Dynamic Effects Animation for Games
Houdini, Photoshop & Unreal Workflow with Antonio Cappiello
Description
Create an impressive dissolving character VFX sequence in Unreal Engine using Houdini and Photoshop. This 2-hour workshop by Principal VFX Artist Antonio Cappiello is ideal for beginner and mid-level real-time VFX artists who want to learn procedural low-poly modeling techniques, create RBD simulations, and pack flipbooks into a sprite sheet in Houdini. Those who want to go beyond basic Niagara particle systems functions will also find this a useful guide.
This step-by-step workshop offers a brief look at frame-by-frame animation in Photoshop, showing how to work with the Timeline, the Lasso tool, and how to apply filters and effects to the texture. You’ll see how to model and fracture assets in Houdini and learn how to import them into Unreal Engine and place them in a level. Antonio reveals his process for creating materials in Unreal and teaches how to create environment Niagara particle systems. He also demonstrates how to create dissolving materials and how to paint animated smoke using Photoshop.
The final stage of the workshop reveals how to import flipbooks into Unreal Engine and create materials and emitters before creating the final level sequence and placing and animating the material parameters and particle systems. As the last step, you’ll discover the final tweaks and see how to add an effective camera shake and grain effect.
Basic knowledge of Houdini, Photoshop, and Unreal Engine is ideal; however, the tutorial is designed to show basic shortcuts and functions so you can follow along with every step of the workshop. All of Antonio’s Houdini, Photoshop, and Unreal files shown in the workshop are included as downloadable files with this workshop.
Duration: 2h 15m
Format: HD 1920x1080
Antonio Cappiello
Principal VFX Artist at Yuga Labs
Antonio Cappiello is a Principal VFX Artist at Yuga Labs with over a decade of experience creating dynamic visual effects for games and interactive media. A lifelong gamer inspired by his first Commodore 64, Antonio specializes in designing high-impact VFX that enhance gameplay and storytelling.
He has previously worked at Reply Game Studios, contributing to VR titles like Theseus and the hack-and-slash action game Soulstice using Houdini, Substance Designer, Photoshop, Animate, and Unreal Engine. Antonio also works as Senior Character VFX Artist at Riot Games on VALORANT and has contributed to projects at Elodie Games. His work blends technical precision with creative flair, delivering visually compelling effects.
