Real-Time Art-Directed Charcoal Cyber Arts

In this paper, we present a stylization pipeline in 3D object space to emulate traditional charcoal drawing style in real time for cyber arts. First, we introduce an algorithm to produce a rough, grainy charcoal effect based on the lighting available in a 3D scene and the height map of a paper substrate. Then, to further refine the stylized result, we introduce several methods to reproduce some common techniques used in charcoal drawings, such as mixing, smudging and edge softening. The effects can be art-directed in real time to achieve sophisticated charcoal renders that reflect the aesthetic vision of the artist.