introducing
Are you ready to stop relying on tutorials and workshops?
The 6-week guided system that teaches you how Houdini actually works, so you can design, troubleshoot, and finish work with confidence.
Does this sound familiar?
You’ve watched tutorials, taken courses, and followed step-by-step lessons… but the moment you try to build something on your own, you get stuck.
You can reproduce setups, but you don’t actually understand what you built - and changing one thing often breaks everything.
Starting from a blank Houdini scene feels intimidating, so you look for a reference network or tutorial just to get moving.
Instead of speeding up your creativity, Houdini slows you down - your momentum drops, your confidence fades, and experimentation feels risky and messy.
Even if you’re highly technical, Houdini can still feel hard to design ideas in. This is because understanding systems isn’t the same as structuring a project.
You keep thinking...
“I should be able to figure this out… why isn’t this clicking?”
And deep down, you’re worried that maybe you’re missing something fundamental.
That Houdini just “isn’t for you”, or that mastering it requires years of pain and specialization.
If any of this feels uncomfortably familiar, you’re not alone.
My name's Will and I'm a 3D artist who learned Houdini the hard way.
I've now taken my Houdini experience, client experience, and freelance experience and distilled learning Houdini down into the most effective and efficient way possible.
I was once where you are now.
Dear artist,
Who's working hard and putting the effort in.
Who's trying, watching tutorials, and wondering why it still doesn't *click*.
When I first started learning Houdini, I remember feeling completely lost.
Not confused in a “this is new software” type of way, but entirely lost in a "nothing is connecting" way.
I could make small things work.
I could follow a basic tutorial.
I could even use shelf tools and get something working.
But none of it stuck.
And none of it made sense.
Everything felt disconnected.
Houdini felt like an endless list of things I needed to remember, nodes, buttons, workflows... but without any underlying logic tying them together. I was constantly overwhelmed.
I’d spend nights and weekends watching tutorial after tutorial, following along step by step… only to realize my network looked nothing like the instructor’s.
And worse - nothing ever clicked.
I could copy what they did, but I didn’t understand why any of it worked.
This problem lasted way too long.
Weeks turned into months.
Months turned into years.
I made dozens of attempts to “learn Houdini.”
And abandoned hundreds of projects along the way.
Every time I came back, it felt like starting over.
I knew what I wanted to create.
I just had no idea how to approach it on my own.
Eventually, after years of frustration, something finally became clear.
The problem wasn’t Houdini.
And it wasn’t that I wasn’t smart enough, technical enough, or working hard enough.
The real problem was much simpler, and much more frustrating.
I was doing things in Houdini without understanding them.
I was rebuilding instructor's networks node by node.
Getting results that looked like I knew what I was doing.
But the moment I tried to deviate, the moment I needed to make an actual decision
I froze.
Over time, I started to notice a pattern.
Most workshops and tutorials all missed the same thing.
They showed what to do... but skipped over how they decided to do it.
They jumped straight into Houdini... the UI... the buttons... the nodes.
And skip entirely over how to think like Houdini, and how to approach it with the right intuition.
The breakthrough came when I realized this
Houdini doesn’t reward memorization.
It rewards understanding how data flows and decisions are made.
Once I stopped asking “Which nodes do I need?”
and started asking “What am I trying to design?”
Everything changed.
For the first time, Houdini stopped feeling random.
Setups stopped feeling fragile.
And I finally felt confident approaching new problems on my own.
Later, after spending years learning Houdini,
thousands of hours on projects, and working closely with artists trying to learn it themselves, I saw the exact same struggle... over and over.
Artists would make progress as long as they followed instructions perfectly…
and then freeze the moment they tried to improvise.
That moment - where you stop following along and have to think on your own - is where almost everyone gets stuck.
And once I understood that, I realized something important:
If I struggled this way…
and so many other capable artists struggled the exact same way…
Then the problem was never the artist.
It was how Houdini was being taught.
So what’s the next step?
We’ll go step by step through the same process I used to finally make Houdini click.
INTRODUCING
LEVEL UP: HOUDINI
THE STRUCTURED PROGRAM
TO GO FROM ZERO TO DESIGNING YOUR OWN SHOTS IN HOUDINI
In this guided program, you'll:
- Rebuild your understanding of Houdini, from the ground up
- Learn the exact "why" behind every step, and reason through any setup.
- Create real, portfolio-ready work through guided challenges and Boss Battles.
- Gain a complete understanding of how Houdini works and why it works.
- Get direct mentorship and feedback inside a private artist community.
By the end, you won’t just know more Houdini
you’ll understand it.
LEVEL UP isn’t another collection of tutorials or isolated workflows.
It’s a system that teaches you how to design and reason inside Houdini - so you can build projects intentionally and with full control.
So when it’s time to build your own ideas, you’re not copying - you’re designing.
WHAT MAKES LEVEL UP DIFFERENT?
What makes this approach unique.
LEVEL UP isn’t built around teaching Houdini steps or tasks.
It’s built around teaching the mental model behind Houdini - how to think, plan, and reason before you even touch a single node.
Instead of asking: “Which nodes do I need?”
You learn to ask: “What am I trying to design, and how should my data flow?”
That shift is the difference between:
Copying setups and building scenes you actually understand
This mental-model-first approach is why LEVEL UP works when other methods don’t.
Built for the problems you're actually facing.
If you’re reading this, you’re probably not struggling because you haven’t watched enough tutorials.
You’re struggling because:
- Everything you learn feels fragmented
- You freeze when starting from a blank scene
- You don’t trust your decisions
- You can’t improvise in Houdini without breaking things
- LEVEL UP is designed specifically to solve *that* problem.
LEVEL UP teaches you how to:
- Approach a scene from an idea
- Make decisions you understand
- Build setups intentionally
- Know why something works, not just that it does
Results you can feel - not just information you've memorized.
This isn’t about adding more Houdini knowledge to your head.
