Place a lump of clay before most people and they will have very little clue about where to start; whereas others will instinctively be able to create something pleasing to the eye and others still will study techniques relentlessly until they are able to fully express their creativity without limitation. Software is an artistic medium like any other, and will have many of the pitfalls as other forms of expression such as painting or music, or dance. While much can be accomplished without a technical background, it will come to a point in all artist’s careers where they will benefit greatly from learning how to make the most of their tools.
While many effects can be created with the bare minimum of technical knowledge, artists should not be afraid of delving into the technical realm. Despite popular myths, Houdini is not designed solely for the math-oriented scientist; rather it is designed as an artistic tool with a procedural workflow that can be incredibly directable. Virtually any piece of data that exists within a scene file can be manipulated and massaged to almost any end that an advanced artist chooses.
Understanding how to massage data in Houdini is key to giving yourself the creative edge and allowing you to unleash mind-blowing visual effects. In this 18 part tutorial series, we cover a variey of simple yet essential weapons in your arsenal including Global, Standard and Custom Variables to Math and String Modification functions.