A Survey of Surface‐Based Illustrative Rendering for Visualization

• Published in: Computer graphics forum Vol. 37; no. 6; pp. 205 - 234
• Main Authors: Lawonn, Kai, Viola, Ivan, Preim, Bernhard, Isenberg, Tobias
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.09.2018; Wiley
• Subjects: Categories and Subject Descriptors (according to ACM CCS): I.3.3 [Computer Graphics]: Picture/Image GenerationLine and curve generation; Cognitive science; Computer science; Differential geometry; Rendering; scientific visualization; Shading; Three dimensional models; Visualization
• ISSN: 0167-7055; 1467-8659
• DOI: 10.1111/cgf.13322

In this paper, we survey illustrative rendering techniques for 3D surface models. We first discuss the field of illustrative visualization in general and provide a new definition for this sub‐area of visualization. For the remainder of the survey, we then focus on surface‐based models. We start by briefly summarizing the differential geometry fundamental to many approaches and discuss additional general requirements for the underlying models and the methods' implementations. We then provide an overview of low‐level illustrative rendering techniques including sparse lines, stippling and hatching, and illustrative shading, connecting each of them to practical examples of visualization applications. We also mention evaluation approaches and list various application fields, before we close with a discussion of the state of the art and future work. In this paper, we survey illustrative rendering techniques for 3D surface models. We first discuss the field of illustrative visualization in general and provide a new definition for this sub‐area of visualization. For the remainder of the survey, we then focus on surface‐based models. We start by briefly summarizing the differential geometry fundamental to many approaches and discuss additional general requirements for the underlying models and the methods' implementations. We then provide an overview of low‐level illustrative rendering techniques including sparse lines, stippling and hatching, and illustrative shading, connecting each of them to practical examples of visualization applications. We also mention evaluation approaches and list various application fields, before we close with a discussion of the state of the art and future work.