The real outcome is this:
- You can start projects without anxiety
- You can design setups instead of guessing
- You can troubleshoot without panic
- You can finish work you’re proud of — because you understand it
By the end, Houdini stops feeling overwhelming
and starts feeling logical, predictable and creative.
Why other ways of learning Houdini fall short.
Most Houdini education focuses on execution.
They show you:
- A workflow
- A shot
- A specific result
But they skip the reasoning behind it.
That’s why...
- Tutorials don’t transfer
- Knowledge doesn’t compound
- Confidence never forms
LEVEL UP fills that gap.
It doesn’t replace tutorials - it gives you the missing foundation so tutorials finally make sense.
Click below to get started today, completely risk free and backed by a 30-day guarantee.
HOW LEVEL UP WORKS
So what's the difference between this program and learning Houdini the hard way? It comes down to starting from the basics, and working our way up.
We'll work together to reset your whole understanding of Houdini and start from scratch. We'll build it back up together, step-by-step and lesson-by-lesson, so you can make connections from the beginning - and see why everything works the way it does.
Instead of staying stuck watching endless tutorials, starting disconnected projects, or wasting months follow along to videos you don't understand, you’ll unlock and train your own mental model behind Houdini itself.
Each level, you’ll unlock a new layer of understanding - connecting the dots as you go.
You keep building momentum, and feel real progress in your understanding of Houdini.
By the end of the program, you won't just "know" more Houdini.
You'll understand it.
You see how it fits together, why it works the way it does, and have confidence to start those projects you always wanted to.
You’ll understand Houdini better than most people who’ve used it for years,
because you’ll finally see the logic behind it all.
The LEVEL UP: Houdini Curriculum
Level 1: Concept Foundations
We start from the basics, introducing everything from the ground up. We cover the core foundations and data that make up the information Houdini operates on.
Level 2: Core Concepts
We continue where we left off in Week 1, and start building up our knowledge of the "language of Houdini". We understand what Houdini does at a core level, and what is happening as Houdini reads through our network and setups.
Level 3: Procedural Systems
We start to connect the dots of why Houdini is so powerful, we see how to design and organize key procedural components that can be used in our projects.
Level 4: Houdini Applied
Now we begin to apply everything we've learned about how Houdini operates and how to design and approach our projects. We learn the implementation for our big goals we set up in previous levels.
Level 5: BOSS BATTLES
In real-world projects, we apply our new technical knowledge to showcase how we can tackle these complex projects from scratch. Each battle you can approach on your own, or watch me walk through each step and stage to create the finished work.
Level 6: Simulation Fundamentals
Now we begin to apply everything we've learned about how Houdini operates and how to design and approach our projects. We learn the implementation for our big goals we set up in previous levels.
BONUS LEVEL: The Grand Arena
It's your battle now.
This final level, we team up to work on the projects you want to work on. I help you break down your own ideas and your own projects into how you can best approach them, and give you personalized guidance on how to best start and complete them.
This is what you've been working towards. And together we'll make it happen.
Once you complete every lesson the program doesn't end, it's just the start.
Now that you've built up the skills to complete projects on your own, you keep working towards that goal. I'll still be here to answer questions, give you feedback, and keep you accountable.
The Process
LEVEL UP is designed to take you from confusion and fragmented
to full clarity, confidence, and complete creative control, all step by step.
Not by overwhelming you.
Not by throwing you into advanced setups.
But by rebuilding how you understand Houdini from the inside out.
Here’s the journey.
Step 1: Rebuild the foundation
We start by resetting your understanding of Houdini.
Instead of jumping into nodes, workflows, UI, or effects, you learn:
- How Houdini thinks about data
- What information is actually flowing through your networks
- How Houdini evaluates and processes network graphs
This gives you a strong mental model, so everything you learn afterward has a place to fit in.
This is where confusion starts to disappear.
Step 2: Learn to reason through decisions.
Once the foundation is in place, we focus on decision-making.
You’ll learn how to:
- Approach a blank scene with a plan
- Break an idea into smaller logical steps
- Choose why something should be built a certain way
- Understand how to think procedurally
Instead of asking “What node do I use?”
you’ll know what you’re trying to accomplish, and how to get there.
This is where confidence starts to form.
Step 3: Apply the thinking to real projects.
Understanding only matters if you can apply it.
That’s why LEVEL UP moves quickly from concepts into:
- Guided projects
- Real project breakdowns
- Practical applications of your mental model
You’re not just watching, you’re thinking, building, and improving.
This is where everything starts to click.
Step 4: Build momentum through structured progression
LEVEL UP is intentionally structured so that:
- Each level builds on the last
- Knowledge compounds instead of fragmenting
- You feel real progress instead of being overwhelmed
You’re never guessing what to learn next.
You’re never wondering if you’re “ready.”
The structure does that work for you.
Step 5: Learn to work independently.
As you progress, the goal shifts from guidance to independence.
You’ll learn how to:
- Design your own setups
- Troubleshoot your own work
- Adapt ideas instead of copying them
And you’re not doing it alone.
You get:
- Direct feedback
- Personalized Mentorship
- A private community of artists solving the same problems
So you always have support, without losing autonomy.
Where this leads.
By the end of LEVEL UP:
You understand *why* Houdini works the way it does
You can start projects without anxiety
You can design, build, and finish scenes intentionally
You trust your decisions, even when improvising
You’re no longer relying on tutorials to move forward.
You’re thinking like Houdini.
What You’ll Be Able to Do by the End of LEVEL UP
You won’t just learn how to think in Houdini, you’ll also learn the full set of real production technical skills needed to apply that thinking in real-world projects.
LEVEL UP covers up-to-date, production-ready Houdini techniques and workflows that fully leverage Houdini's power, so you’re not just learning ideas in isolation, but building the practical experience required to bring them to life.
Build Real Houdini Projects
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Design full environments and complete scenes.
-
Work through end-to-end project workflows.
