SideFX Houdini's Solaris toolset is designed to revolutionize the way artists work with large data sets in visual effects and animation pipelines. Solaris is integrated into Houdini's existing node-based workflow, providing a flexible and powerful environment for layout, look development, lighting, and rendering.
Solaris introduces a new context called LOPs (Light Operators), which allows artists to work with large scenes containing vast amounts of data efficiently. It leverages Houdini's proceduralism to manage complexity and enables artists to create and manipulate scene elements non-destructively. This means that changes made at any stage of the production process can be easily adjusted or reverted without losing work.
One of the key features of Solaris is the USD (Universal Scene Description) integration, which enables interoperability with other software packages and pipelines. Artists can import and export USD assets, allowing for seamless collaboration between different departments and studios.
Within Solaris, artists have access to a range of powerful tools for layout and look development. The Layout and LayoutFX tools enable artists to arrange scene elements in 3D space efficiently, while the MaterialX integration allows for sophisticated look development workflows. Solaris also includes powerful lighting tools, such as the Light Mixer and Light Path Expressions, which give artists precise control over the look and feel of their scenes.
Rendering in Solaris is powered by Houdini's powerful rendering engine, Karma. Karma is designed to handle complex scenes efficiently, with support for features such as ray tracing, global illumination, and deep compositing. It is fully integrated into the Solaris workflow, allowing artists to render their scenes directly within the Houdini environment.
Overall, Solaris represents a significant step forward for Houdini users, providing a modern and efficient workflow for working with large-scale scenes in visual effects and animation pipelines. With its powerful tools for layout, look development, lighting, and rendering, Solaris empowers artists to bring their creative visions to life more efficiently and effectively than ever before.
To learn more about GridMarkets' Houdini rendering and simulation offering, see here.