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sting

Procedural 3D Credit Card Loop

A procedural 3D credit card animation in Houdini — aligning the design to a client's reference using procedural modelling, optimised Redshift material setups, and multiple cards animated along a spiral path for a high-resolution product motion loop.

final render — procedural credit card motion.

process.

In this procedural 3D test created in Houdini, I designed and animated a detailed credit card model, carefully aligning the quality to match one of the client's provided references. The goal was to highlight skill in 3D modelling, animation, and high-resolution rendering while producing professional-quality work.

Houdini procedural setup — process frame 1
procedural node network and layout.
Houdini procedural setup — process frame 2
geometry and animation refinement.
  • Procedural base card build — flexible design without rebuilding geometry
  • Text, logo, and magnetic strip using Redshift ramp textures; signature stripes customised with noise and ramp functions
  • Flat numbers added procedurally for a realistic credit card appearance
  • Multiple card instances animated along a spiral curve with Orient nodes for accurate alignment
  • Carve nodes driving first-value animation for smooth motion along the path
  • "Echo" effect — overlapping cards at different intervals along the spiral for dynamic depth
  • Material assignment resolved before final merge; render optimised to meet client reference quality

lighting & materials.

Gobo-driven lighting and Redshift material tuning kept card edges readable and highlights controlled — giving a premium product read that matched the client reference without losing the graphic motion language of the spiral animation.

Gobo lighting setup for Sting credit card render
gobo lighting and material tests.

motion iterations.

Multiple motion passes were explored to balance speed, spacing, and visual rhythm along the spiral path — refining the echo overlap, card orientation, and timing for a cleaner hero loop.

Sting motion iteration 1
iteration 01
Sting motion iteration 2
iteration 02
Sting motion iteration 3
iteration 03
Sting motion iteration 4
iteration 04

houdini workflow.

The full procedural workflow was built for fast iteration — from base card geometry through spiral animation, with a separate wireframe pass for process documentation and client review.

Houdini workflow overview for Sting project
project workflow overview.
wireframe motion pass.

technical approach.

A scalable product motion workflow — procedural in Houdini, visually precise in Redshift, and ready for campaign use across digital platforms.

Credit card design reference side by side
client reference vs. final frame.
Sting credit card still render
hero still render.
  • Houdini — procedural modelling, Orient/Carve spiral animation, and echo layering
  • Redshift — ramp-driven materials, lighting optimisation, and high-resolution output
  • Cinema 4D / After Effects — polish and compositing support