With a new update to SideFX’s popular software just around the corner, we get to know a host of the technical revelations that await upon the release of Houdini 20

The Feather tools are just some of the exciting new features in Houdini 20

Head to page 36 to read an expert tutorial on grooming a realistic eagle

SideFX has announced its latest software update, Houdini 20. As standard S for each release, there are updates across the board that don’t get the shine of a visual spotlight, but architectural changes like the introduction of APEX lay the groundwork for what is expected to be future benefits in multiple areas of the product. But more on APEX later, as we first run down some of Houdini 20’s exciting new creative tools.

FEATHERS

The first noteworthy item for us to place in the spotlight is the brand new Feather System. It’s GPU-accelerated and enables you to create any feather shape, look and complexity that you desire. You may start by simply finding a reference image and trace the shape of the feather to recreate that exact appearance.

Check out page 36 for a walkthrough of the process of creating feathers for an eagle by Andriy Bilichenko. There you can see the level of control at each stage of creation, even down to the sculpting and orientation of individual feathers or groups. Keep in mind that you don’t have to hand-place each feather, though you could if you wanted. For the eagle, Bilichenko created key feathers that he would plant on the geometry, and then allow the feathers to be interpolated, essentially blended, and fill the spaces between those key feathers.

Worth mentioning too is the Feather Procedural, which outputs your feathers at render time. When working with creatures that boast an impressive number of feathers, you don’t want to be slowed in the Viewport by having each and every one at full fidelity. That’s why the Feather Procedural is your best friend. Lighten the load on your Viewport and get full feathers generated only at render time.