INTRODUCTION TO HOUDINI PYRO FX

New Pyro course available on Pluralsight

Whether it's flame-breathing dragons or a simple campfire, digital fire effects are some of the most important elements in film and television, and a key skill for many VFX artists. In this course, Introduction to Houdini Pyro, you'll learn the fundamental concepts of Houdini's powerful Pyro Solver. First, you'll learn the shelf tools to get an initial simulation started and examine the individual parts that make up a Pyro simulation. 

Next, you'll learn how to use these building blocks to create your own campfire effect, adding additional complexity to the simulation as you explore different sourcing solutions and ways to modify the various fields that are part of the solver. Then, you'll adapt what you have learned to create a more complicated dragon breath effect, further exploring new sourcing methods and capabilities of the Pyro solver. Finally, you'll explore how to export your data and use the Pyro Shader to create photo-realistic Mantra renders of your fire. 

By the end of the course, you'll have a better understanding of the tools necessary to light anything imaginable on fire...digitally, of course. 

About the Author: 
Sam Rickles is a Lead FX Technical Director with Sony Pictures Imageworks. A six year veteran in the VFX industry, Sam works primarily with Houdini to achieve his effects. His work can be seen in seven feature films, including Hotel Transylvania 2, The Amazing Spider-Man 2, and Edge of Tomorrow.