-
Use procedural techniques purposefully for modeling, layout, and environment work.
-
Apply simulations (RBD, destruction, pyro, particles) correctly.
-
Build setups that support iteration and scale
Think + Plan Like a Pro Artist
-
Art direct shots instead of chasing effects and tutorials.
-
Plan scenes before touching nodes.
-
Navigate Houdini contexts intentionally (from SOPs, DOPs, LOPs and Solaris and more)
-
Break ideas into clear, logical steps, and scalable networks.
-
Approach a blank scene with confidence and purpose.
Work in Ways Houdini Is Actually Used in REAL Production
-
Design clean, reusable workflows.
-
Integrate real projects and work into LOPs / Solaris pipelines.
-
Use Solaris and Karma in real production contexts, and shots built from scratch.
-
Design procedural shading and materials with intent.
-
Debug, reason through, and improve your own work.
THE REAL COST OF WAITING
The Cost of Inaction
Here’s the part most people don’t like to admit:
The longer you wait, the longer Houdini stays confusing.
Not because you aren’t trying, but because nothing about your approach is changing.
Waiting doesn’t make Houdini clearer.
Watching more tutorials doesn’t make things connect.
Time alone doesn’t build confidence.
It just delays the moment everything finally clicks.
The Sooner You Start, the Sooner This Changes
LEVEL UP doesn’t promise shortcuts.
But it gives you the one thing that stops the cycle of restarting your Houdini journey:
A clear, structured way to understand how Houdini actually works.
The sooner you start building that foundation, the sooner..
- Scenes make sense
- Decisions feel obvious
- Confidence replaces hesitation
And everything else you learn finally sticks.
There’s No Risk in Starting
If you’re worried about committing to the wrong program. That's fair.
It's happened to me before and that’s why LEVEL UP is backed by a 100% money-back guarantee.
If you join, go through the material, and don’t feel more clarity and confidence in how you approach Houdini, you can request a full refund.
No pressure.
No proof of you completing the lessons.
No extra hoops to jump through.
The Only Real Risk Is Staying Stuck
You can keep waiting - or you can change the way you’re learning and move forward.
If you’re ready to stop delaying the breakthrough you know is possible, LEVEL UP is your next step forward.
Is This Right for You?
LEVEL UP: Houdini is designed for a very specific kind of artist.
This Is for You If…
- You already have experience with 3D software (any tool), and you know you’re capable, but Houdini never fully clicked.
- You can follow tutorials, but freeze when starting from a blank scene or trying to build something on your own.
- You’re tired of fragmented learning and want a clear mental framework that actually sticks.
- You care more about understanding and confidence than memorizing nodes or copying workflows.
- You want to design and finish your own Houdini work - not just recreate someone else’s setup.
- You’re excited by the idea of Houdini becoming a tool you feel comfortable and creative inside of.
- You want a full, generalist understanding of Houdini, how it works as an whole system, not just isolated tricks, effects, or niche workflows.
This Is NOT for You If…
- You’re looking for a quick fix, shortcut, or “instant mastery” of Houdini.
- You only want pre-built workshops or step-by-step effects without understanding how they work.
- You’re not willing to think, experiment, and understand why things work.
- You want a pure FX or niche-specialization course without learning how to design projects end-to-end.
MY PROMISE.
LEVEL UP: HOUDINI
BUT WHAT IF THIS WON'T WORK FOR ME?
- You reading this now
Fair question. Look, I get it.
Investing in a program like this does carry some risk.
You might be asking yourself now...
What if I don't learn anything?
What if this doesn't help me understand Houdini?
What if this doesn't help me apply any of it to my own projects?
What if this is like the other workshops I paid for, where I was left confused and overwhelmed?
What if I'm just not cut out for Houdini?
I understand these thoughts and doubts, because for years I asked myself those exact same questions every time I tried to learn Houdini.
Every time I bought a new workshop, I hoped it would be *the one*.
But it never was.
That's why I built LEVEL UP: Houdini differently - so you don't have to guess or doubt if this is something you're cut out for.
And to prove how confident I am, I'll take the risk off your shoulders.
When you join, you'll be covered by the "Understand Or It's On Me" 30-Day Guarantee. Here's how it works.
If within 30 days of joining, you don't feel
- Clearer on how Houdini actually works under the hood
- More confident using Houdini
- Genuinely excited to keep working and learning
Then I don't think I deserve your money.
Just let me know within 30 days of joining, and I'll give you a full refund.
No hoops to jump through, no proof required of you having to try.
No questions asked.
I'm doing it this way, because I want this program to genuinely help you understand Houdini - not to trap you into a course that won't deliver.
So take the next step, and enroll today. Give yourself the chance to finally make Houdini click.
A FINAL THOUGHT
You didn't end up here by accident.
You’re here because you know you’re capable of more - and because Houdini hasn’t felt as intuitive or empowering as it should.
You’ve put in the time.
You’ve followed the tutorials.
You’ve tried to make it click.
And yet, you're still not where you want to be.
This Is the Decision in Front of You
You can keep doing what you’ve been doing - hoping the next tutorial finally connects the dots.
Or you can change the way you’re learning
and build the understanding that makes everything else easier.
LEVEL UP isn’t about learning more Houdini.
It’s about learning it in the right order and filling in the missing gaps so confidence replaces guesswork
and understanding replaces frustration.
The Cost of Doing Nothing Seems Small. But It Adds Up.
Every month you wait:
-
Progress gets delayed
-
Motivation resets
-
Confidence erodes just a little more
Not because you aren’t trying, but because nothing fundamental is changing.
You already know where that path leads.
And it's draining having to restart each time, without making any progress.
This Is a Safe Step Forward
LEVEL UP: Houdini is backed by a 100% money-back guarantee,
so there’s no risk in finding out if this is the missing piece for you.
If you join the program and don’t feel more clarity and confidence in how you approach Houdini, you can request a full refund.
