Graphanim, the outcome of collaborative work between the Grenoble-based Artis project team and Studio Brocéliande, is a program to develop a plug-in for integration into 3D professional software and produce watercolor effects in comic strip animations or children's picture books. Watercolor appearance has numerous special features: heterogeneous hues, shadow and light effects, grainy effect or irregular contour thickness.
Rendering the texture involves controlling the effects, which are sources of variations from one image to the next, and ensuring the temporal consistency of the animation. One solution that is being looked at for program development is based on an algorithm that can place points on the surface of 3D objects. Once they are projected onto the image, the points move in sync with the object and make it possible to reproduce watercolor irregularities. Other methods are patent pending.
"Our collaboration, which powered development, shows to what extent fundamental research and applied research are interdependent," stated Joëlle Thollot, an Artis project team researcher. "We were able to provide a practical solution to Studio Brocéliande, compare our approach to the reality of the business world, and foster the emergence of new approaches." Some were discussed at the Eurographics Symposium on Rendering, an international congress organized by Artis in Grenoble, that was held from June 25 to 29 this year.
