Surface Drawing

Abstract

We present Surface Drawing, a medium which provides direct control over the creation of a wide range of intricate shapes. Surface Drawing addresses several key issues in creative expression and perceptual thinking by providing a direct link between the motions of the hand and the forging of shapes. Surfaces are created by moving a hand, instrumented with a special glove, through space in a semi-immersive 3D display and interaction environment (the Responsive Workbench). This technique allows both novices and experts to create intricate forms without the perceptual constraints of a rigid mathematical structure, large toolset, or a reduction of modeling to editing. In Surface Drawing the design space can be freely explored during the modeling process without the need to plan the construction of the final shape. In particular it supports unconstrained erasing and buildup of new geometry. This is achieved through the use of a novel incremental construction method for triangulated meshes, the Cookie Cutter algorithm. It allows the user to freely grow, join, and erase surfaces based on hand motions. We report on our experiences with the system and present results created by artists and designers exploring problems in industrial design, character design, and fine art.

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