CF

Houdini Essential Training

7h 44m 21s
English
Paid

Explore the world of 3D content creation with Houdini, a leading package that offers a procedural workflow. Discover the advantages of Houdini to enhance experimentation, increase system reusability, and boost process efficiency, allowing you to build an array of assets and animations effortlessly.

Course Overview

Known for its VFX capabilities, Houdini also provides robust tools for end-to-end 3D production. This course, led by expert Scott Pagano, starts from the basics to lay a strong foundation in Houdini. You'll gain comprehensive knowledge of various aspects, from the interface to more advanced techniques.

Getting Started with Houdini

Begin your journey with a detailed introduction to the Houdini interface. Topics include:

  • Global animation options
  • Nomenclature
  • Viewport and display nodes

Mastering Core Concepts

Dive into core geometry and animation concepts, advancing your understanding of:

  • Copying SOP with template attributes and stamping
  • Caching geometry
  • Exporting and importing Alembic files
  • Applying copy stamp channels
  • Importing animation into CHOPs
  • Caching animation data

Lighting, Shading, and Rendering

Develop essential skills in:

  • Rendering using Houdini Mantra renderer
  • Shading techniques
  • Effective lighting practices

Particles and Dynamics

Unlock Houdini's strengths with particles and dynamics by exploring:

  • Setting up rigid body dynamics
  • Collision geometry fundamentals
  • Emitting particles from objects and attributes
  • Rendering particles
  • Emitting and refining smoke simulations

Compositing Techniques

Conclude your training with an overview of Houdini's compositing context, where you'll learn to create procedural imagery useful across all contexts.

Key Topics Covered in This Course:

  • Global animation options
  • Viewing standard attributes
  • Caching geometry and animation data
  • Lighting, shading, and rendering with Houdini
  • Dynamics and particle emission
  • Compositing and procedural imagery

About the Author: Lynda.com

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Lynda.com was a US online video tutorial platform founded by Lynda Weinman in 1995 — one of the original online learning sites, predating the modern course-platform market by more than a decade. After LinkedIn acquired Lynda.com in 2015, the catalog was migrated into LinkedIn Learning, but the original Lynda.com brand still anchors a large body of video tutorial material that circulates separately.

The CourseFlix listing carries five Lynda.com courses covering Adobe Lightroom CC, Sketch design fundamentals, Visual Studio Code for web developers, Yii 2 (PHP), and Houdini essential training. The breadth reflects Lynda.com's original catalog scope — design and creative software alongside developer-focused material.

