2.5D Printing: The Evolution of the Water Lily

Abstract

This paper considers 2.5D printing in a number of ways: by exploring the relationship between textural appearance of objects as seen in the real world and how these are interpreted by artists and rendered as paintings and drawings. This is significant in order to gain deeper insights into the appearance of texture in both realworld and computer-based image processing. Secondly as a practical understanding and development of methods for the application of texture or 2.5D printing, in which the authors have worked on the development of algorithms that can translate pictorial statements as reproducible textured images. It departs from halftoning methods (dots, pixels, pattern screens), and presents vector based (non-photographic rendering methods and autographic) methods for image generation. We also present recent developments on the application of vector driven methods to drive brushes, pens and other artists' tools to create reproducible artworks.