Art of Illusion

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Art Of Illusion

Screenshot of ArtOfIllusion v2.3.1 showing scene view and render
Developed by Peter Eastman
Latest release 2.6 / April 30, 2008
OS Cross-platform
Platform Java
Genre 3D computer graphics software
License GPL
Website www.artofillusion.org

Art of Illusion is a 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 proprietary software.

The primary creator and maintainer of the software is Peter Eastman.

Art of Illusion is written in the Java programming language. Distributed under the GNU General Public License,[1] it is free software.

Contents

[edit] Software Features

"Rain drops are still falling on my antennas" by Jyrki Ihalainen, modeled and rendered using Art of Illusion.
"Rain drops are still falling on my antennas" by Jyrki Ihalainen, modeled and rendered using Art of Illusion.
  • Interface
    • Object list, scene layout windows, and animation score
    • Tooltips and explanatory icons
    • Bundled documentation and help interface
    • Built-in "live help" chat client for connecting to the freenode Art of Illusion support channel
    • 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.
    • 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)
    • Isosurface modeling (via procedural nodes or direct numeric input)
  • 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
Textures created using the Art of Illusion procedural texture editor
Textures created using the Art of Illusion procedural texture editor
    • 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
    • Graphical language for procedural texture/material design
    • Procedural textures can be based on 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)
Screen capture of Art of Illusion's unique graphical procedural texture editor (AOI 2.5)
Screen capture of Art of Illusion's unique graphical procedural texture editor (AOI 2.5)
  • Post Processing
    • Camera filters (Exposure Correction, Glow, Outline, Tint, Blur, etc.)
    • Noise reduction for Global Illumination
  • Scripting
  • Extended 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 (Preview Plugin)
    • Subdivision (Ngon) modeler with tools for both open- and closed-mesh modeling and support for Catmull-Clark subdivision surfaces (Polymesh Editor plugin)
    • ABF+ UV unwrapping available through 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

Screenshot of Polymesh Editor plugin, showing three types of 3D manipulators(Object, View, Normal) used in working with faces, edges, and vertices.
Screenshot of Polymesh Editor plugin, showing three types of 3D manipulators(Object, View, Normal) used in working with faces, edges, and vertices.
  • Art of Illusion is a free and open source application and contributions to the source code, scripts and plugins base, and other aspects of the software are welcome.
  • 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 and Awards

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)

Art of Illusion was the SourceForge.net Project of the Month for April, 2007.

[edit] External links

Free software Portal

[edit] References

  1. ^ Project's licence page.