Premier Graphics
& Animation
Work with us
Menu
Studio
OverviewServicesCapabilitiesThe Collection
Institute
OverviewProgrammesCourse libraryHow we teachCareersGuidesFor universities
Journal About Contact Work with us
Animation & VFX · MS elective · 3 credit hours · 16 sessions

Hair & Fur Artist

A character is often defined by their silhouette, and nothing dictates silhouette quite like hair. This technical specialization course focuses on “Grooming”—the art of creating digital hair, fur, and feathers. Students will master industry-standard grooming tools (XGen, Yeti, or Ornatrix) to create everything from photorealistic animal fur to stylized character hairstyles, learning the delicate balance between guide curves, modifiers, and render-time optimization.

§ 01 By the end you can
  1. Master the Grooming pipeline: Scalp definition, Guides, and Modifiers
  2. Create realistic fur patterns using noise, clumping, and cut modifiers
  3. Execute "Braid and Coil" workflows for complex hairstyles
  4. Understand "LookDev" for hair: Melanin-based shaders and specular highlights
  5. Optimize grooms for production: Caching (Alembic) and Simulation dynamics
§ 02 Sixteen sessions

The whole semester.

  1. 01Introduction to Grooming: The XGen/Yeti Interface
  2. 02Scalp Prep & UVs: The Foundation
  3. 03Guide Curves: Sculpting the Direction
  4. 04Modifiers I: Clumping & Noise
  5. 05Modifiers II: Cut, Scraggle, & Flyaways
  6. 06Painting Density & Region Maps
  7. 07Animal Fur: Short Coat vs. Long Coat
  8. 08 · MidtermMidterm Examination
  9. 09Long Hair: Managing Flow & Intersection
  10. 10Braids, Knots, and Ponytails
  11. 11Feathers & Instancing Geometry
  12. 12Shading Hair: Melanin & Redness
  13. 13Hair Simulation: nHair/Vellum Dynamics
  14. 14Optimization: Caching to Alembic
  15. 15Lighting Hair: Backlight & Translucency
  16. 16Final Project: The Hero Creature Groom

Midterm around session 8. Final project briefed at session 8 or 9 and developed in stages until the juries.

§ 03 Final project

Final Project: The Hero Creature Groom

How it’s judged

Recommended reading
  1. The Art of Hair: Grooming for VFX and Games (Various Industry Papers)
  2. Real-Time Hair Generation for Games (Whitepapers by AMD/Nvidia)
  3. Maya XGen Documentation (Autodesk)
  4. Digital Character Development: Theory and Practice by Rob O'Neill
  5. Yeti / Ornatrix Official User Guides
More in Animation & VFX
2D AnimationA comprehensive introduction to the foundational principles and practical techniques of 2D animation. This course covers the 12 Principles of Animation, character design, storyboarding, and digital production pipelines.
3D Animation DirectorThis capstone leadership course prepares students to steer a 3D production from concept to completion. Bridging the gap between creative vision and technical reality, students will learn to direct animators, manage the "Pipeline," and make critical artistic decisions.
3D Environment ArtistAn environment artist does more than place trees; they are the architects of virtual worlds. This course teaches the "Modular Workflow," where students create versatile kits of walls, floors, and props that can be assembled into vast, seamless levels.
3D Modeling & Animation TechniquesThis course provides a comprehensive introduction to 3D modeling for digital artists, focusing on professional object creation, surface modeling, lighting, and rendering workflows.
3D Modeling for Interior ArchitectsThis specialized course equips interior designers with the digital skills to translate 2D floor plans into immersive 3D environments.
3D Pen Modeling & Sculpture"Drawing in thin air." This hands-on studio course explores the bridge between 2D illustration and 3D prototyping using 3D printing pens.