Cords: 3D Curve Primitives that Wrap Around Geometry

Опубликовано 6 сентября 2016, 5:23

The modeling of curves that come in contact with 3D scene geometry presents a challenging problem for users of graphics systems. While embedding curves with physical properties for simulation offers one solution, it does not easily allow an artist or animator to precisely control the final shape, especially when the curves contact complex geometric configurations. This talk addresses the problem with a novel 3D curve primitive called a cord. A cord is defined by a guide curve, which represents an approximate 3D path the user wishes the cord to follow around geometry. The guide curve, along with various attributes, analytically and continuously defines the shape of a cord. The small but intuitive and powerful set of attributes allows users to interactively model and animate curves wrapping around scene geometry. Further, cords can exhibit the visual appearance of a range of materials, including strings, wires, and rubber bands, while allowing animators the precise control of shape needed for keyframe animation. Cords, also find applications in visualization and nonp-hotorealistic rendering and will be shown in the context of the animated short film Ryan.