controlling the shape, bend, and distribution of the petals

Week #4

Organic Models Part 2: Coral Reef

Explore how we can paint areas on a terrain to specify where to populate geometry generation | Build generators for a few different coral reef types: Tubular, Digitate, Laminar Sheets, & Branching

Week #5

Structures Part 1: Pagoda Foundation

Build the foundation of our pagoda | Create the base of the pagoda, generate stairs that match the height of the base, build repeatable stories, construct the roof, and add railing.

Week #6

Structures Part 2: Pagoda Adornments

See how adding many simple layers of procedural detail can give complex looking, believable results | Continue working on our pagoda, adding extra detail to it | Add wooden columns and trim, doors, windows, a roof topper, and roof tiles.

Igniting your imagination

Sean McEwan

Senior Houdini TD & Technical Trainer

LECTURES BY Sean McEwan

Course Start: Jan 22, 2024

Sean McEwan is a Senior Houdini Artist and Trainer, currently working at Pixar Animation Studios as a Senior Technical Trainer. With over a decade of industry experience, his career has spanned both animation and live action visual effects, with work in both feature film and television. Over the years he has worked in a variety of disciplines, such as Environments, Modeling, FX, and Technical Direction, but throughout this his focus and passion has always been on the power of Houdini's proceduralism. He is a VES nominated artist who has helped provide work for clients such as Marvel, Disney, and Netflix. Sean is a graduate of the Savannah College of Art and Design

Instructor's Gallery

PRICING SCHEDULE

Even though our courses are the most affordable for the quality of education, these finance options allow you to focus on your goals instead of the barriers that keep you from reaching them.

3x Payments

$199.67

2x Payments

$299.50

Full payment

$599

Winter TERM REGISTRATION Now Open

Oct 12, 2023 - Jan 29, 2024

COURSE BEGINS on Jan 22, 2024

Procedural Modeling for Production in Houdini

What makes this learning experience unique?

PERSONALIZED FEEDBACK

Receive personalized feedback on all assignments from the industry’s top professionals.

LIFETIME ACCESS

Enjoy lifetime access to the spectrum of course content, including lectures, live Q&As, and feedback sessions.

CERTIFICATION

Show off your Certification of Completion when you turn in 80% of course assignments.

FLEXIBLE LEARNING

Learn anywhere, anytime, and at your own pace with flexible, online course scheduling.

Procedural Modeling for Production in Houdini