Abstract: One particular implementation of the present invention may take the form of a method and system for adding an intermediate color to a computer-rendered object or scene to provide a more dynamic quality to the graphic. The method may add an additional, or tertiary, color to a computer graphic object or scene such that the tertiary color may be blended with a light source color based on calculated surface normals of the pixels of the object in relation to the location of the light source. The blending of the intermediary color with the color of the inserted light source may provide the graphic with a more painterly look giving the graphic or scene a more dynamic feel to a viewer. Another implementation may allow the amount of intermediate color blended into each pixel to be adjusted manually by a graphic designer to achieve a desired look to the object or scene.

Abstract: A method for providing fog or fading due to atmospheric effects during computer animation of an image. The method includes determining a lighting value for a scene's or an image's pixels based on the positions of the pixels relative to a light source. The method includes, for each of the pixels, setting a fade in start distance for each pixel measured from a camera location so as to define when fog is added, e.g., when to fade a pixel's color by blending this color with a fog color. The fade in start distances are set based on each pixel's lighting value, whereby pixels with smaller lighting values or shadowed pixels begin to fade first while highlighted pixels fade with greater distances. The method includes adding fog to the image starting at the fade in start distances for each of the pixels and then rendering the image.

Abstract: A method for providing fog or fading due to atmospheric effects during computer animation of an image. The method includes determining a lighting value for a scene's or an image's pixels based on the positions of the pixels relative to a light source. The method includes, for each of the pixels, setting a fade in start distance for each pixel measured from a camera location so as to define when fog is added, e.g., when to fade a pixel's color by blending this color with a fog color. The fade in start distances are set based on each pixel's lighting value, whereby pixels with smaller lighting values or shadowed pixels begin to fade first while highlighted pixels fade with greater distances. The method includes adding fog to the image starting at the fade in start distances for each of the pixels and then rendering the image.

Abstract: One particular implementation of the present invention may take the form of a method and system for adding an intermediate color to a computer-rendered object or scene to provide a more dynamic quality to the graphic. The method may add an additional, or tertiary, color to a computer graphic object or scene such that the tertiary color may be blended with a light source color based on calculated surface normals of the pixels of the object in relation to the location of the light source. The blending of the intermediary color with the color of the inserted light source may provide the graphic with a more painterly look giving the graphic or scene a more dynamic feel to a viewer. Another implementation may allow the amount of intermediate color blended into each pixel to be adjusted manually by a graphic designer to achieve a desired look to the object or scene.