Section 01

Creating Primitive Objects

There are different ways you can add primitive objects – at the object or geometry level. We’ll explain what that means, and show you how. Then we’ll get a hold of Houdini’s viewport handles, to tackle positioning and sizing and how to use these in combination with a few need-to-know keyboard shortcuts.

Lessons

1. Creating primitive geometry - create at object level vs create in context
2. Using viewport handles to create and size primitive objects

Section 02

Geometry Components

As soon as you look at Houdini’s geometry components, you realise it’s different to other applications. Points as well as vertices? What exactly are primitives and why are there so many different types? A geometry point is the same thing as a particle? Don’t worry, we’ll walk you through it.

Lessons

1. Geometry Components Part 01 - Points, Edges, and Primitives
2. Geometry Components Part 02 - Vertices
3. Component Numbers

Section 03

Connecting Points

Building geometry in Houdini is all about connecting points – and vertices are the boss. But you’re the CEO (in this metaphorical company analogy), so you need to know how to get those vertices to work for you. Understanding vertices opens up a whole new world of creative flexibility, only possible in Houdini.

Lessons

1. Connecting Points - Curves
2. Disconnecting and Reconnecting Points
3. Vertices Control Connectivity
4. Connecting Points - Particles to Surfaces

Section 04

Primitive Types - Polygons

Just like in other applications, but different. You see, polygons in Houdini are curves at the same time as they are surfaces. What? You heard us. Working with open and closed polygons (and converting between them) is really powerful and incredibly versatile. We’ll show you how.

Houdini 19 update coming soon!

Lessons

1. Closed Curves are also Polygon Surfaces
2. Every Polygon Face is also a Closed Curve
3. Open and Closed Polygons - Unrolling Primitives
4. Open and Closed Primitives Part 02 - Rendering Curves
5. Polygons - Polymodelling tools on polygon curves
6. Polygon options on Primitive objects

Section 05

Primitive Types - Nurbs and Beziers

What’s parameterisation? Aside from a difficult word to say quickly. In this section we’re getting down and dirty with parametric curves and surfaces. Many people think it’s all about polygons these days, but understanding this stuff comes in real handy – especially once you get into procedural modelling. 

Houdini 19 update coming soon!

Lessons

1. Nurbs Curves -  Components
2. Nurbs Curves - Order
3. Nurbs Curves - Point Weight
4. Breakpoints and Converting Polygon Curves to Nurbs Curves
5. Parametric space
6. Parameterisation Part 01 - Uniform vs Chord Length
7. Parameterisation Part 02 - Chord Length and Centripetal
8. Bezier Curves Part 01 - Control Vertices
9. Bezier Curves Part 02 - Breakpoints
10. Nurbs and Bezier Surfaces - Cross Section Curves
11. Nurbs & Bezier Surfaces - Parametric Space
12. Nurbs & Bezier Surfaces - Patches. The Limitations of Nurbs and Bezier Surfaces

Section 06

Comparing & Converting Nurbs & Polygons

What do you get if you convert a polygon mesh to a nurbs surface? No it’s not a set up for a bad joke, it’s an important question and one we’re going to answer. While we’re at it, let’s talk about Houdini’s unique ability to subdivide and interpolate polygon curves and how it suddenly makes them as flexible as nurbs curves.

Lessons

1. Comparing Nurbs and Bezier Curves to Polygon Curves
2. Using Polygon Curves Like Nurbs Curves - Subdivision & Interpolating Curves
3. Converting Polygon Faces to Nurbs Surfaces
4. Bilinear Mesh

Section 07

Primitive Types – Polysoups & Quadratic Primitives

These guys save lives. Well, not quite – but they do save memory and disk space in wildly different ways. One day to deadline, but your scene is so heavy you can barely move? Building a friendship with these fellas could set you free.

Lessons

1. Bilinear Mesh
2. Polysoup
3. Quadratic Primitives