Lighting & Look Dev
in Houdini’s USD Pipeline

PEH 1 (30 hours) | September 14 – November 23, 2026

Sign up now!
Shape stories with light:
learn to sculpt mood, texture and form inside Houdini.

Whether you’re an aspiring lighting artist or a CG generalist looking to master Houdini’s rendering workflow, this course offers a production-relevant foundation in visual storytelling through light.

Course Format

Duration: 10 sessions / 30 hours
Days/Times: Mon 7PM EST
Language of Instruction: English
Delivery: Live Virtual Instruction

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN

This course prepares you for a career in lighting and lookdev through hands-on exercises, and equips you with a detailed introduction of the latest Houdini tools and technologies used by global VFX studios.

Career Paths

Lighting Artist, Look Development Artist, 3D Generalist, Texture and Shading Artist,
Compositor, Environment Artist, Technical Director (Lighting/Rendering)

SKILLS YOU’LL GAIN

Lighting
Lookdev
Houdini
USD
Solaris
Karma
Al Assistant
pre-production design
node-graph

RecoMmended Knowledge

Must be familiar with the Houdini interface. To get the most out of this class, we recommend reviewing the tutorials in this collection: Houdini Isn’t Scary.

SOFTWARE & HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS

This course uses Houdini Apprentice on Virtual Machines (VM’s) provided by York U’s Cloud-Based Learning & Instruction Pipeline (CLIP). Sign up instructions for a cloud account on Spark Cloud Studio will be provided after you enrol in the course.

SKILLS YOU’LL GAIN

Lighting
Lookdev
Houdini
USD
Solaris
Karma
Al Assistant
pre-production design
node-graph

Reccomended Knowledge

Must be familiar with the Houdini interface. To get the most out of this class, we recommend reviewing the tutorials in this collection: Houdini Isn’t Scary

Tuition costs:

Earlybird pricing (until August 16) – $640 + $83.20 (HST) CDN

Regular pricing – $800.00 + $104 (HST) CDN

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week 1:

Explore Houdini’s node-based workflows, learn key OPs (SOPs, ROPs, VOPs, COPs, CHOPs), and navigate the lighting UI—then apply it by creating a simple lit scene with spheres.

Introduction to Houdini and Scene Construction

week 2:

Learn three-point lighting, IBL, HDRIs, and sun/sky setups—then light a scene with multiple HDR environments and build a sun/sky rig from scratch.

Solaris and USD Foundations

week 3:

Cover key-to-fill ratios, shading breakdowns, and AOVs—then deconstruct a render and create three distinct looks in Nuke.

Lighting Essentials in Karma

week 4:

Explore hard vs. soft lighting, specialized light types, and photographic exposure—then light a daytime and nighttime interior with distinct moods.

Materials and Surface Interaction

week 5:

Explore the Material Network and Principled Shader, create practical lighting, then compare eight shaded spheres and assemble a contact sheet in Nuke.

Product Lighting and Composition

week 6:

Use gobos and flags for storytelling and explore advanced light types—then light a scene with geometry lights and simulate moonlight with a gobo.

Advanced Lighting Techniques

week 7:

Shape light with bounce cards, grad filters, and ramp maps—then light a CG product using reflectors and grad cards.

Animation and Light Timing

week 8:

Use haze and fog to create high-key looks—then light an outdoor scene and composite it in Nuke.

Render Optimization and Look DevelopmentTopics:

week 9:

Apply motion blur and depth of field in-render and in comp—then light and render a still life using both techniques.

Final Project Production – Pipeline Discussion

week 10:

Use AOVs and diagnostics to refine your work—then apply feedback and submit a polished final render.

Debugging, Optimization and Final Polish

explore foundational lighting theory, light typologies, shader interactions & advanced rendering techniques within Houdini’s USD pipeline.

This hands-on course equips students with the artistic and technical skills to create cinematic, emotionally resonant 3D imagery using Houdini’s powerful node-based system.

From image-based lighting and simulated exposure to volumetrics, AOV management, and motion blur, this course bridges creative intent with technical precision. Students will learn to light indoor and outdoor scenes, troubleshoot and optimize renders and use lighting as a tool to drive narrative.

Instructor spotlight

Rob Au

Rob Au is a VFX CG Supervisor/Consultant and FX Artist. He has previously worked at companies such as ARC Creative, Impossible Objects, Nexodus, Method Studios, Parliament, Pixomondo, Electronic Arts, and Rhythm & Hues. In 2020 he completed an Unreal Fellowship in Virtual Production. While studying film at Brigham Young University, three of his student films won College Television Awards and a fourth was an official selection of the 2007 Sundance Film Festival.

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meet rob au

rob au’s
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Certificate & Stackable Micro-Credentials

Node by node, frame by frame—master cinematic lighting & look dev in Houdini’s USD pipeline, Props and Environments in Houdini (PEH) is a hands-on training series designed for 3D artists, generalists and technical directors eager to master cinematic lighting, look development and environment construction in Houdini’s powerful USD pipeline.

Micro-Credentials

Earn a recognized micro-credential for each 30-hour course—ideal for upskilling in real-time lighting, rendering, and look development workflows.


Flexible Entry

Take one course or complete the full sequence. Whether you’re building a reel, preparing for studio work, or adding Houdini to your toolkit, this program adapts to your goals.

PEH 1

Lighting & Look Dev in Houdini’s USD Pipeline
30 hrs

Learn to craft cinematic, emotionally driven 3D imagery through light.

SECURE YOUR SPOT

Sign up now!