Learn Houdini step by step through 3 cinematic FX projects: zombie cloth disintegration, character to dust, and a realis
This course brings together three stunning FX projects in Houdini into one complete learning experience. Whether you are a beginner or an intermediate artist, you will learn step by step how to create cinematic visual effects while building real, finished projects you can showcase.
What you’ll learn
- Create stunning disintegration effects, turning characters into dust using Houdini FX.
- Build a complete FX project by modeling, simulating, shading, and rendering a realistic sand timer.
- Use Mixamo animations and Houdini tools to prepare geometry, control particles, and simulate cloth tearing..
- Develop confidence in combining multiple Houdini techniques to create cinematic visual effects.
Course Content
- Introduction –> 2 lectures • 1min.
- Disintegration FX in Houdini: Character to Dust Course –> 7 lectures • 1hr 3min.
- Houdini Sand Timer – Modeling, Sand Simulation & Rendering –> 8 lectures • 39min.
- Zombie Dust FX in Houdini: From Flesh to Clothes –> 14 lectures • 45min.
Requirements
This course brings together three stunning FX projects in Houdini into one complete learning experience. Whether you are a beginner or an intermediate artist, you will learn step by step how to create cinematic visual effects while building real, finished projects you can showcase.
Project 1: Zombie Cloth Disintegration
A crawling zombie gradually disintegrates into pieces using cloth simulation and a heat-driven effect. You’ll learn how to import characters from Mixamo, prepare them for FX, fracture geometry, apply vellum cloth simulations, and connect them with a temperature source for a gradual, controlled disintegration. The project is finalized with rendering in Karma, color correction in After Effects, and sound design.
Project 2: Character Disintegration into Dust
Create one of the most iconic VFX shots: a character walking forward and dissolving into particles of dust. You’ll prepare geometry, use Boolean operations to define the disintegration source, replace body parts with particles, and control emission and particle timing. Finally, you’ll preview the effect with Houdini’s Flipbook tool for fast, high-quality results.
Project 3: Hourglass Sand Timer
Combine modeling, simulation, and rendering by building a realistic hourglass. You’ll model the glass body and base, simulate falling sand, set up caching for smooth playback, and add realistic shading, lighting, and rendering in Karma.
By the end of this course, you will:
- Be confident in creating particle-based and cloth-based disintegration effects
- Learn how to combine modeling, simulation, shading, and rendering in Houdini
- Gain hands-on experience with Karma rendering, Flipbook previews, caching techniques, and After Effects finishing
- Have three complete cinematic projects in your portfolio, ready to share and build upon
This course is designed to be beginner-friendly but powerful enough for intermediates looking to expand their Houdini skills. Each project is short, practical, and focused, giving you maximum results in minimum time.
Join now and create stunning FX projects — from sand to zombies and more!