No pressure.
No downside.
If You’re Ready to Stop Waiting
If you’re done hoping things will eventually click, and ready to build real understanding.
This is your next step.
EVERYTHING YOU GET ACCESS TO
LEVEL UP: HOUDINI
The Complete LEVEL UP: Houdini Curriculum
Everything you need to go from zero, to project ready. Taught step by step, all from the ground up. (Value: $1997+)
Mentorship Access
Direct access to me, weekly check-ins, personalized feedback on your projects, Q&A Threads, and priority support + debugging help (Value: $1,997+)
6 Month VIP LABS Community Access
6 months of access to the private LEVEL UP: Houdini cohort community. Ask questions, request additional lessons and work with other artists working through the same program. (Value: $299+/month)
Boss Battles: Real World Projects
Multiple challenge-based real projects to take you from "I followed along" to "I could make this myself" (Value: $297+ EACH)
Lifetime Access + Continuous Updates
Buy once, get all future lessons, levels, and Boss Battles added as soon as they are released - with no extra costs, ever. (Value: $997+)
Houdini: VAULT
Completed Boss Battle Projects you can dissect, break apart node-by-node, and use in your own projects [Note: Houdini Indie Files Only] (Value: $497+)
Confidence + Clarity
Finally think like Houdini, and not just memorize buttons. Start to create projects without second guessing (Value: $$$ Priceless)
What Students Are Saying
"In all the Houdini courses, and workshops I've taken, none of them took this approach which looking back now I realize why I felt so overwhelmed... So you've already opened my eyes to that idea of how to create what is in your mind's eye and translate that to implementation in Houdini"
- Level Up Member
(quote shared with permission)
LEVEL UP Guarantee
30 Day money back guarantee
Total Value: $7,371
Your Investment: $1,097
Why NOW Is the Best Time to Join
This is just the start for LEVEL UP: Houdini and this is the lowest price the program will ever be offered at (likely lowest price by a lot). Every time new levels, updates, and bonuses are added the price will rise - but not for you.
LEVEL UP: Houdini
-
Level 0: Onboarding + Course Tutorial
- Welcome
- Why This Course Was Made
- What The Course Covers
- What This Course Does Not Cover
- How the Course is Structured
- Suggested Ways To Get The Most Out Of The Course
- A Disclaimer On Complexity
- Your Final Transformation
- Kajabi Course Organization
-
Level 1: Concept Foundations
- 1.0 - Level 1: INTRODUCTION
-
1.1 - 3D Fundamentals: What Is A Scene
- What Makes a Cube?
- From Cube to Sphere to Dinosaur
- What Make a Scene
- From Plain Objects to Colored Materials
- 3D Scenes, to 2D Image: How the Camera Works
-
1.2 - It's All Data: Thinking In Terms Of Information
- A 2D Example: Information In Tiers
- A 3D Scene: Our 3D Data
- More Scenes, More Data
-
1.3 - Types Of Scene Data: Where It All Fits In
- Data Recap: Keeping It Separate
- 3D Data: Building Our First Scene
- Data Categories: Where Our Scene Fits In
- Making Data Changes Easy
- Data Overlap: Common Exceptions
- Sparks, Explosions And Splashes
-
1.4 - Organizing the 3D Data
- The Two General Approaches
- Why It Matters: Approaches Applied
- A Mix of Both
-
1.5 - File Input / Output: Types Of Files
- The Common File Formats of Houdini
- Writing vs Reading
- A Common File Workflow
-
1.6 - Data / Information Types: Variables + Attributes
- Data Types
- Data Types Use Cases
- Points Or Vertices Or Polygons?
-
Level 2: Core Concepts
- 2.0 - Level 2: INTRODUCTION
-
2.1 - Nodes, Networks, How Houdini Thinks
- Operating On Information
- What Is A "Node"
- What Is A Parameter
- Nodes Made Of Nodes
- Networks Of Nodes
- How Houdini Reads A Network
-
2.2 - Instructions vs Data - "The Recipe" vs "The Cake"
- The Recipe vs The Cake
- Saving Our Cake: Caching
- Instruction Sizes vs Data Sizes
- Choosing Our Cache Locations
-
2.3 - Goals vs Tasks vs Workflows
- Defining Our Big Scary Monster
- Framework Example: A Rope Bridge
- Framework Challenge: Your Turn Now
-
Level 3: Procedural Systems
- 3.0 - Level 3: INTRODUCTION
-
3.1 - Workflow Dependencies
- Destructive vs Procedural Workflows
- One Goal, Infinite Workflows
- What Makes A Workflow Dependent
- Challenges and Benefits of Dependencies
- A Practical Procedural Example
- Dependencies WE Determine
-
3.2 - Procedural Workflow Demonstrated
- Building A Building Generator
- What Makes Up A Building
-
3.3 - Workflow Wizadry: Expanding to Modularity
- From Building To Street to City
- Big Goals to Small Goals: Why We Do It
-
Level 4: Houdini Applied
- 4.0 - Level 4: INTRODUCTION
-
4.01 - Opening and Navigating Houdini
- Opening Houdini, Modifying the UI
- Navigating Our Contexts
- Adding Nodes, Removing Nodes
-
4.02 - Introduction to Contexts: How Our Data Fits In
- Contexts We'll Use
- Moving Data: How It Fits In
