Course Overview

Class Description:

Learn how to create professional product visuals for commercial and editorial use using industry-standard tools and techniques. This course introduces the power of Solaris and Karma within Houdini to create purposeful and effective lighting setups. The course includes rendering AOV lighting passes from Houdini into Nuke to produce high-quality final images.

Learning Outcomes:

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to:

  • Use Solaris in Houdini to create compelling product visuals.
  • Set up efficient and flexible lighting using light attributes.
  • Render in Karma and set up AOV passes for compositing.
  • Composite EXR passes in Nuke to create polished, production-ready renders.


Course Materials

    1. Discord

    2. Files

    1. 1. Introduction and Featured Works

    2. 2. Setting Up the Scene and Workspace

    3. 3. Materials and Shading

    4. 4. Setting Up Render Layers

    1. 1. Basic Lighting Setup

    2. 2. HDRI Lighting and Nuke Integration

    3. 3. Background Lighting and Nuke Workflow

    4. 4. Using Mesh Lights

    5. 5. Introduction to COPS

    1. 1. Setting Up Light Operations

    2. 2. Setting Up the Render

    1. 1. Render Engine Differences

    2. 2. AOVs

    1. 1. Final Thoughts on Lighting

Product Lighting and Compositing

  • $80.00
  • 30 lessons
  • 3.5 hours of video content
Session 1

Product Lighting in Houdini

Explore the full pipeline for product visualization—from theory to lighting execution. Students will learn the principles of lighting and apply them using Solaris. Techniques include mesh lights, light manipulation, and attributes. Students will learn proper render output setup using Solaris ROPs, ensuring all necessary passes and elements are correctly configured for downstream compositing work.

  • Lighting theory
  • Solaris scene setup
  • Light manipulation & attributes
  • Mesh light techniques
  • ROP configuration for render passes
Session 2

Product Compositing in Nuke

This session focuses on Nuke, covering scene setup techniques and organization of render elements for efficient workflow. Students will master finishing techniques in Nuke to achieve polished, production-quality results that meet professional standards.

  • Nuke scene setup
  • Layer management & finishing techniques

Instructor

Tanguy Bodivit

Senior Lighting/LookDev Artist

Tanguy Bodivit is a Senior Lighting/LookDev Artist at Apple with over 3 decades of CG experience. He works with Houdini, Maya, 3ds Max, and renders with Arnold, V-Ray, Redshift, RenderMan, and 3Delight, using Nuke as his primary compositing tool. His project experience includes product rendering for jewelry brands (Rolex, Tacori, The Gemist), automotive work for MINI USA, commercials at MPC, and product visualization. He has held positions from Senior LookDev and Lighter to CG Supervisor and Head of CG, and has a background in industrial design.

LinkedIn Website

WHAT YOU NEED TO TAKE THIS COURSE

  • A computer (see SideFX system requirements)
  • Houdini (Apprentice version is free)
  • A second monitor (recommended)

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Subscribe to our newsletter.
Add the full Houdini.School schedule to your calendar:

REFUND POLICY:


Live-Session Courses
Students may request a refund up to 1 day before the start of the course. Students may also withdraw from Live-Session Courses at any time and are entitled to a pro-rated refund. The withdrawal date must be 1 day before the next class they intend to drop.

On-Demand Courses
All on-demand courses are non-refundable.

Refund a Class
Please send a request to get a refund via email to [email protected].
Your written request to drop any or all of your classes must include:
  1. Student’s full name
  2. Name of the course(s) being dropped

See you in Class!