A Projective Drawing System

 

Abstract  We present a novel drawing system for composing and rendering perspective scenes. Our approach uses a projective 2D representation for primitives rather than a conventional 3D description. This allows drawings to be composed with the same ease as traditional illustrations, while providing many of the advantages of a 3D model. We describe a range of user-interface tools and interaction techniques that give our system its 3D-like capabilities. We provide vanishing point guides and perspective grids to aid in drawing freehand strokes and composing perspective scenes. Our system also has tools for intuitive navigation of a virtual camera, as well as methods for manipulating drawn primitives so that they appear to undergo 3D translations and rotations. We also support automatic shading of primitives using either realistic or non-photorealistic styles. Our system supports drawing and shading of extrusion surfaces with automatic hidden surface removal and highlighted silhouettes. Casting shadows from an infinite light source is also possible with minimal user intervention.