Date of Award

12-2007

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Legacy Department

Computer Science

Committee Chair/Advisor

Davis, Timothy

Committee Member

Geist , Robert

Committee Member

Hedetniemi , Stephen

Abstract

In this paper we explore the use of contour lines in computer graphics as a means of conveying shape to the end-user. Contour lines provide an alternative to traditional realistic rendering styles and may even provide a more appropriate visualization for certain situations. For our images, contour line orientation is established in accordance with principal curvature directions.
We present a method for rendering a texture, oriented in the principal curvature direction, across a traditionally-modeled geometric surface that effectively forms suggestive contour lines to enhance the visualization of that surface. We further extend the method to create animated contour textures, wherein lines move across a surface to suggest its shape. We demonstrate how the animation can be made more intuitive and easier to follow through a meaningful generalization of the generated vector space.

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