Hi there,

my goal is to (intuitively?) understand and use matrix transformations in houdini. So I suppose I need some basics and a kind of a cookbook for common tasks in houdini.

Is there any kind of introduction you recommend? Back in school I had no classes in matrix math at all and I could use a hint where to start.

there are video tutorials about that

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_kzaH-WZ1o [www.youtube.com]
  
• free, simple, from a very good instructor https://youtu.be/1Dsld-W2zk0 [youtu.be]
  
• https://www.rebelway.net/math-for-fx/ [www.rebelway.net] (paid)
  
• https://www.udemy.com/course/math-in-houdini-fx-vol-1/? [www.udemy.com] (paid)
  
• https://youtu.be/ScYtNmnyF9A [youtu.be]
  
• basic vector https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UB2hPax7Pk [www.youtube.com]
  

To add to the very helpful list above, here's one I recently came across that I thought was short and practical:

• https://vimeo.com/284712920 [vimeo.com]
  

Great guys! I will have a look into these.

Thank you so much

This book is excellent, free online but well worth buying a hard copy:

https://gamemath.com/book/intro.html [gamemath.com]

Not direct houdini related but also a good source:
How Does Matrix Work... [www.scratchapixel.com]

nicholasralabate
This book is excellent, free online but well worth buying a hard copy:

https://gamemath.com/book/intro.html [gamemath.com]

this is one of the best

Honestly, I’ve been in the same boat trying to wrap my head around matrix transformations for Houdini. The trick is not to dive straight into abstract theory, but to connect the math with visuals — such as understanding how rotation or scaling actually affects geometry. I’d suggest starting with simple 2D examples before jumping into 3D matrices, just to get that intuitive sense of how numbers move things around. When I was completely stuck on matrix operations, I found some surprisingly helpful explanations at https://domyhomework.net/do-my-math-homework/ [domyhomework.net] - they break down the logic step by step and make it easier to see how formulas translate into real effects in Houdini. I used it a couple of times to check my calculations before applying them in VEX, and it honestly saved hours of frustration. Once you grasp those basics, experimenting directly in Houdini becomes much more fun instead of confusing math chaos.