- Organizing Our Data Types
- A Sample Workflow
-
4.03 - Our First Context: SOPS / Geometry / Attributes
- Creating Our First Data
- Cube vs Sphere vs Dinosaur
- Modifying The Data
- Saving And Loading The Data
- VEX Intro
- VOPS Intro
-
4.04 - Parameters And Subnetworks: "HDAs" Introduced
- Parameters Introduced
- Linking And Adjusting Parameters
- HDAs Parameters and Custom Nodes
-
4.05 - Our Second Context: Stage / Solaris / Layout
- USD Introduction
- Primitive, Organization, and Our Scene Graph Tree
- The Basics Of A Scene
-
4.06 - Camera Setup And Basics
- Creating Our Camera
- Camera Parameters
- Camera Animation
-
4.07 - Lighting & Rendering Setup And Basics
- Recap Of Rendering
- Intro To Lighting
- Karma Render Settings
- Rendering Our First Image
- Depth Of Field
- Motion Blur
-
4.08 - Intro To Materials
- Creating A Basic Material
- Material Properties and Values
- UVs Introduction
- More Complex Materials: Textures
- More Complex Materials: Noises
- More Complex Materials: Attributes
- Material Management
-
4.09 - Intro To Lighting
- Point Light And Sphere Light
- Area / Rect Light
- Dome Light
- Spot Light
- Multiple Lighting Setups
- Emissive Materials
- Lighting Theory
-
4.10 - Common Concepts
- Working With Curves - "curveu" Attribute Explored
- Working With Curves - Rendering Curves
- Instancing Workflows Pt. 1 - Scattering Points
- Instancing Workflows Pt. 2 - Instancing To Points
-
4.11 - Heightfields: Introduction
- Project Files - Heightfield Lessons
- Example Volcano Project - Project Files
- Heightfield Section Overview
- Intro To Heightfields
- Intro To Heightfields - Pt 2
- Heightfield Noise Intro
- Heightfield Distort By Noise
- Heightfield Masks - Painting Masks
- Heightfield Masks - Mask By Object
- Heightfield Masks - Modifying Masks
- Heightfield Masks - Mask By Features
- Heightfield Masks - Merging Masks
- Heightfield Mask Expand - Height Layer
- Heightfield Pattern Node
- Heightfield Combine Layers
- Heightfield Slump
- Heightfield Layer + Layering - Example 01
- Heightfield Layer + Layering - Example 02
- Heightfield Layer + Layering - Example 03
- Heightfield Erode (intro)
-
4.12 - Environment Full Workflow
- Project Files - Heightfield Environment Workflow
- Section Intro - (Heightfield Environment Workflow)
- Volcano Overview - (Heightfield Environment Workflow)
- Environment From Scratch - Chapter 01: Part 01 - Planning
- Environment From Scratch - Chapter 01: Part 02 - Base Shape
- Environment From Scratch - Chapter 01: Part 03 - Volcano Detailing
- Environment From Scratch - Chapter 01: Part 04 - Canyon Detailing (part 1)
- Environment From Scratch - Chapter 01: Part 04 - Canyon Detailing (part 2)
- Environment From Scratch - Chapter 01: Part 05 - Preview Visualize Volcano
- Environment From Scratch - Chapter 01: Part 06 - Preview Visualize Canyon
- Environment From Scratch - Chapter 01: Part 07 - Final Heightfield Prep
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Level 5: BOSS BATTLES - Workflows Applied
- 5.0 - Level 5: INTRODUCTION
-
BOSS BATTLE - Studio Scene
- Project Files: Studio Scene
- Part 01 - Project Brief
- Part 02 - Framework Breakdown [CHEAT CODES]
- Part 03 - Houdini Organization [CHEAT CODES]
- Part 04 - Our Full Project [Houdini Implementation CHEAT CODES]
-
BOSS BATTLE - Abstract Motion Design
- Project Files: Abstract Motion Design
- Completed Project - Preview
- Part 01: Project Brief
- Part 02: Framework Breakdown
- Part 03: Houdini Organization
- Part 04.01 - Scene Modeling - [Houdini Implementation: CHEAT CODES]
- Part 04.02 - Solaris Layout Prep - [Houdini Implementation: CHEAT CODES]
- Part 04.03 - Scene Lighting - [Houdini Implementation: CHEAT CODES]
- Part 04.04 - Materials - [Houdini Implementation: CHEAT CODES]
- Part 04.05 - Lighting Continued - [Houdini Implementation: CHEAT CODES]
- Part 04.06 - Animation - [Houdini Implementation: CHEAT CODES]
- Part 04.07 - Rendering - [Houdini Implementation: CHEAT CODES]
- Part 04.08 - Animation Final Touches - [Houdini Implementation: CHEAT CODES]
- Part 04.09 - Final Render Settings - [Houdini Implementation: CHEAT CODES]
- Part 04.10 - Compositing - [Houdini Implementation: CHEAT CODES]
- Part 04.11 - Wrap Up and Recap - [Houdini Implementation: CHEAT CODES]
-
BOSS BATTLE - Procedural Plants
- Project Files: Procedural Plants
- Completed Project - Preview
- Part 01 - Project Brief
- Part 02 - Framework Breakdown [CHEAT CODES]
- Part 03 - Houdini Organization [CHEAT CODES]
- Part 04 - Our Backdrop Scene - [Houdini Implementation: CHEAT CODES]
- Part 04 - Our Plant Patch Tool - [Houdini Implementation: CHEAT CODES]
- Part 04 - Short Grass (modeling) - [Houdini Implementation: CHEAT CODES]
- Part 04 - Tall Grass (modeling) - [Houdini Implementation: CHEAT CODES]
- Part 04 - Clover (modeling) - [Houdini Implementation: CHEAT CODES]
