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David Silberbauer teaches how to create a simple fluid-interaction shot of sharks in an ocean in this new 4.5-hour workshop. He begins with warm-up exercises that show how to set up simple fluid scenes using Houdini’s built-in shelf tools. These introductory lessons offer a fun way for aspiring Houdini artists to become familiar with FLIP fluids and understand the differences between DOP and SOP setups. While these setups are fundamentally the same under the hood, understanding how they work is critical when setting up shots.
Moving into white-water setups, David continues to demonstrate the differences between DOP and SOP workflows, explaining why artists would choose one over the other. From there, building on the experiences learned, he jumps into shot work, starting with bringing in a shark animation before setting up a basic ocean tank. His setup does most of the heavy lifting, connecting nodes, channel referencing, and adding default settings that work well out of the box. He talks through all the key settings so artists can adjust them as needed to achieve the right look.
From there, artists are ready to start the first FLIP simulation using the shark animation in the ocean tank. David explains why it’s always a good idea to have this simulation dialed in just right, since it will form the basis for other elements of the effect. With the sim setup in place, David then leads the build-out of a white-water system to mesh the fluids. He demonstrates how to extend the ocean using the ocean spectrum and how to smoothly blend between the ocean spectrum and the FLIP simulation using volume masks.
In the final stage, he shows how to bring in all the elements and assemble them in Houdini Solaris. He also walks through creating materials for the shark* and the featured Poly Haven assets**. David discusses how to inspect the Houdini ocean procedurals and adapt them to control the water's appearance. With the technical work completed, it’s then time for artists to tap into the creative right side of the brain, learning how to set up two basic day and night lighting setups. His workflow wraps up with adjustments to the Karma render settings to achieve an optimal final render.
*The Shark model featured in this workshop and available to download as a project file is courtesy of the Digital Life Project at UMASS Amherst (Digital Life) and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst (www.umass.edu).
**The following Poly Haven assets were used by David to assist with adding scale to the environment: Modular Wooden Pier, Metal Trash Can, Wooden Bucket, and Hanging Industrial Lamp.
8 Lessons
In this workshop, David Silberbauer introduces fluid simulation in Houdini through a practical, reference-driven approach. David emphasizes the importance of building a solid foundation for the simulation and encourages artists to take time to perfect each stage. While aimed at beginners, the multi-layered nature of the effect gives artists valuable insight into professional VFX workflows.
Duration: 6m 51s
This lesson effectively demystifies Houdini's fluid simulation tools by showing that various options share fundamental concepts. David’s approach of demonstrating multiple workflows reinforces that mastering core principles allows artists to use any tool confidently. Focusing on understanding different networks prepares artists for real-world scenarios that require varying levels of control.
Duration: 41m 33s
David demonstrates that while built-in whitewater tools work well, a manual approach offers significantly more creative control. David emphasizes that whitewater effects account for a large share of the final visual impact, making proper setup essential. The next lesson applies these techniques to actual shot work involving a shark.
Duration: 45m 30s
In this lesson, David reveals a professional workflow for creating complex fluid simulations with animated characters in Houdini. Artists learn to use optimization and proper collision setups to provide a solid foundation for simulations. The methodical approach of testing at lower resolutions helps artists manage computational resources effectively.
Duration: 35m 19s
This lesson demonstrates that creating convincing whitewater requires attention to both the setup and natural behavior. While automated tools provide good starting points, custom setups offer artists more control over the final result. Successful whitewater relies on realistic physics and thoughtful processing to achieve an organic appearance.
Duration: 40m 54s
In this lesson, David covers procedural ocean effects using fluid simulation, highlighting how to blend simulated and procedural elements. The workflow prepares all elements for the final rendering stage. David’s systematic approach to organization sets up artists for success in the final rendering lesson.
Duration: 29m 37s
Houdini's rendering pipeline showcases how complex ocean simulations integrate with modern workflows. Artists learn to rapidly iterate between different lighting scenarios while maintaining simulation data. David’s focus on software flexibility reinforces why Houdini remains a standard tool for advanced procedural work.
Duration: 1h 5m 15s
David's final workshop highlights a complete pipeline for creating professional ocean scenes in Houdini, progressing from basic exercises to complex simulations. David notes that the satisfaction of completing a task makes the effort worthwhile.
Duration: 12m 54s
Primary tools
For this workshop you’ll need:
* Note that these programs and materials will not be supplied with the course.
Project Files
When you download the workshop files, you'll gain access to David Silberbauer's fluid interaction scene file, which includes everything you need to follow the lessons. Inside, you'll find:
- 3D models & geometry (.abc, .fbx) – Detailed assets that are used to help you follow along
- High-quality textures (.png, .jpeg) - Professional texture maps and optimized render-ready versions for realistic surface details
- Houdini project files (.hiplc) - The main scene file where you can explore the fluid simulation and lighting setups
Skills Covered
Who’s this Workshop for?
This workshop is intended for intermediate 3D and technical artists with basic Houdini knowledge who want to expand into fluid simulation. VFX artists, motion graphics designers, and game developers seeking to create realistic water, smoke, and particle effects will find this training essential to their workflow.
Beginners with some 3D experience and seasoned artists from other software packages will also benefit significantly. The workshop provides practical, production-ready techniques that enhance creative workflows and open new possibilities for dynamic simulations in professional projects.
Learning Outcomes
Once completing this workshop, artists will have developed fundamental fluid simulation techniques in Houdini for creating realistic water, smoke, and particle effects.
Key skills include:
- How to set up and configure FLIP fluid simulations for realistic water behavior.
- How to create and control pyro simulations for convincing smoke and fire effects.
- How to optimize fluid simulation parameters for faster iteration and rendering times.
- How to integrate fluid simulations with geometry and environmental elements seamlessly.
- How to use Houdini's shelf tools and modify them for custom fluid effects.
- How to cache and export fluid simulations for downstream rendering and compositing workflows.
