Art of Illusion
Art of Illusion is a free/open source software package used that supports 3D modeling, texturing, ray tracing, and otherwise rendering 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 integration of online repositories and a built-in downloading tool for installing extensions (plugins), 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, artofillusion.org.
Art of Illusion is written in the Java programming language and is currently available to use and modify for free under the GNU General Public License.
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Render Examples
Software Features
Interface
- Very intuitive, low-learning-curve layout and controls
- Help system includes option to download entire manual for display in help browser
- Live Help - connects a user directly to the IRC chat channel from within Art of Illusion
- Customizable look and feel
Rendering
- Multithreaded renderer.
- Full global illumination via ambient occlusion, photon mapping, final gathering, or monte carlo path tracing.
- Caustics via photon mapping.
- Scattering materials (SSS) via single scattering or BSSRDF photon-based scattering, or a combination of the two ("both" option).
- Save to PNG, JPG, BMP, HDR.
- Semi-realtime preview renderer (think FPrime) available as a plugin (Preview Plugin).
- Raytraced Soft shadows, Gloss/Translucency (blurry reflections or transparency), and Depth of Field.
- Camera filters such as Glow, Exposure Correction, Saturation, Blur, etc.
Modeling
- Spline modeling, subdivision surfaces (3-gons natively, n-gons through Polymesh Editor plugin), tube objects, curve objects, and primitives modeling.
- Scripted objects.
- Isosurface modeling (via plugin, although native isosurface rendering is included) - node-based or direct formula entry.
- Import and export meshes in a variety of formats.
Texturing
- Node-based procedural textures and materials system. Materials in Art of Illusion define the *inner* properties of an object, e.g., scattering media. This means you can define a procedural node network that produces scattering effects that are either still or animated (using the "Time" module). Textures (exterior surface of an object) can be defined procedurally as well.
- HDR texture support for both procedural- and image-based textures. Can be mapped to objects or the environment.
- Beta versions of Polymesh Editor plugin provide UV unwrapping via the ABF++ algorithm.
Animation
- Full animation system supporting character animation with morphing, bones, etc. as well as other features like procedural animation (using node-based procedural editor). Timeline editor.
Extensions (Scripts & Plugins)
- Wide array of extensions available for direct download from within Art of Illusion's Scripts and Plugins Manager.
- Extensions include hair/fur generator, Tree & Plant Designer, modeling tools, I/O plugins, and more.
External links
- Wikipedia entry
- Official Art of Illusion Site
- Official forum
- Art of Illusion Wiki
- The Friendlyskies AoI Forum
- Art of Illusion Scripts and Plugins Repository
- Art of Illusion Benchmarks Project
- Text of Peter Eastman interview by author Olivier Saraja
- This page was last modified 21:49, 6 March 2007.
- This page has been accessed 5,134 times.
- Content is available under GNU Free Documentation License.
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