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TOTAL DURATION: 2h 48m 37s
Learn how to work with Solaris, Houdini’s environment for layout, lookdev and lighting and is built on USD, the open source Universal Scene Description format created by PIXAR. This series is intended for any 3D artist who has an interest in learning scene assembly and rendering workflows for USD. No prior Houdini knowledge is needed for following along.
An overview of the Solaris is Sweet tutorial series. Learn where the lessons are headed and what skills you will develop.
For artists new to Houdini, this part teaches you how to effectively navigate the software so that the following parts are easier to follow along with.
Learn about scene assembly, scene descriptions, Universal Scene Description, and what the benefits of using USD are.
Learn how to write a USD file out from a LOPNET as well as how to open that USD file and read what is inside and finally how to read that file back into Houdini to rebuild your scene assembly.
Learn how to import your Object Network scene assembly into the Stage Network using Scene Import and SOP Import nodes. Additionally, you will learn about USD terminology and gain an understanding of USD primitives, how to organize them, and what “Types” and “Kinds” are.
Learn how to build a scene assembly at the Stage level using LOP nodes. This removes the need to create all of your cameras, lights and materials in the Object Network, allowing for your scene assembly to be done solely in Solaris.
Learn how to create USD conformed assets by utilizing the Component Builder node set inside of Solaris. Additionally, learn to use variants for adding multiple geometry and material variations to a single asset.
Learn how to place assets into your scene using the Layout node along with asset databases. Additionally, learn how to populate a scene with instances and utilize variants to create variation in your instancing.
Learn how to use MaterialX to build shaders for rendering in a wide range of renderers. Learn how to import image textures as well as how to use noise patterns within your MaterialX materials.
Learn how to use attributes which are known as primvars in Solaris.
Learn how to edit materials which have already been created and assigned to a geometry.
Learn how to import simulation data into Solaris, including how to optimize the data, utilize motion blur, and export simulations out to disk.
Learn how to create volume shaders using MaterialX.
Learn how to improve your lookdev workflow by using the Light Mixer node to adjust multiple lights from a single node. Additionally, learn how to use Snapshots to save your network layout so that it can be reloaded at a later point.
Learn how to adjust your camera settings in Solaris as well as how to render your scenes out. You will also learn how to use AOVs, Cryptomattes and LPE tags for more control when compositing.
Learn how to configure and save layers to disk and have them be read back in by a USD master file.
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COMMENTS
LukeP 1 year, 7 months ago |
Your tutorials and the way you explain are absolutely amazing. Sided should hire you to redo the documentation! Please consider doing videos explaining each and every node of Houdini! :)
OneBigTree 1 year, 7 months ago |
...and every possible combination of all of them... ;)
Octop 1 year, 7 months ago |
Getting errors in XPU although it does render. Multiplying doesn't work however. Is this supported by CPU only for now?
Moeen 1 year, 7 months ago |
Hey, the error is likely caused by the displacement which is disconnected. You can delete the displacement output from the MTLX subnet to get rid of that error. As far as I know, the multiply should work, what are you multiplying?
AnimGraphLab 1 year, 3 months ago |
If you were talking about rendering MaterialX volume then yes, only CPU works for now.
Octop 1 year, 7 months ago |
Sorry can't find an edit button. I'm talking about the volume shader.
Anastasiiadots 1 year, 7 months ago |
Made me so happy to see the new course of yours!!! BTW I could guess it's yours just by reading the name
Moeen 1 year, 7 months ago |
Thank you for the great comment! Lol, I'm becoming predictable.
OneBigTree 1 year, 7 months ago |
Thank you so much for this. BM Fusion has just added USD support, which means I have now a reason to use usd files and solaris. This tutorial comes at the perfect time.
Moeen 1 year, 7 months ago |
Perfect! I'm glad you found it useful.
madrenderman 1 year, 7 months ago |
This course is great
Moeen 1 year, 7 months ago |
Thanks for watching!
SerQ 1 year, 7 months ago |
I just started watching and I'm already surprised at how well you manage to explain, I am extremely grateful to you.
Moeen 1 year, 7 months ago |
Thank you so much, I appreciate the great comment!
HarrryHoudini 1 year, 7 months ago |
This is so much clearer and easy to understand than the other USD tutorials here.
Moeen 1 year, 7 months ago |
A comment from Harry Houdini himself? I must be doing something right. Thanks!
revilo3d 1 year, 7 months ago |
Nicely done! Quick question - how did you to those text boxes? Is that a modified sticky note?
Moeen 1 year, 7 months ago |
Thanks! If you drop a regular sticky note, you can hide the background in its options by right-clicking on it. I usually change the color of the note first so that the text becomes white instead of grey (press C to bring up color options when hovering in the object network)
Seyonce 1 year, 7 months ago |
Your tutorial is awesome. Thanks for sharing. USD and Material X is now easy peezy lemon squeezy for me. Thanks a lot.
SerjKirchano 1 year, 6 months ago |
Good work!
kuroashiae 1 year, 6 months ago |
i cant find the file!!!!!
Alexandre11011 1 year, 5 months ago |
Thank you for this great overview. But having some difficulties using the component builder to create tree assets variants where the leaves and trunk are in subgroups and each variants using the same materials for leaves and trunk. Any inisght would be greatly appreciated.
HarrryHoudini 1 year, 4 months ago |
I opened the file in video 4 in Houdini 20 but the scene is empty, this was working in 19.5. Did something change in Houdini 20?
HarrryHoudini 1 year, 4 months ago |
Scratch that, problem solved!
rtmzzi 10 months, 2 weeks ago |
thank you so much, incredible explanation for new usd users like me :)
Fsl 9 months, 1 week ago |
Thanks for your tuotorials
Rimagot 6 months ago |
Love the way you explain, its been a gret journey for me so far, because of you I now love houdini. Thanks for all the great work
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