- Part 04 - Yellow Flower (modeling) - [Houdini Implementation: CHEAT CODES]
- Part 04 - Big Purple Flower (modeling) - [Houdini Implementation: CHEAT CODES]
- Part 04 - White Flower (modeling) - [Houdini Implementation: CHEAT CODES]
- Part 04 - Short Grass (materials) - [Houdini Implementation: CHEAT CODES]
- Part 04 - Tall Grass (materials) - [Houdini Implementation: CHEAT CODES]
- Part 04 - Yellow / Pink Flower (materials) - [Houdini Implementation: CHEAT CODES]
- Part 04 - Clover (materials) - [Houdini Implementation: CHEAT CODES]
- Part 04 - White Flower (materials) - [Houdini Implementation: CHEAT CODES]
- Part 04 - Big Purple Flower (materials) - [Houdini Implementation: CHEAT CODES]
- Part 04 - Grass Patch Scene (layout) - [Houdini Implementation: CHEAT CODES]
- Part 04 - Batch Rendering (rendering) - [Houdini Implementation: CHEAT CODES]
- Part 04 - Render Exporting (to videos) - [Houdini Implementation: CHEAT CODES]
- Part 04 - Bonus Camera Angle - [Houdini Implementation: CHEAT CODES]
-
BOSS BATTLE - Procedural Crystals
- Project Files: Procedural Crystals
- Completed Project - Preview Trailer
- Part 01: Project Brief
- Part 02: Framework Breakdown [CHEAT CODES]
- Part 03 - Houdini Organization [CHEAT CODES]
- Part 04.01 - Studio Setup - [Houdini Implementation: CHEAT CODES]
- Part 04.02 - Crystal Modeling - [Houdini Implementation: CHEAT CODES]
- Part 04.03 - Crystal Instancing Prep - [Houdini Implementation: CHEAT CODES]
- Part 04.04 - Geometry Prep For Solaris - [Houdini Implementation: CHEAT CODES]
- Part 04.05 - Rock Materials - [Houdini Implementation: CHEAT CODES]
- Part 04.06 - Crystal Materials - [Houdini Implementation: CHEAT CODES]
- Part 04.07 - Assorted Look Dev Part 01 - [Houdini Implementation: CHEAT CODES]
- Part 04.08 - Assorted Look Dev Part 02 - [Houdini Implementation: CHEAT CODES]
-
BOSS BATTLE - Desert Environment Scene
- Project Files: Desert Environment
- Completed Project - Preview Trailer
- Part 01 - Project Brief
- Part 02 - Framework Breakdown [CHEAT CODES]
- Part 03 - Houdini Organization [CHEAT CODES]
- Part 04.01 - Studio Environment - [Houdini Implementation: CHEAT CODES]
- Part 04.02- First Grass Patch - [Houdini Implementation: CHEAT CODES]
- Part 04.03 - Grass Variations (modeling) - [Houdini Implementation: CHEAT CODES]
- Part 04.04 - Grass To Solaris (layout)- [Houdini Implementation: CHEAT CODES]
- Part 04.05 - Rocks (modeling) - [Houdini Implementation: CHEAT CODES]
- Part 04.06 - Sticks (modeling) - [Houdini Implementation: CHEAT CODES]
- Part 04.07 - Rocks / Sticks To Solaris (layout) - [Houdini Implementation: CHEAT CODES]
- Part 04.08 - Grass Shading (materials) - [Houdini Implementation: CHEAT CODES]
- Part 04.09 - Rocks Shading (materials) - [Houdini Implementation: CHEAT CODES]
- Part 04.10 - Ground Sand Shading (materials) - [Houdini Implementation: CHEAT CODES]
- Part 04.11 - Environment Starting Sand Dune Tool (VOPS) - [Houdini Implementation: CHEAT CODES]
- Part 04.12 - Dune Tool Cleanup (VOPS / HDAs) - [Houdini Implementation: CHEAT CODES]
- Part 04.13 - Sand Dune Showcase (VOPS) - [Houdini Implementation: CHEAT CODES]
- Part 04.14 - Sand Dune Tool Used (VOPS) - [Houdini Implementation: CHEAT CODES]
- Part 04.15 - Sand Dune Shading (materials) - [Houdini Implementation: CHEAT CODES]
- Part 04.16 - Sand Dune Mesh Detailing - [Houdini Implementation: CHEAT CODES]
- Part 04.17 - Scene Lighting - [Houdini Implementation: CHEAT CODES]
- Part 04.18 - Scattering Prep (culling by camera) - [Houdini Implementation: CHEAT CODES]
- Part 04.19 - Prop Scattering (basic) - [Houdini Implementation: CHEAT CODES]
- Part 04.20 - Prop Instancing (layout) - [Houdini Implementation: CHEAT CODES]
- Part 04.21 - Prop Scattering (advanced) - [Houdini Implementation: CHEAT CODES]
- Part 04.22 - Prop Material Updates (materials) - [Houdini Implementation: CHEAT CODES]
- Part 04.23 - Sand Material Updates (materials) - [Houdini Implementation: CHEAT CODES]
- Part 04.24 - Rendering Setup - [Houdini Implementation: CHEAT CODES]
- Part 04.25 - Camera Animation - [Houdini Implementation: CHEAT CODES]
- Part 04.26 - Compositing 01: Reference Approach - [Houdini Implementation: CHEAT CODES]
- Part 04.27 - Compositing 02: Depth + Crypto Pass - [Houdini Implementation: CHEAT CODES]
- Part 04.28 - Compositing 03: Nightime - [Houdini Implementation: CHEAT CODES]
- Part 04.29 - Compositing 04: Mars SciFi- [Houdini Implementation: CHEAT CODES]
- Part 04.30 - Final Composite / Project Wrapup - [Houdini Implementation: CHEAT CODES]
-
BOSS BATTLE - *in progress*
-
Level 6: Simulation Fundamentals - RBD
-
RBD Section 01: RBD Fundamentals
- rbd.01.01 - Project Files - RBD Fundamentals
- rbd.01.02 - Overview - RBD Fundamentals
- rbd.01.03 - Introduction - RBD Fundamentals
- rbd.01.04 - "name" Attribute & Packed Geo - Example 01
- rbd.01.05 - "name" Attribute & Packed Geo - Example 02
