Artist Visualized APEX Dynamic Brush Logic at SOP Level in Houdini

FX & CFX Artist Mattéo Martinez showcased this technical study with a dynamic paintbrush in Houdini.

Mattéo Martinez built the brush using Houdini's APEX framework and recreated the brush logic at the SOP level to explain how it works. The artist shared that he used Houdini's Wrinkles tool, which creates constraints on a geometry and then iterates on the constraints so that they are "satisfied" in terms of rest length or orientation. When a collision is detected, squashed constraints will try to get back to their primary length, creating this pseudo-simulation effect.

The artist has been sharing his experiments with APEX in Houdini, sharing technical details that offer an insightful look into the creation process:

For more Houdini tips, check out a breakdown of the smoke FX by 3D Artist Wynn, a groom setup for eyelashes and eyebrows by Character Texture Artist Natallia "BLU1304" Sudas, and advice on deforming geometry with masking by Game Developer tinybugbot:

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