Generating subdivision surfaces from profile curves

Abstract

The construction of freeform models has always been a challenging task. A popular approach is to edit a primitive object such that its projections conform to a set of given planar curves. This process is tedious and relies very much on the skill and experience of the designer in editing 3D shapes. This paper describes an intuitive approach for the modeling of freeform objects based on planar profile curves. A freeform surface defined by a set of orthogonal planar curves is created by blending a corresponding set of sweep surfaces. Each of the sweep surfaces is obtained by sweeping a planar curve about a computed axis. A Catmull–Clark subdivision surface interpolating a set of data points on the object surface is then constructed. Since the curve points lying on the computed axis of the sweep will become extraordinary vertices of the subdivision surface, a mesh refinement process is applied to adjust the mesh topology of the surface around the axis points. In order to maintain characteristic features of the surface defined with the planar curves, sharp features on the surface are located and are retained in the mesh refinement process. This provides an intuitive approach for constructing freeform objects with regular mesh topology using planar profile curves.