Getting the picture [computer graphics]

Most of the time we work hard to create sharp and clear images. After all, we make our pictures to communicate our message as clearly as possible. Pictures meant for utilitarian purposes should be simple and direct. For example, if you need to change a photocopier part, you want the repair diagram to be uncluttered and comprehensible. There are also pictures that have a more human purpose, perhaps to help tell a story. The intention of such images isn´t to convey information, but share a sense of mood and feeling. There are also pictures that are almost all mood. These are abstract or impressionistic types of images. We´ve seen computer graphics used for all of these purposes in recent years, and the styles continue to proliferate. From an early focus on a kind of photorealism, the kinds of pictures we create with computers have evolved to embrace a wide variety of styles, some of which seem to look like traditional media. There are lots of interesting ways to make approximate images. This paper looks at some ways to create approximate images using relaxation and optimization techniques