- rbd.01.06 - "name" Attribute & Packed Geo - Example 03
- rbd.01.07 - "name" Attribute & Packed Geo - Example 04
- rbd.01.08 - "name" Attribute & Packed Geo - Example 05
- rbd.01.09 - "active" Attribute - Example 01
- rbd.01.10 - "active" Attribute - Example 02
- rbd.01.11 - "active" Attribute - Example 03
- rbd.01.12 - "animated" Attribute - Example 01
- rbd.01.13 - "deforming" Attribute - Example 02
- rbd.01.14 - "deforming" Attribute - Example 03
- rbd.01.15 - Collision Shapes - Example 01
- rbd.01.16 - Collision Shapes - Example 02
- rbd.01.17 - Collision Shapes - Example 03
- rbd.01.18 - Collision Shapes - Example 04
- rbd.01.19 - Collision Shapes - Example 05
- rbd.01.20 - Collision Shapes - Example 06
- rbd.01.21 - Collision Shapes - Example 07
- rbd.01.22 - Section Recap + Review
-
RBD Section 02: RBD Constraints
- rbd.02.01 - Project Files - RBD Constraints
- rbd.02.02 - Intro - RBD Constraints
- rbd.02.03 - What We'll Learn - RBD Constraints
- rbd.02.04 - A Basic Constraint - Part 01
- rbd.02.05 - A Basic Constraint - Part 02
- rbd.02.06 - Constraints on Packed VS Unpacked Geo
- rbd.02.07 - Hard Constraint - Example 01
- rbd.02.08 - Hard Constraint - Example 02
- rbd.02.09 - Hard Constraint - Example 03
- rbd.02.10 - Hard Constraint - Example 04
- rbd.02.11 - Hard Vs Soft Constraint
- rbd.02.12 - Constraints Example - A Simple Bridge
- rbd.02.13 - Constraints Example - More Complex Bridge
- rbd.02.14 - Constraints To Animated RBD - Example 01
- rbd.02.15 - Constraints To Animated RBD - Example 02
- rbd.02.16 - Constraints To Animated RBD - Example 03
- rbd.02.17 - Constraints To Animated RBD - Example 04
- rbd.02.18 - Constraints Recap
-
RBD Section 03: RBD Fracturing
-
RBD Section 04: RBD Extended
-
-
Level 6: Simulation Fundamentals - Pyro
-
Pyro Section 01: Pyro Fundamentals
- pyro.01.01 - Project Files - Pyro Fundamentals
- pyro.01.02 - Intro - Pyro Fundamentals
- pyro.01.03 - Quick Tip: Scene View Lights
- pyro.01.04 - What We'll Cover - Pyro Fundamentals
- pyro.01.05 - Preparing Source Volumes
- pyro.01.06 - Our First Sim + Pyro Solver Introduction
- pyro.01.07 - Changing Source Volumes
- pyro.01.08 - Stopping A Source
- pyro.01.09 - Velocities
- pyro.01.10 - Looping Sourcing
- pyro.01.11 - Simulation Forces
- pyro.01.12 - Divergence Field
- pyro.01.13 - Control Fields
- pyro.01.14 - Custom Fields
- pyro.01.15 - Collision Introduction
- pyro.01.16 - Collision: Fractional Frames & Simulation Substeps
- pyro.01.17 - Colored Smoke (Cd field)
- pyro.01.18 - Secondary Simulations
- pyro.01.19 - Section Recap & Review
-
Pyro Section 02: Fire
- pyro.02.01 - Project Files - Fire
- pyro.02.02 - Intro - Fire
- pyro.02.03 - What We'll Cover - Fire
- pyro.02.04 - Temperature Field Intro
- pyro.02.05 - Flame Field Intro
- pyro.02.06 - Simple Fire Intro (no smoke)
- pyro.02.07 - Simple Fire Intro (with smoke)
- pyro.02.08 - Basic Fire Setup
- pyro.02.09 - Fire From Scratch
- pyro.02.10 - Secondary Sims Example 01
- pyro.02.11 - Secondary Sims Example 02
- pyro.02.12 - Secondary Smoke Sim From Scratch
- pyro.02.13 - Section Recap & Review
-
Pyro Section 03: Explosions
- pyro.03.01 - Project Files - Explosions
- pyro.03.02 - Intro - Explosions
- pyro.03.03 - What We'll Cover - Explosions
- pyro.03.04 - Our First Explosion
- pyro.03.05 - Explosion Improvement
- pyro.03.06 - Pyro Bake Volume
- pyro.03.07 - Sourcing Multiple Explosions (Approach 01)
- pyro.03.08 - Sourcing Multiple Explosions (Approach 02)
- pyro.03.09 - Shockwave Example
- pyro.03.10 - Explosion From Scratch: Main Explosion
- pyro.03.11 - Explosion From Scratch: Shockwave
- pyro.03.12 - Explosion From Scratch: Timing Changes
- pyro.03.13 - Explosion From Scratch: Custom Collision Object
- pyro.03.14 - Explosion From Scratch: Final Result
- pyro.03.15 - Section Recap & Review
-
-
Level 7: BOSS BATTLES - Simulations Applied
- *in progress*
-
The Grand Arena
-
Introduction - How This Level Works
- The Grand Arena: *Important Notice*
- The Grand Arena - Introduction
- The Grand Arena - Project Timeline
- The Grand Arena - Submission for Review (Optional)
- The Grand Arena - 1-On-1 Mentorship (Project Support)
- My Promise To You
-
The Grand Arena: Your Project
- Introduction
- Step 01: Choose Your Battle
- Step 02: Apply Your Framework
- Step 03: Organize Your Approach
- Step 04: Houdini Implementation
- Step 05: Self Review
- Step 06: Submission For Review (Optional)
- A Final Note
-
-
BONUS Level
- Level Overview
-
Bonus Compositing
- Bonus Compositing - Section Introduction
- Houdini Scene Intro + File Downloads
- Houdini Scene Node by Node Overview - Bonus Compositing
- Houdini COPS Compositing
- Adobe After Effects Compositing
- Nuke Compositing (in progress)
-
Bonus Project Files - 7 Day FX Challenge
- 7DFX - Project Files
Frequently Asked Questions
LEVEL UP: HOUDINI
- Do I need any prior Houdini knowledge?
