Disney Enterprises, Inc.

Eric A Daniels

Brian Whited

Michael Kaschalk

Patrick T Osborne

Kyle D Odermatt

George T Katanics

Anastasios Lappas

Techniques are disclosed for creating animated video frames which include both computer generated elements and hand drawn elements. For example, a software tool may allows an artist to draw line work (or supply other 2D image data) to composite with an animation frame rendered from a three dimensional (3D) graphical model of an object. The software tool may be configured to determine how to animate such 2D image data provided for one frame in order to appear in subsequent (or prior) frames in a manner consistent with changes in rendering the underlying 3D geometry.

Techniques for processing image data generated from three-dimensional graphic models

A method and apparatus for painting 3-D objects and producing computer-assisted animated films are disclosed. After a 3-D model of an object is generated, a view of the object is selected for painting. An artist applies brush strokes to paint the selected view in 2-D space. The brush strokes are mapped to generate 3-D brush strokes. These 3-D brush strokes are then projected onto the 2-D views in the animation sequence, generating projected 2-D brush strokes which are used to paint the views in the animation sequence. Additional views may be selected that reveal surfaces that were occluded in the previously selected view. The artist applies additional brush strokes to paint the previously occluded areas. These additional brush strokes are mapped, and are used with the original brush strokes to re-generate the painted views in the animation sequence. A pixel color of a brush stroke may be determined based on the size, color, degree of opacity, degree of softness, pen pressures, pixel location, and brush profile. If brush strokes are leaf strokes, they are displaced by random amounts and rotated to random angles. A selective focus may be used to emphasize certain areas and de-emphasize others. Overlapping brush strokes may be painted in painter's order, depth order, or a blended combination of the two to allow a smooth transition between them. 2-D brush strokes can be blended to support build up and can be scaled to arbitrary size without pixel artifacts.

Method and apparatus for three-dimensional painting

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Glendale, CA, United States of America

Eric A Daniels