Project Navigation
Programs: Maya, Houdini
Responsible for clothing models and Houdini cloth simulation setup.
Served as the CFX lead and a technical supervisor for this independent short film. The clothing of Stone Lions Don't Roar was first modeled in Maya, then simulated in Houdini following a USD-based pipeline. Collaborative effort and communication with the character animators was consistent to ensure that clothing simulations could properly simulate on. The settings and pipeline have been so refined that animators on the team, with no Houdini or simulation experience, were able to become core artists to support the workflow despite experiencing an immense learning curve. Chi, the older sister, has a multi-layered skirt and a backpack almost always cinched to her model. The skirt simulation settings were made with different fabrics and weight in mind, then simulated together to prevent clipping. Em, the younger sister, has a loose and oversized shirt with large sleeves that wrap around her energetic movement as a child. She also carries a large backpack that frames her entire back, having it as part of a collider for her shirt simulation. The cloth needed the proper bending, stretching, and damping settings to follow her flexible and fast movements without breaking the simulation.
Conductor Bear
Programs: Maya, Houdini
Responsible for clothing models and all Houdini cloth and hair simulation.
With a provided bear model, I created a train conductor bear. I devised a fur groom simulation from the base to create a wispy and frizzy texture, colored and referenced of a plushie I adore. The clothing rendermesh was modeled in Maya, then simulated in Houdini with simcages that collided with the bear's body and animations. The shirt's rendermesh is projected onto simcages that are directly simulated over the body and fur to maintain a weighted and thick fabric feeling, keeping folds and bend stiffness to a certain minimum. The hat itself has extremely minimal flexibility and subtle movement with vellum weight that reflects its heavier nature. The tie is attached to the shirt via a simple pin constraint node. Weight, damping, and fur interaction was deeply researched and tested to create a much more lifelike and whimsical impression, while still keeping it cartoony.