- No, this program starts at the absolute basics. We cover everything from scratch, and if you're new to Houdini or 3D there will be plenty of help to get you started. But the program is also designed so intermediate and more advanced artists can use the same foundations to fix gaps, eliminate bad habits, and master the problem-solving skills they might have missed out on before.
- No, this program starts at the absolute basics. We cover everything from scratch, and if you're new to Houdini or 3D there will be plenty of help to get you started. But the program is also designed so intermediate and more advanced artists can use the same foundations to fix gaps, eliminate bad habits, and master the problem-solving skills they might have missed out on before.
- Is this too basic for intermediate or experienced artists?
- Not at all. In fact this program teaches most of the missing skills that artists can go years without learning. Many intermediate artists know how to follow tutorials, but might struggle with...
- Planning shots from scratch
- Debugging broken networks
- Understanding what Houdini is actually doing
- Design clean, modular, reusable setups
- Structuring projects and scenes so they don't break with complexity
- Breaking down references into actionable steps to implement
- LEVEL UP: Houdini doesn't just teach the implementation, but it teaches the thinking and the problem solving that advanced artists need to rely on daily. If you want deeper mastery, clean workflows, and confident understanding in how to build your own ideas. Then this is for you.
- Not at all. In fact this program teaches most of the missing skills that artists can go years without learning. Many intermediate artists know how to follow tutorials, but might struggle with...
- What if I've already taken other Houdini courses or workshops?
- LEVEL UP: Houdini isn't a traditional workshop. Instead of 12 weeks of endless screen recorded tutorials teaching you how to complete a single shot. We learn the foundational skills that will empower you to design your own shots.
- This program is designed to teach you how to approach your own ideas, and plan them out, to be implemented on your own. In short - it teaches you how to think so you won't need another workshop. You'll just have the skills to complete the shots on your own.
- If you've ever taken a workshop form Rebelway, Double Jump, or other big name workshop schools and still struggle to put your own ideas into practice. This program will fill the missing gaps that those big workshops often skip over teaching.
- What if I know how to make small shots, but just have trouble with bigger projects?
- This is exactly what LEVEL UP: Houdini will help solve. Inside the program you learn how to
- Break down and "read" a reference image or shot
- Define your big picture goals
- Break down the shot into big ideas
- Plan workflows based on your exact shot
- Structure your scene / shot in a way that lets you stay organized
- Solve your problems in the right order
- Scale your scenes while keeping them in control
- Design the steps and workflows yourself
- Implement them all in Houdini to bring the shot to life
- Many experienced or advanced artists know lots about Houdini. But they are often learning smaller parts to different systems all in isolation. LEVEL UP: Houdini teaches you how to assemble those parts into a full, clean, and cohesive understanding of how Houdini works. So you can design any shot you want.
- This is exactly what LEVEL UP: Houdini will help solve. Inside the program you learn how to
- How is this different from tutorials or workshops from Rebelway or Double Jump?
- Tutorials and workshops teach you how to complete a specific shot. Often times with longer single workshops, you spend weeks copying nodes, following instructor's step-by-step, and memorizing someone else's logic instead of learning how to design your own. By the end of the workshop you have a cool project, but the step you did are often so complex you have trouble translating those into your own ideas.
- LEVEL UP: Houdini is different, instead of a long workshops where we focus on one project. We start from the basics and teach you the understanding of Houdini, the problem solving, and the frameworks you'll need to complete these bigger shots on your own. You learn the why behind every decision that's made, and you gain the skills to build your own ideas, not just complete someone else's project.
- What if I get stuck?
- Within the cohort you get full access to multiple support channels where I'm able to guide you through any problem you have. The curriculum even evolves and adapts based on students questions and experience - so as more questions come up, I design and record new lessons to help students with what they are struggling with.
- This is a not a "watch and forget" linear course. It's a guided and mentored program designed for a full Houdini transformation, by the end of the program you'll be shocked at how much you've learned and how simple new projects now feel.
- What do I get after the course is over?
- After you complete the program, you'll get continued access to all additional lessons and levels added (at no extra charge). This program will be expanding in future cohorts and future months, and as more lessons are added you keep access to all of them.
- Is this right for me if my goal is freelance work?
- Absolutely! I've been a full time freelancer my full 3D career, and this program is the distilled result of everything I've learned about using Houdini. Inside this program you learn the most important parts of being a freelance 3D artist. Those key skills, aren't just creating cool renders but they are...
- Being able to design and break down projects and shots on your own
- Being able to solve problems on your own
- Delivering full end-to-end shots (initial idea to final pixels) without hand-holding
- Building clean and reusable setups and templates that can be reused across shots, projects and clients
- Building fast setups (that still work)
- Knowing how to deliver and complete projects
- LEVEL UP: Houdini gives you all these skills and more. It's the program I wish I had when I started my 3D journey so it's the exact reason why I built if for you.
- Absolutely! I've been a full time freelancer my full 3D career, and this program is the distilled result of everything I've learned about using Houdini. Inside this program you learn the most important parts of being a freelance 3D artist. Those key skills, aren't just creating cool renders but they are...
- What do I walk away with at the end?
- At the end of the program, you'll finish with...
- A true understanding of how Houdini works and thinks
- The ability to break down references into actionable steps
- The skills to plan out and build your own workflows and shots
- Confidence for larger more complex projects
- Mental models that help you learn other areas of Houdini
- Clean organized workflows and best-practices that you can apply to future projects
- A pathway out of "tutorial-hell", once and for all!
- At the end of the program, you'll finish with...
- What's the format of the lessons?
- All lessons are recorded ahead of time and are not delivered live. This allows you to watch and progress as your own pace, and watch lessons as many times as needed.
- English is not my native language - do you offer subtitles?
- Yes! All lessons and videos have English subtitles available (these subtitles will work correctly with a subtitle translator).
