HS-242 – Solver Madness by Andrew Weiler

Solver Madness is a hands-on Houdini course that teaches you how to build sophisticated dynamic effects by chaining, layering, and combining simulations. You’ll work with SOP solvers, FLIP fluids, Pyro, VDB advection, and multiple POP simulations to create everything from effervescent bubbles to shaped fluid surfaces. It’s all about practical, art-directable workflows.

🎯 What you’ll learn

• Chain and layer multiple solvers for complex effects
• Build custom solver setups using SOP solvers
• Drive bubbles with Pyro and FLIP simulations
• Manage caches and use PDG for efficient workflows
• Create and render final shots in Karma

✅ Requirements

• Skills: Basic understanding of Houdini’s interface and node-based workflow
• Tools: 3-button mouse
• Hardware: Computer meeting SideFX system requirements for Houdini

📝 Description

This course is built around a single, core idea: stop fighting your solvers and start making them work together. Andrew Weiler walks you through a series of practical projects where you’ll chain SOP solvers, FLIP fluids, Pyro, and POP networks to create effects that feel alive and responsive.

You’ll start by building a custom growth solver from scratch, then move on to driving bubbles with a Pyro simulation. From there, you’ll tackle cache management with PDG, refine your effects, and finally render everything in Karma. The focus is always on efficiency and artistic control—you’ll learn how to build setups that are easy to tweak and iterate on.

The course culminates in two major projects: a martini glass filled with effervescent bubbles and a head mesh transformed by a FLIP fluid simulation. By the end, you’ll have a solid grasp of how to combine multiple solvers to solve real-world VFX problems.

🧑‍🎓 Who this course is for

• Intermediate Houdini users who want to move beyond single-solver workflows
• VFX artists looking to build more complex, art-directable simulations
• Anyone interested in learning how to chain and layer simulations for creative effects

🧑‍🏫 About the Author

Andrew Weiler is a CG Artist with a focus on innovative design and VFX. He has worked as a freelancer and at studios including Rhythm & Hues, Warner Media, and Warner Bros. Discovery. Over his career, he has created powerful imagery for global brands like Ford, Nissan, Sony, Geico, Cartoon Network, WB, the NHL, and the NBA. He also creates audio-reactive generative art and records ambient synth-wave music in his spare time.

🏁 Final Result

• A fully rendered martini glass scene with dynamic bubbles and fluid simulation
• A head mesh transformed by a FLIP fluid simulation, shaded and rendered in Karma