Character Art Vs. Houdini - 004 - Copy to Points! Pt.2

I thought it would be a good idea to share another example of how to use the Copy to Points node.

In theory, this setup is pretty similar to the last one, where we added meshes to points on a circular curve. However, this time I wanted more control over where each variation is placed.

Sometimes, randomizing placement works well to create a more organic feel. But when the object is handmade, there's usually a logic behind its placement.

A great way to add that "logic" is by using the Group by Range node. This is an incredibly powerful tool—I haven’t even scratched the surface of its possibilities.

In this example, I’m using it to create different groups based on point numbers. These points are selected using the Range Filter. For instance, with the default setting, all points are selected. But if I change "Select 1 of 1" to "Select 1 of 2," it selects every other point, essentially skipping one point. Changing it to "1 of 3" skips two points, and so on.

This is the basic logic of the setup. To avoid overlapping geometry, I’m also using the Blast node to remove points that were already used by the previous Copy to Points operation.

As in the last post, I can easily adjust the Resample amount to control the number of beads on the curve.

Don’t forget to use the Orient Along Curve node so the beads face the right direction.

Another helpful tip when creating this kind of procedural setup is to use a Match Size node after creating each bead. This ensures that if you swap the bead mesh, it will still fit within the setup, even if the new input mesh is larger or smaller than the previous one.

Make sure you click on Scale to Fit when using the Match Size node for the best results.

It’s hard to see, but I also added a chain to this necklace. It’s another simple Copy to Points setup!

One important thing to keep in mind is that if you change the scale of the input curve, the whole setup can fall apart. This happens because the scale of the input curve isn’t connected to the scale of each mesh transferred to the points.

So, whenever you want to move or scale the necklace, make sure to do it after the Copy to Points node.

Before we move on, here’s one last example. This setup is a bit more complex, but it highlights the possibilities. I used a Copy to Points node to scatter some detail meshes on a plane and then transferred their positions to the mask UV.

I wanted to test how quickly I could add this kind of randomized detail, and it turns out it’s really fast—and super easy to iterate, which is the most important part.

At the end of the day, just experiment and see what cool things you can create—and when you do, come tell me about it! Haha.

I have more cool uses for Copy to Points, but I think I’ll move on for now and explore other techniques in my next posts.

Until next time!