Skip to main content
Log in

A geometric study of parameters for the recursive midpoint subdivision

  • Published:
The Visual Computer Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

For producing numerous frames as in computer animation, the direct application of the Mandelbrot theory of fractals is very expensive. The recursive midpoint subdivision is much more efficient although it sacrifices mathematical purity for execution speed. In our implementation, fractal polygons are created using subdivisions of meshes of triangles. But the midpoint is randomly generated inside a revolution volume where the axis is the edge itself. Based on this implementation, we study the impact of three geometric parameters for controlling this algorithm: the edge threshold, the eccentricity of the smallest cylinder surrounding the revolution volume and the displacement of the revolution volume towards the segment center. Several examples are provided. The subdivision algorithm is also applied to generate textures by perturbation of the normal length.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Blinn JF (1978) Simulation of wrinkled surfaces. Proc SIGGRAPH'78, Comput Graph 12(3):286–292

    Google Scholar 

  • Burgess (1987) Introduction of texture in the MIRA-SHADING language (in French). MSc Thesis MIRALab, Université de Montréal

  • Fournier A, Fussell D, Carpenter L (1982) Computer rendering of stochastic models. Commun ACM 25(6):371–384

    Google Scholar 

  • Haruyama S, Barsky BA (1984) Using stochastic modeling for texture generation. IEEE Comput Graph Appl 4(3):7–19

    Google Scholar 

  • Magnenat-Thalmann N, Thalmann D, Fortin M (1985) MIRANIM: An Extensible Director-Oriented System for the Animation of Realistic Images. IEEE Comput Graph Appl 5(3):61–73

    Google Scholar 

  • Mandelbrot B (1975) Stochastic models for the earth's relief, the shape and fractal dimension of coastlines, and the number area rule for islands. Proc Natl Acad Sci 72(10):2825–2828

    Google Scholar 

  • Mandelbrot B (1977) Fractals: form, chance and dimension. WH Freeman, San Francisco

    Google Scholar 

  • Mandelbrot B (1982a) The fractal geometry of nature, WH Freeman, San Francisco

    Google Scholar 

  • Mandelbrot B (1982b) Comment on computer rendering of fractal stochastic models. Commun ACM 25(3):581–582

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Magnenat-Thalmann, N., Burgess, M., Forest, L. et al. A geometric study of parameters for the recursive midpoint subdivision. The Visual Computer 3, 145–151 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01962895

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01962895

Key words

Navigation