Non-Photorealistic Rendering: a Critical Examination and Proposed System by Simon Schofield B.A. M.A. Being a Thesis Submitted I
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untitled.html 14.01.2003 11:29 Uhr Non-photorealistic Rendering: A critical examination and proposed system by Simon Schofield B.A. M.A. being a thesis submitted in support of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, School of Art and Design, Middlesex University, October 1993 Acknowledgements I would like to thank the following people and organisations for making this investigation both possible and rewarding. From Middlesex University, those members of CASCAAD, who gave me help and programming advice in the early days and to Professor John Lansdown and Dr. Gregg Moore for their advice, enthusiasm and encouragement throughout the project. Noble Campion Ltd who provided generous sponsorship while at Middlesex. Members of the Martin Centre, University of Cambridge, particularly Paul Richens, John Rees and Tim Wiegand, who's expertise and patient help was indispensable. Informatix Inc (Tokyo) for providing generous funding for the establishment of the Martin Centre CADLab. Many architectural practices who have contributed their opinions, enthusiasm and models, especially Miller*Hare (John Hare and Steve Miller), Nicholas Ray Associates (Nick Ray), Sir Norman Foster and Partners (Caroline Brown), Scott Brownrigg and Turner (Roger Mathews). Declaration of Originality The material presented in this thesis is completely my own work carried out at CASCAAD, Middlesex University and at the Martin Centre CADLab, University of Cambridge. Where ever secondary material has been used by me, either published or unpublished, full references and acknowledgements are given. Simon Schofield 1993 Summary of Programme In the first part of the program the emergent field of Non-Photorealistic Rendering is explored from a cultural perspective. This is to establish a clear understanding of what Non-Photorealistic Rendering (NPR) ought to be in its mature form in order to provide goals and an overall infrastructure for future development. This thesis claims that unless we understand and clarify NPR's relationship with other media (photography, photorealistic computer graphics and traditional media) we will continue to manufacture "new solutions" to computer based imaging which are confused and naive in their goals. Such solutions will be rejected by the art and design community, generally condemned as novelties of little cultural worth ( i.e. they will not sell). This is achieved by critically reviewing published systems that are naively described as Non-photorealistic or "painterly" systems. Current practices and techniques are criticised in terms of their low ability to articulate meaning in images; solutions to this problem are given. A further argument claims that NPR, while being similar to traditional "natural media" techniques in certain aspects, is fundamentally different in other ways. This similarity has lead NPR to be sometimes proposed as "painting simulation" - something it can never be. Methods for avoiding this position are proposed. The similarities and differences to painting and drawing are http://pages.cpsc.ucalgary.ca/~mario/npr/bib/refs/90s/1994/schofield-PhD-94/index.htm Seite 1 von 4 untitled.html 14.01.2003 11:29 Uhr presented and NPR's relationship to its other counterpart, Photorealistic Rendering (PR), is then delineated. It is shown that NPR is paradigmatically different to other forms of representation - i.e. it is not an "effect", but rather something basically different. The benefits of NPR in its mature form are discussed in the context of Architectural Representation and Design in general. This is done in conjunction with consultations with designers and architects. From this consultation a "wish-list" of capabilities is compiled by way of a requirements capture for a proposed system. A series of computer-based experiments resulting in the systems "Expressive Marks" and "Magic Painter" are carried out; these practical experiments add further understanding to the problems of NPR. The exploration concludes with a prototype system "Piranesi" which is submitted as a good overall solution to the problem of NPR. In support of this written thesis are : - * The Expressive Marks system * Magic Painter system * The Piranesi system (which includes the EPixel and Sketcher systems) * A large portfolio of images generated throughout the exploration Key Words Computer Graphics Visual Representation Non-photorealistic Rendering Natural Media Simulations Rendering Post-processing Chapters 1 - Introduction ....................................................................... 2 - Photorealism and Non-photorealism .................................................. 2.1 - The Dominance of Photorealism ................................................ 2.2 - Photorealism and Truth ....................................................... 2.3 - Other forms of Representation may be more apt ................................ 2.4 - Aesthetic criticisms of photorealistic CG .................................... 2.5 - The Emergence of Non Photorealistic rendering ................................ 3 - Previous Systems ................................................................... 3.1 - Mezei, Puzin and Conroy's Texture Elements .................................. 3.2 - Yessio's computer drafting techniques ....................................... 3.3 - Steven Strassman's "Hairy Brushes" .......................................... 3.4 - Sasada's Hatching Techniques ................................................ 3.5 - Pierre van Berkal's SIAS .................................................... 3.6 - Barnsley's Fractal Compression Images ....................................... 3.7 - Haeberli's Painting By Numbers .............................................. 3.8 - Fractal Design Painter and other painterly systems .......................... 3.9 - Cockshot's Wet and Runny .................................................... http://pages.cpsc.ucalgary.ca/~mario/npr/bib/refs/90s/1994/schofield-PhD-94/index.htm Seite 2 von 4 untitled.html 14.01.2003 11:29 Uhr 3.10 - Saito and Takahashi ......................................................... 3.11 - Free Hand Plotting Group's Wobbly Pen Plots ................................ 3.12 - 5D's KATY renderer .......................................................... 3.13 - Summary of Previous Systems ................................................. 4 - Criticisms of Current NPR Approaches ............................................... 4.1 - The Name "Non-photorealistic rendering" ...................................... 4.2 - Why NPR is abhorrent to some ................................................. 4.3 - Problem: Meaningless Effects Leading to Trivial Images ....................... 4.4 - Generating more significant imagery through improved technique ............... 4.5 - Traditional Techniques for creating Significance: An analysis of Drawing ..... 4.6 - Image Space vs. World Space .................................................. 4.7 - Drawing as a Hierarchical Process ............................................ 4.8 - Summary of Techniques for Improving Image Quality ............................ 5 - Mature NPR is not Painting Simulation .............................................. 5.1 - Problem 2: The comparison of NPR to real painting and drawing ................ 5.2 - Avoiding accusations of simulation through use of transcendent qualities found in hand media ............................ 5.3 - Summary of Prescriptions for Mature NPR ...................................... 6 - NPR's relationship to other Media .................................................. 7 - Developing an NPR System ........................................................... 7.1 - Summary of Specifications and Prescriptions Made to date ..................... 7.2 - Interactivity vs. Batch Rendering ............................................ 7.3 - Consultations with Architects and Designers .................................. 7.4 - Benefits of non-photorealistic rendering ..................................... 7.5 - A wish list for an NPR system ................................................ 7.6 - Application Overview ......................................................... 8 - The Expressive Marks System ........................................................ 8.1 - Introduction to the Implementation ........................................... 8.2 - The Mark Synthesiser ......................................................... 8.3 - Marks used to Post-process Digitised Images .................................. 8.4 - Marks used to Render Geometries .............................................. 8.5 - Summary of Desired Graphic Elements .......................................... 9 - The Enriched Pixel Scene Description ............................................... 9.1 - The Enriched Pixel Image approach to rendering scenes ........................ 9.2 - Geometrical Methods using EPixel images ...................................... 10 - EPixel Based Advanced NPR Techniques ............................................... 10.1 - Point distribution and Line orientation techniques .......................... 10.2 - The Drawing of more Complex Entities ........................................ 11 - An object oriented approach to defining and applying NPR techniques ................ http://pages.cpsc.ucalgary.ca/~mario/npr/bib/refs/90s/1994/schofield-PhD-94/index.htm Seite 3 von 4 untitled.html 14.01.2003 11:29 Uhr 11.1 - The Sketcher Tree ........................................................... 11.2 - The Control Flow Mechanism .................................................