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Published: November 5, 2010 for Houdini 11
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To better understand Houdini, it is important to explore its workflow in the context of a real project. With Houdini’s node-based workflow being such a key component of this exploration, it is important to start learning how to think and work procedurally. In this lesson, you will learn how to create your own custom tool using the procedural nodes and networks to define its function and interface.

Lesson Goal

To create a custom tool that turns any given 3D shape into toy bricks.

What you will Learn

• How to break down a default teapot shape into a grid of points.
• How to use instancing to make faster renderings.
• How to animate bricks appearing over time and how to create controls for adding color to all the bricks.
• How to work with Houdini’s Nodes and Networks to control the flow of data then add and refine your work to get the look you want.
• How to use expressions to create dependencies within your network and how to work from prototype to finished solution.
• How Houdini’s Digital Asset Technology can be used to package and share your solution with others.

Along the way you will get to use different aspects of Houdini’s user interface. Be sure to refer to the overviews in the introduction to remind yourself of how these UI elements work together.

The lessons will then give you a chance to put your ideas into practice, which is one of the best ways to learn.

This lesson can be completed in its entirety using either Houdini Escape and Houdini Master.

Lesson Notes

It is recommended that you use Houdini 11.0 Build 555 or higher with this lesson. Otherwise you will get a warning when you are saving digital assets which contain the Mantra Surface material in them. .

Video Lesson:

Lesson Two: Nodes, Networks and Assets from Go Procedural on Vimeo.

Note: This video can be downloaded from Vimeo...