nvdomidi Posted September 12, 2016 Share Posted September 12, 2016 Hello guys, after attending a small 3d modeling class a while ago, I've decided to commit myself to learn how to create visual effects in Houdini. Being new to the program, I started watching some Beginner Tutorials on Digital Tutors: houdini learning path. I finished level one and the fluids sim tutorial, replicated the stuff they made and it was all nice and cool. After that, to my friend's suggestion, I started watching the CGCircuit: Applied Houdini Dynamics course. The first 3 where fine, it took me a while to make them and try to really learn what was going on but the 4th course was pretty heavy and I couldn't keep up. What I wanted to ask you guys is, if someone's 100% new to houdini and they want to get into creating FX, where do they start? Fluids, collisions, particles, smoke? Should I continue watching these kind of tutorials or am I going in the wrong direction? I feel lost right now and I dont know what to do and would really appreciate your help.. thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mestela Posted September 12, 2016 Share Posted September 12, 2016 It's super tempting to get straight into the dynamics stuff, but I'd suggest staying with the procedural tools for as long as possible. There's plenty you can do there, and once you have a solid understanding of sops, moving to dops is less scary. If nothing else, its handy to learn how to fake things that you'd do as a simulation in other packages, but in a procedural way in houdini (converting shapes to volumes, using vops and noise to fake a sim look, scatters etc). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slimesunday Posted September 12, 2016 Share Posted September 12, 2016 I feel your pain man. I have a solid understanding and knowledge of cinema 4d. Going into Houdini is completely different. Im lost as well and im sure I will continue to be lost for the next few years haha. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulh Posted September 13, 2016 Share Posted September 13, 2016 I think Side FX did a good job with their First Steps videos. They progress nicely from module to module rather than jumping all over the place, which can happen when you grab random tutorials from other websites. They used to be organized on the sidefx website but it looks like they're mixed in with a bunch of other videos now. After that, check out their Masterclass videos (on Flip Fluids and Pyro if that's what you're interested in). And of course check out mestela's Houdini Wiki linked in his signature above... it's loaded with super useful hip files and mini-tutorials! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tar Posted September 13, 2016 Share Posted September 13, 2016 also make sure to keep learning all the other aspects of vfx. i.e. you might be surprised how much compositing is used to make vfx sing. in 3d, knowing how the other 3d bits come together is critical, and other packages have excellent tutorials to learn from too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haggi Posted September 13, 2016 Share Posted September 13, 2016 Do your own small projects. Make them really small, e.g. have a simple one like modelling some bottles and let them falling down as rigid bodies. Make light nice and render it. It is my experience that this is the only way to learn it. And do it completly from modeing to composting. Do some of them and always define one goal, e.g. learn how subsurface works, or learn how positing based deformations work. This way you will not only learn fast a lot of things, but you will have nice examples for your showreel as well some day. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catchyid Posted September 13, 2016 Share Posted September 13, 2016 i think it's best to motivate yourself and set a target shot along with a deadline and do it i do that myself... things initially look "easy" but when you start doing them you realize there hidden challenges you did not foresee, when you handle these things you understand things better. Also, these tiny shots will become part of your demo reel. If you know a compositing S/W like AE, then this will give a better understanding of the things that should be done in 3D and the things that could be done in 2D (one mistake I did before that I was trying to do everything in 3D while it might be way easier in a compositing application). If you don't know a compositing application, then I've heard that Nuke is more suited for VFX shots (but personally I don't know...). Finally, make everything simple at the beginning, there are many things to learn, so make it easy on yourself good luck 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nvdomidi Posted September 13, 2016 Author Share Posted September 13, 2016 (edited) thanks alot guys for your answers, I will get to it straight away! Edited September 13, 2016 by nvdomidi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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