New FX, New to Houdini and new to programming.

[BojanS]

Before i choose FX, i was web designer. When i \"entered\" in 3D world, i wanted to be character and environment modeler, but it seems that modeling is not fun for me.

I\'ve been always fascinated from special effects, especially those from Harry potter and other sci-fi movies. But, also i stylized effects like from the game like World of Warcraft.

So, i know this is really great challenge for me. I want to learn this by myself, from DVD\'s tutorials, because i can\'t effort to go to school because is a damn expensive.

I want to create only special effects, realistic or in-game. Like, dust,smoke, distractions and other things. What programs do i need to know for this? At the moment i have Maya, 3D Max, realFlow, and plug ins like, Krakatoa, FumeFx. Soon, i might buy Houdini, because i\'ve heard that\' it is monster for special effects.

Also i want to ask, witch program, should i use to make realistic special effects as much as possible.

I am really interest to create effects like, water, fire, dust, smkoe distractions, morphing, etc etc

As FX artist, do i need to know drawing and painting? Because i don\'t like draw, i\'ve tried many years ago, but i don\'t enjoy, it is boring and frustrated.

Do i need to know Zbrush?

Because i will learn this alone, do you have any idea/advice, how to start?

I am also looking some tutorials about how Python works in Houdini, for what is used, and i would like to find some good tutorials about pyhton for CG.

[Annon]

Well don't buy Houdini, just use the money to go to college instead!

To be honest you've got a massive road ahead of you, so chill out a bit, start small, don't be too adventurous, just get the fundamentals down first. You're thinking about too much at once and aiming too high.

You don't need to know how to draw really, but it definitely helps to be able to express your ideas, although you don't really have to prove your drawing ability if you're a 3D guy. Also Python is not required, forget about that for the minute, if you know python from web then that's great, you'll be able to easily integrate it later when you know what you're doing.

Learn Maya, most companies use it as their main app in the pipeline (unfortunately), so go do this tutorial and see how you go:

http://www.digitaltutors.com/11/training.php?pid=84&autoplay=1

If you decide after that you're dedicated enough, maybe do some CMIVFX Houdini tutorials:

Fundamentals:

http://cmivfx.com/tutorials/view/152/Houdini+Fundamentals

Particles:

http://cmivfx.com/tutorials/view/192/Houdini+Intro+To+Particle+Animation

Fluids:

http://cmivfx.com/tutorials/view/163/Houdini+Fluid+Effects+For+TD%5C%27s

But honestly, start small, otherwise you're going to drive yourself mad and not get anywhere. Do the basics, get comfortable, then move onto Houdini Effects.

[Neil78]

HI - for what its worth - i started learning Houdini 1 year ago - and as expected began with a feeling of wow this is amazingly different, and strangely addictive, and where do i effing start -But after a load of amazing tutorials you can get for free online, i now think i'm zooming away on houdini (if i do say so myself...)

check out Peter Quint's vids on Vimeo....

There's also some good little free ones on Digital Tutors. I did splash out on some ones over at cimivfx - which are really deep and interesting.

Im now beta testing Houdini12 - which is #@#@#@#@#@ awesome!!

[Andz]

As FX artist, do i need to know drawing and painting? Because i don\'t like draw, i\'ve tried many years ago, but i don\'t enjoy, it is boring and frustrated.

Hard to understand what you mean by "don't like it and find it boring" and what went really wrong when you say that you tried and did not succeed.

Although many try to separate the technical aspects of computer graphics from artistic aspects. I personally believe that one has to like art and specially understand art (as subjective as that can be ). By understand visual arts you know your path to make either a photoreal or stylized effect. You should know what is missing, what is going on the wrong or right direction. I know there are supervisors and directors for such things, but unless you have an idea of what your final product is, you will be wondering around in circles.

Two frases that I had used before and that made pure technical people scratch their head. Although they seem to be fairly simple to me.

1. I can't make a black and white picture by just removing the saturation.
   
2. This would change the composition of the shot.
   

And oh... you can't believe how many parts of an artistic process you have to trim out in games production where, because of optimization sake, the tech guys are the one who decide what will or will not make it into the game and what is looking good already.

[Annon]

Good point Andz,

While I don't generally have to draw anything to great detail (normally just quickly sketch out what I want sometimes with a biro), I do have a background in Fine Art, Photography and Cinematography before I even started with CG.

So I'm going to say Andz's comment about art is more correct than mine. I don't understand how you can dislike art and want to be an artist, that bit did confuse me. Maybe take up photography, that would boost your creative side, which sounds like it needs to be nurtured a bit.

[ikarus]

The internet has more knowledge for fx than any college or school will ever have, use your money to invest in video courses like cmivfx or digital tutors etc etc. As well, the odforce archives have more info and example files than anywhere else on the web, along with peter quint's video tutorials.

The only really useful thing you would learn from school would be principles of art, which you dont even need to go to school to learn anyway.

my 2 cents