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#1: Welcome
All Course Lessons (99)
#Lesson TitleDurationAccess
1
Welcome Demo
01:19
2
What you need to know?
01:40
3
Exercise files
00:49
4
Navigation
01:36
5
Viewport and display modes
03:10
6
Panes
03:02
7
Desktops
02:45
8
Preferences
02:57
9
Display options and visualizers
03:07
10
Global animation options
02:07
11
Nomenclature
03:30
12
Network view
07:54
13
Node flags
06:36
14
Geometry spreadsheet
02:51
15
Tree view
01:55
16
Shelf Tools
02:56
17
Object vs. suface context
04:14
18
Geometry types
05:38
19
Viewing standard attributes
03:12
20
Selection
03:02
21
Grid and snapping
02:26
22
Basic box up modeling
04:03
23
Polysplit and edge loops
06:18
24
Clip and mirror
03:36
25
Polybevel and divide
04:52
26
Curve SOP
03:06
27
UV unwrap
03:31
28
Creating groups
06:31
29
Creating attributes
07:49
30
Copy SOP
02:43
31
Copy SOP with template attributes
04:39
32
Copy SOP with stamping
06:55
33
Packed feometry
04:59
34
Geometry with VDBs
04:01
35
VOP SOP
06:42
36
Subnetworks
07:46
37
Caching geometry
05:19
38
Export Alembic
04:51
39
Import Alembic
02:04
40
Keyframes
03:22
41
Animation editor
03:16
42
CHOP networks
06:57
43
Expressions in parameters
03:49
44
Noise and filtering
07:03
45
Copy stamp channels
08:09
46
Apply copy stamp channels
07:50
47
Channel SOP
03:23
48
Importing animation into CHOPS
04:23
49
Cache animation data
02:23
50
Cameras
07:02
51
Flipbooks
03:43
52
Mplay
02:43
53
IPR rendering
05:05
54
Basic mantra settings
05:58
55
Mantra quality settings
12:01
56
Render passes, AOV
04:44
57
Open GL ROP
02:57
58
Geometry ROP
01:49
59
FBX ROP
01:55
60
Alembic ROP
02:26
61
Assigning materials
03:33
62
Principled shader
07:28
63
Using textures
03:25
64
Displacement
04:10
65
Basic custom shader
07:51
66
Subdivision settings
04:26
67
Light types - Point and spot
05:55
68
Light types - Distant
04:51
69
Light types - Area
04:19
70
Light types - Environment and HDR
03:19
71
Sun and sky lighting
04:29
72
Light bank and light linking
02:47
73
Rigid body dynamics setup
04:49
74
Adding objects to the simulation
03:21
75
Changing dynamic object types
02:46
76
Collision geometry fundamentals
05:49
77
Refining dynamics network
08:00
78
RBD active node
04:57
79
Caching simulation results
05:46
80
Applying lo-res sim to hi-res geometry
09:43
81
Wire simulation setup
07:54
82
Refining wire simulation
06:42
83
Deforming geometry with wires
06:34
84
Creating velocity attribute on objects
04:04
85
Emitting particles from objects
04:33
86
Emitting particles from attributes
06:15
87
Refining particle simulation
03:43
88
Caching particles
03:55
89
Post-simulation color modification
08:48
90
Rendering particles
05:11
91
Emitting smoke from an object
05:08
92
Refining smoke simulation
07:08
93
Key fluid simulation nodes
09:40
94
Caching output
08:32
95
Pyro Shader
06:04
96
Render scene overview
01:40
97
Compositing layers
05:50
98
Rendering output
02:24
99
Next steps
01:03
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Frequently asked questions

What prerequisites are needed for this course?
Before enrolling in this course, it's beneficial to have a basic understanding of 3D content creation. Familiarity with general animation concepts and some experience with similar software will help, but the course begins with foundational topics such as the Houdini interface, global animation options, and basic modeling techniques.
What projects or skills will I develop during the course?
Throughout the course, you'll engage with a range of projects and skills including geometry and animation concepts, shading techniques, and rendering with Houdini's Mantra renderer. You'll also work on setting up rigid body dynamics and emitting particles, ensuring a comprehensive grasp of Houdini's capabilities in 3D production.
Who is the target audience for this course?
This course is designed for aspiring 3D artists and animators who are looking to develop their skills using Houdini. It's suitable for those new to Houdini as it starts with the basics, and also for users familiar with other 3D software seeking to expand their procedural workflow capabilities.
How does the course compare to other 3D software training?
Unlike many other 3D software courses, this one focuses on Houdini's procedural workflow, which enhances system reusability and process efficiency. The course covers unique Houdini features such as its node-based approach, VFX capabilities, and the use of CHOP networks for animation, providing a different approach to 3D content creation.
What specific tools or platforms will I learn to use?
You will learn to use a variety of Houdini's tools and platforms, including the Mantra renderer for rendering, CHOP networks for importing animation, and Alembic for exporting files. The course also covers geometry caching and using the Copy SOP with template attributes and stamping.
What topics are not covered in this course?
This course does not cover advanced scripting, custom shader development, or in-depth character rigging. It provides a broad overview of Houdini's core functionalities, focusing on geometry, animation, rendering, and dynamics, rather than specialized topics.
How much time should I expect to commit to this course?
The course comprises 99 lessons, each focusing on different aspects of Houdini. Although the overall runtime is not specified, prospective students should be prepared to invest a significant amount of time to go through detailed lessons on topics ranging from the Houdini interface to rendering techniques.