Final Animation

Turntables

Car Turntable of Purchased Model

Below are two turn tables showing how the car model looks after applying the shaders in Houdini with some proper lighting. The left turntable shows the details of the car, while the right turntables shows the different lighting scenarios and how the car reflects them.

Variants

Light and Texture Variants

For this project, I taught myself Substance Painter so I could customize the car’s texture and create a more worn-out look that fit the vibe of the scene. Since the car was traveling through muddy terrain, I felt that a clean exterior didn’t suit the environment as well.

HDRI Turntable with Purchased Model

At this stage of the project, I learned how to create variants for different materials and lights. This made it more convenient to switch between various exterior looks without having to re-render the USD. It also allowed my art director to adjust the look without taking any additional time out of the project.

Animation and Rig

First Pass Animation and Car Rig

After creating a displacement on the ground to form a bumpy terrain, I began animating the car. I adjusted the car’s torque settings to improve traction and added a slight bounce when the car comes to a stop. There was a pre-roll of the car starting to move for about 100 frames so that the animation starts while it is in motion.

Sim and Layouts

The layout is designed to present this lockup as a Mustang promotion. Positioning the car on the right third not only creates an engaging composition, but also opens space for the Mustang logo. The car is angled so its front end faces the area where the logo will appear, creating a natural eye trace that guides the viewer toward the primary focal point.

Houdini

Car Sim

Software Used:

Houdini
Karma
After Effects
Substance Painter

Alternate Logo Renders

Design Challenge

I created a short 5- 10 second animation of a car animation traveling through a muddy environment in the woods using houdini sim and car rig.

Credits:

Animation and Rig:
Hailey McMahon
Car Model:
Wire Wheels Club

Customized Texture Using Substance Painter

Layout 01 and Simulation

The first layout was a single shot that focused primarily on how the car interacts with the mud simulation. The car’s height provided enough clearance between the undercarriage and the muddy ground, and the placement of the simulation created opportunities for the mud to splash naturally.

Layout 02 and Simulation

The second layout included an additional bird’s-eye-view shot of the car interacting with the mud. I added this shot to highlight the track marks left by the wheels and to create an opportunity for the final lockup to feel more dynamic.

Logo Variants

Lighting and Composition

The last touch was going into Nuke and layering in a few extra details that helped enhance the quality of the render. I added a depth of field pass, blurring out the pine needles in the front. That way the tree helps frame the subject, but doesn’t take away from its focus. Then I added Opitcal Glow to the shiniest parts so it brought out a highlights a little more.

Final Animation and Scene

The final stage of this project involved lighting and additional post-production adjustments. My goal was to highlight the hero elements without overexposing them. I positioned the viewer on the shadow side of the car to create clean edge lighting that defines the vehicle’s shape. Ground lighting was used to separate the water from the landing area, adding clarity and depth. Light filtering through the trees provided subtle emphasis in the background, ensuring those details remained visible and cohesive with the overall scene.