Art of Illusion
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Art Of Illusion | |
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 Screenshot of ArtOfIllusion v2.3.1 showing scene view and render |
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| Developer: | Peter Eastman |
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| Latest release: | 2.3.1 / June 24, 2006 |
| OS: | Cross-platform |
| Use: | 3D computer graphics software |
| License: | GPL |
| Website: | www.artofillusion.org |
Art of Illusion is an open source software package used for 3D modeling, texturing, ray tracing, and otherwise rendering computer generated imagery stills or animations (movies).
The goal of Art of Illusion is to provide powerful 3D modeling tools with a user interface that improves on those found in other 3D software packages. Though its interface is simple, Art of Illusion contains many features found in high-end commercial graphics software. Some of its features, like the use of online repositories and a built-in downloading tool for installing extensions, are not found in similar commercial software.
The primary creator and maintainer of the software is Peter Eastman. Peter can be contacted via the project web site.
Art of Illusion is written in the Java programming language and is currently available to use and modify for free under a GPL license.
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[edit] Software Features
- Interface
- Intuitive layout and controls
- Object list, scene layout windows, and animation score
- Tooltips and explanatory icons
- Detailed, up-to-date manual (available from AoI homepage)
- Extensions available as scripts or plugins with automated installation and update from online repository (requires internet connection)
- Grid view and realtime display modes including Wireframe, Smooth, Textured.
- Modeling
- Primitives: cube, sphere, cone, tube, curve, triangle mesh, spline mesh
- Boolean modeling operations
- Lathe, sweep, extrude (straight or along a curve)
- Subdivision surfaces (smoothing) with edge creasing available for triangle meshes.
- Complete mesh editor featuring adjustable mesh tension, bevel, taper, various selection methods (including select edge loop/strip), etc.
- Object array tool (multidimensional arrays or arrays along a curve)
- Animation
- Distortion tracks for effects like bend, twist, and shatter
- Skeletal animation with weighting, constraints and IK
- Poses and Gestures
- Keyframe editor with interpolating curves
- Path animation
- Animation through scripted objects, e.g. particles using Particle Jet script
- Textures
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- Types: Uniform, image mapped, procedural 2D and 3D
- Mapping options: Projection, spherical, cylindrical, UV
- Per-vertex, per-face and per-face-per-vertex texture assignment (depending on textured object)
- Layered textures
- Powerful graphical language for procedural texture/material design
- Procedural textures can be based on many parameters like view angle (for fresnel-like effects), etc.
- Animateable textures via texture parameters and use of Time module
- Environment background can be mapped with any photo (HDR or RGB), as well as procedural textures
- Materials (Represent the internal properties of an object)
- Procedural and uniform materials
- Adjustable index of refraction, scattering, eccentricity, and more
- Animatable materials via Time module
- Rendering
- Multithreading
- Full Global illumination, including caustics
- Various GI methods: Monte carlo, hybrid, photon mapping, and ambient occlusion
- Light types: Point lights, spotlights (both with editable radii), and directional lights
- Soft shadows
- Light scattering for materials: Both Single Scattering and Photon Scattering (BSSRDF), with the ability to use either or both at rendertime
- Raytraced depth of field
- Gloss/translucency (blurred reflections and blurry transparency)
- Motion blur
- HDRI scene illumination
- Ability to save renders as HDRI images
- Post Processing
- Camera filters (Exposure Correction, Glow, Outline, Tint, Blur, etc.)
- Noise reduction for Global Illumination
- Scripting
- Flexible scripting language (Beanshell) allowing development of new tools/commands
- Dynamic Scripts ("smart objects" - see flyswatter tutorial)
- File Handling
- Enhanced Functionality Through Scripts and Plugins
- Direct-to-disk rendering using presets like "Letter," "A4," with DPI and Bleed settings (Advanced Rendering plugin)
- Wireframe/polygon renders with antialiasing and SVG export (Vector Renderer plugin)
- Preview renders in sidebar (Sidebar plugin)
- Subdivision (Ngon) modeler with tools for both open- and closed-mesh modeling and support for Catmull-Clark subdivision surfaces (Polymesh Editor plugin)
- Procedural tree and plant creator (Tree and Plant Designer plugin)
- Other major features provided through script or plugin extensions such as: 3D text, mesh thickening, platonic solids, sculpt, fractal/image-based heightfields, hair, grunge, and more
[edit] Development
- Art of Illusion is an open source application and contributions to the source code, scripts and plugins base, and other aspects of the software are welcome. The current version is version 2.3.1, released June 24, 2006.
- Art of Illusion's development cycle usually includes two builds called "Early Access" (EA) releases followed by a Beta, or "bug fix" version. However, with a recent announcement, the bug-fixing portion of development has been shifted to make sure that more bugs are fixed in existing features.
- Developers are welcome to submit scripts and plugins via email to maintainers of the Scripts and Plugins Repository for inclusion in the online repository. This ensures that users will be able to download scripts and plugins easily from within Art of Illusion itself.
- Developers with code to contribute to AoI itself should submit it to Peter Eastman for approval and inclusion. More information
- Non-code contributions can be made as well. Details (Note that the Smartgroups link on that page is obsoleted by the Scripts and Plugins Repository)
[edit] IRTC Competition
The Internet Ray Tracing Competition is an online computer graphics competition. Several Art of Illusion users have submitted entries to the competition.
- Nate Ryan's Fungus Dance image won 1st place in the September - October 2003 "Decay" contest. link
- Julian MacDonald's "Gladiators" animation won Honorable Mention: Artistic Merit in the July-October 2004 contest. link
- "Bathtime Fun", also by Julian MacDonald, won 2nd place in the September-October 2004 contest. link
- Kevin Lynn's "Is Juggling a Sport?" animation won 1st place in the July-October 2005 contest. link
- Kevin is continuing an Art of Illusion tradition by offering a box of chocolates to the next winner of an online graphics competition using Art of Illusion.
[edit] Press Coverage
The French Linux magazine Linux Pratique has published articles about Art of Illusion. link (See the French version of this Wikipedia entry for downloadable PDF versions of the articles)
