Hello,

Im from a maya Dynamics background,and the effect and only effect i wish to do is a cloud particles in the shape of an object,such as a human torso,no hi detail of course just the shape.animation yes,but no movement on the cloud just still clouds to get the right look first.

Ive tried useing maya particles as goals to objects,and fluids and fluid shaded particles,but none give me the look ive seen in the B.A framestore commercial with dolphin clouds,this is the cloud type im looking for but darker for a more stormier look,i know Houdini did the dolphins,but i need to know if Framestore wrote like in house shaders for the look,and really i could get a simalur look with Houdini Apprentice.

In the Information on Framestore gives this.

There were two main 3D elements in Clouds - the jet which we see cruising the skies, and the dolphins themselves. One of the advantages that Framestore offers its artists and operators is that of the cross-fertilisation of techniques between film and television. Thus the Commercials team hit the air running, so to speak, when they were able to use a cloud-making tool that the company's film team had developed - initially for Thunderbirds, and also used on the forthcoming X-Men: The Final Stand and Superman Returns. This tool operates within Houdini, utilising Houdini's I3D voxel rendering technology. It came to the team as a tool for cloud rendering, and it was necessary to develop new techniques to use it as a tool for cloud animation.

Hmmn, a cloud makeing tool,this bit is the problem as it was made outside of houdini.

Ok but a workaround of a simaler effect is usually possible inside the package?

I have done a searches on this type of effect on the houdini forums but cant find any posts,mayby the wording on these type of effects are different in maya than houdini.
Has anyone tried this already?
can anyone point me to the thread please

i dont like the look of fluids as clouds as they really look like fluids or a cloud water tank,almost like synthetic clouds(know that sounds odd as its all synthetic really),rather than volumetric look like this http://www.sidefx.com/docs/houdini9.5/howto/clouds [sidefx.com]

If the answer is yes and im starting from scratch and buy apprentice.

Where abouts should i start.

I guess the interface would be good.

Then im lost.

Ive attached some tests ive done in maya with fluid driven particles and attached to the head by a goal.

On a seperate note can i transfer hip into hiphd files just in case i find a hipfile that would help me in my search for clouds,as some forum members post hip files to study how they have been made,or can i ask side effects if i can transfer it.?

my output resolution for my non commercial project Tinnman is 720 by 576 so apprentice would be great.

If the answer is no ill wait and keep searching for the look with maya n particles and maya 2009.

many thanks

dazzan

Okay the application first. Yes you can load a .hip file into Apprentice and ApprenticeHD.

Apprentice, is free.
ApprenticeHD is $99


Your explanation is a bit confusing, but I would say that you are looking to convert your geometry to a cloud volume in which case you can easily do that with the reference you gave and use an IsoOffset sop set to SDF Volume. Then apply a cloud material to it, Billowy Smoke is a good start.
You can then distribute points within the volume using a Scatter sop, although you likely don't need that step.

Attached is a simple example of what you are perhaps looking for.

Quote
but I would say that you are looking to convert your geometry to a cloud volume in which case you can easily do that with the reference you gave and use an IsoOffset sop set to SDF Volume. Then apply a cloud material to it, Billowy Smoke is a good start." end quote.

Yes animated geometry into a cloud volume,and then get a basic look and then refine it.

a Cumulus Cloud look would be the the cloud type i am looking for,in the basic shape of the torso head and arms and hands

this would be my starting point.

the problems i have been getting with my particles are denser in say like the head,and arms,and less so in the body,so i would have to break it up.

How would fingers and hands look by your method,i guess it cant be achieved in one part,but body parts broken up so distinct shapes are formed.

When i read the interview with framestore it seemed they wrote a plug in or used something like 5*5 myrtle to help achieve the dolphin shape,the article was not that forthcomeing.

i will download the trial and try to render my geometry as you have said,and thankyou for the example,i will put up a very happy post if it does anything near what i wanted it to.

I guess the moderators,will hopefully help me if i have troubles getting the exact look,or point me in the direction of someone who can.

regards

dazzan