learning 3d / animation and vfx effects Learning Houdini as my first 3D aplication

[ISUther]

Hello,

I have a fiew questions regarding learning paths.

I do like explosions, abstract stuff and verry highlevel of detail models
I have started learning 3D and Houini and started at 1 May 2016
Before that i have only used Adobe After Effects and i also tried video co-pilot plugin named as Elemen 3D
but in my eyes After Effects is not that good in 3D
I did try a litle Cinema 4D where i did (based on tutorial) this animation:

And now i am learning Houdini
What am i on correct path if i want to create different stuff:
Example: something is freezing up or something is blowing up or growing or all kinds of cool animations that you can fing on web.
Or should i learn side by side somethign else?
CInema 4D or Maya?

My goal is to get to profecional level in futuure but note that i am learning everything on my own (no chanse for universiti or school)
My goal is to learn and do all kinds of animations and VFX effects tat i am able to think in my mind.
Often i have idea but not technical skills to create it.
Here is the list of animations and effects that i have created.

First 2 video clips (Created in Adobe After effects. Smoke animation)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbp6ZHnIvKc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmjIZhLv0kg

Video below is created also based on same method that i used on smoke animation but different effect and there i created question to one forum:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUuF1S5rh0M

This animation is created in After Effects (here is scroll forward and back animation many times to show the effec many times)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ty_pOUjV7cY

Video where i used Trapcode Particle effect
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHe1lQEDkY4

Here is one ongoing project in Houdini FX
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPhTS-0J3ks

Here is animation i did using Houdini FX and Adobe After Effects
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckgTBTvOk98

Here is animation i did in Real Flow and Adobe after effects.
(Note resolution of object is low as i did render animation out low)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGSzKeR2y0U

This 3D animation is done using Cinema4 D and Adobe After Effects
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOby6S2KOvk

And here are my latest animations(note all animations are only samples as i have not rendered out full animation. Those were only for test purpose):

Black Mass ready:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEmzG45coAY

Here is sample where i show animation and Houdin FX more in detail (Note noise at start of video is because my phone camera is damaged and i decided to record animation fast using phone)

my question is am i on correct path. (learning only houdini)
Or should i start learning also Maya or Cinema 4D? zbrush?

At the moment i have to work on my IT Support job from Monday to friday 9am to 5pm and then 8 or 9pm i am at home and learn houdini untill 00:00 then i go sleep and next day i repeat.
On weekends i usully sit behind PC and learn Houdini 10 hours
So on total i learn Houdini on the week maximum 30 hours.
I hope that in this way i am able to get some kid f level for 2018?
Is this realistical?

[konstantin magnus]

I think you should get more self-reliant. There is no official authority on the web that will tell you what you have to learn in what amount of time.

How much time you need to become a "successful 3d artist" depends on you, your talent and cleverness, dedication and - again - setting paths on your own.

[michael]

start with the basic tutorials at SideFX and then the others...get a solid understanding of the basics, then start with small projects that you know you can finish - and post here and/or on the SideFX forums when you have questions etc

if there are areas that interest you, do a search and you'll find posts from people who have done similar things - and have even posted their hip files - they are great to learn from.

and be sure to get away from your computer every once in a while

[ISUther]

Thank you for reply.

You get more šelf-reliant more experience you gain.
For example: If you have to fix the car, beginner may not know that you have to turn off car engine before you going to fix the engine and may be you have to do something else also before you going to do it. 

Also in here for example if i have a idea that i want to create a animation where charater walks in the water having burning sword in his hand
There are many steps before i can actualy start doing the animation in water
 * Creating charater (example in zBrush)
 * But as zBrush creates high polly count moddels i need to drform it (got this info from my friend who is creating a pc game)
 * Bringing charater in to some ohter programm where i can do riging
 * Have to do texture and all those maps (that i do not understand atleast not atm)
 * Put charater walking in the water (means simulation of water?)
 * carte flaame and smoke for sword (sim for fire and smoke)

And all those things may have sub steps that i do not know of and also usually 1 programm is good for one thing another programm is good for something else.
Internet is full of people opinnions and also poorly created guides that create more questions that teach you.(or example tutorials where they use short cut keys to open up some kind of menu etc and they import part of the Project that they created earlier but do not have video or guide about it so you cant follow tutorial to understand it in full lenght)
I decided to trust this foorum and this is why i asked here what is needed and is there some kind of workflow or MUST have skills in order to be sucsesfull in this area.
Ofcourse everythign depnds on person but you know over all how much tim something takes. (For example: if i do not know how to make a soup i am 99% sure thatin any person is able to learn to make a soup in 1 year time)
Same is with Houdini and ohter programm.
I also mentioned hou many hours i am able to learn per week (that was maxmum 30 to 40 hours. Depends will i go to sleep on riday or not)
I do not need any draama but konstantin magnus  your comment did seem a bit unfriendly.
If you do not like my topics or something you have no duty to answer.


Best regards Tanel.V
 

Edited September 27, 2016 by ISUther

[konstantin magnus]

It wasn`t meant to offend you in any way. But projects like burning swords on a character that walks through water are probably overambitiuos if you want to learn the basics.

From what I´ve seen, most questions that get useful answers at odforce are really specific (more like "How can I move a point procedurally" than "here is all my latest work, I want to learn anything, what do you think?").

My advice: Start with a project of your choice and ask specific questions once you stumble upon problems, if you want people to be able to help you.

[haggi]

Concerning tutorials: There are a lot of really good tutorials. I recommend to start with the basic ones on the sidefx "go procedural" vimeo channel (or youtube). Then have a look for the ones from Peter Quint, really good tutorials with project files included. Have a look at the entagma vimeo channel, they make really fine tutorials as well, easy to follow. If you find a video which is a bit too advanced, simply keep it for later viewing and continue with another one.

And while learning do some small projects (really small ones) to test what you have learned.

[davpe]

As others suggest here, try making simple things first. Otherwise you will only run into frustration and exhaustion with nothing done. The example you mentioned (cool character with water and fire), you could hardly pick something more difficult that is not in powers of most artists to successfuly handle on their own.

[ISUther]

Yes i do see it now. 
I started my project from beginning and not tyring to copy somone else project as this way i do not learn anything too much information and data that i do not understand and that makes understanding all project verry hard. 
Here is Leaf project step 1 with question. 

 

[cudarsjanis]

First of all I would suggest you to be more polite.
Words thank you and please are not that hard to write. And no one is being unfriendly here. I started learning Houdini seriously december 2015. So almost year ago. I choose a very hard project to start with. Took me 3 months to finish it. Learned a lot, but now I could do it differently I would start with loads of simple scenes. Here is 2 perfect examples:

You are welcome.

Have fun learning