Master environment building in Houdini and Clarisse iFX
The Gnomon Workshop has released 3D Landscapes with Houdini and Clarisse: a guide to environment building for VFX and feature animation recorded by DreamWorks Animation’s James Miller.
Create a large-scale mountain environment in Houdini and Clarisse iFX
Over the course of five hours of video training, Miller explores how to create a large environment – a mountain landscape with a skull-shaped cave – using two key VFX tools: Houdini and Clarisse iFX.
The training covers every step of the process, including design, lighting, rendering and compositing.
Miller begins by discussing how Houdini’s terrain tools can be used to generate a base 3D landscape matching the overall feel of photo references.
He then explores how to import the terrain into Clarisse iFX to assign materials, import additional assets, set up lighting, and create camera animation for the shot.
Clouds are created in Houdini using Volume VOPs and imported into Clarisse iFX for rendering.
Miller then demonstrates how to import the base render into Nuke, where he explores relighting using AOVs, creating gizmos, building a skydome, and installing and using the p_world tools for matte painting work.
About the artist
James Miller is a matte painter and 3D generalist at DreamWorks Animation, where he has worked on the How to Train Your Dragon franchise.
He previously worked at Double Negative and Industrial Light & Magic, on movies from the Star Wars, Marvel and Fast and Furious cinematic universes.
Pricing and availability
3D Landscapes with Houdini and Clarisse is available via an online subscription to The Gnomon Workshop. Subscriptions cost $49/month or $490/year. You can try the training for free.
Read more about 3D Landscapes with Houdini and Clarisse on The Gnomon Workshop website
Full disclosure: CG Channel is owned by Gnomon.