Introduction

My name is Pol Cuenca and I am an Architect reconverted in a VFX artist. In 2011 I started to do architectual visualisations with AutoCAD and 3D Studio Max for my university projects. After that I planned to do a graphic design course, but I asked myself “what I really like to do?”. I had always been interested on VFX for films. Since I was child I’ve been interested in CGI specs, for example the number of Garfield’s hairs in his live action movie, or how they did the tornadoes from The Day After Tomorrow.

So, with the help of my parents I started a vfx career where I learnt animation, vfx, composition and rendering.

Now I have my first job as a VFX artist in an animation studio in Barcelona. In my free time I do personal projects and I learn new software.

On Using Houdini

I think it’s a flagship software for special effects. It can help you to make from fires and explosions, destructions and liquids. You can use default tools or do some customisation with script. Personally I don’t usually do scripts. In the future I hope to learn how to do it, because now I’m losing a big part (and essence) of the software. However, without that you can do also do awesome stuff. One thing I like about Houdini is it’s power. It contains all tools you need, it’s not necessary to install any plug-in, there’s no need for the creation of a complex pipeline.

For me personally the best thing about Houdini is its nodal system. It give you infinite space to put the number of effects you want.