Course Overview

Class Description:

This course delves into various levels of procedural animation, from keyframe basics, to attribute-based animation and the concept of “geometric keyframes”, to more experimental point-based animation systems to offer an alternative method of efficiency and control over traditional simulation-based approaches, pushing the boundaries of what a procedural system can accomplish.

Learning Outcomes:

Students will gain a deeper understanding of animation as a whole, and how to better leverage the existing animation system to create smarter animations with less keyframes, or without keyframes entirely. They will also explore ways to use attributes to directly drive art-directable animations, and learn about some more advanced systems to explore some further reaches of what procedural systems can do.

Course curriculum

    1. Files

    1. 1. Animation Basics

    1. 1. Keyframe Functions

    2. 2. Out of Range Behaviours

    1. 1. Basic Channel Expressions

    2. 2. Offset Method (Channel Expr.)

    3. 3. Using Channel Expression (Time Shift)

    4. 4. Remapping (Channel Expr.)

    5. 5. VEX Method

    1. 1. Defining Animation Curves

    2. 2. Basic Ramp Animation

    3. 3. Remapping the Ramp Curve

    4. 4. Using the Ramp as Timeline

    1. 1. Hovering Animation

    2. 2. Layering and Composing Expressions

    3. 3. Adding Noise to Transforms

    4. 4. Animate Parameters with Geometry

Procedural Animation

  • $120.00
  • 39 lessons
  • 5.5 hours of video content
Session 1

Leveling Up Keyframes

Learning more advanced keyframe settings to make them work smarter and harder, allowing for less keyframes but more animation. Get into channel expressions to get procedurally defined or referential values.

  • Course Intro
  • Keyframe overview
  • Smarter Animation Curves
  • Time Shifting and Remapping
  • Animating with Ramps
  • Channel Expressions
  • Layering and Composing Expressions
  • Transformation Noise Example
Session 2

Attribute-Driven Animation

By taking some of the same concepts from the first session, we can treat points as individual animation curves, allowing geometric attributes to influence our animation on a per-point basis. We also discuss the concept of “Geometric Keyframes”.

  • Per-Point Noise Animation
  • Offset Attribute
  • Time Attribute for Noises
  • Transition Attribute
  • Geometric Keyframes
Session 3

Actor-Based Animation

Taking attribute animation further, we explore some procedural point-based animation systems that let us explore the procedural side of what would normally require simulation or particle systems to achieve.

  • Base Actor System
  • Rain System
  • Puddle System
  • Fireworks System

Instructor

Kevin Weber

Technical Artist

Kevin Weber is a freelance Technical Artist, usually creating 3D parametric and procedural systems in Houdini, he also creates pipeline tools and creates work in Unreal Engine. Being self-taught, Kevin doesn't usually do things the standard way, and he likes to share his innovative methods to help you in your journey directly, or by opening your mind to find your own path!

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WHAT YOU NEED TO TAKE THIS COURSE

  1. Computer (Please see SideFX system requirements)
  2. https://www.sidefx.com/Support/system-requirements/
  3. Houdini 20.0 + (Apprentice License is free)
  4. Familiarity with Houdini and its geometry/attribute system
  5. Some familiarity with VEX

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

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REFUND POLICY:


Multi-Session Courses
Students may request a refund up to 1 day before the start of the course. Students may also withdraw from Multi-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!