Digital Design Of Nature: Computer Generated Plants And Organics

Oliver Deussen • Bernd Lintermann Digital Design of Nature Computer Generated Plants and Organics With 190 Figures 13 Official web site: http://www.computerpflanzen.de Oliver Deussen University of Konstanz Computer and Information Science 78457 Konstanz Germany e-mail: [email protected] Bernd Lintermann ZKM Center for Art and Media Lorenzstraße 19 76135 Karlsruhe Germany Library of Congress Control Number: 2004116589 Translated and enlarged edition of O. Deussen: Computergenerierte Pflanzen. (X.media.press) Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2002. ISBN 3-540-43608-5. Translated from the German by Anna Dowden-Williams, Konstanz. ISSN 1612-1449 ISBN 3-540-40591-7 Springer Berlin Heidelberg New York This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilm or in any other way, and storage in data banks. Duplication of this publication or parts thereof is permitted only under the provisions of the German Copyright Law of September 9, 1965, in its current version, and permission for use must always be obtained from Springer. Violations are liable for prosecution under the German Copyright Law. Springer is a part of Springer Science+Business Media springeronline.com © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2005 Printed in Germany The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. Typesetting: By the authors Production: LE-TEX Jelonek, Schmidt & Vöckler GbR, Leipzig Cover design: KünkelLopka, Heidelberg Printed on acid-free paper 33/3142/YL 5 4 3 2 1 0 Preface What is computer graphics and what are the conceptual tasks of research in this area? To the average person the term still conveys more or less the design of logos and the manipulation of pictures with the help of image-editing programs. However, during the past four decades, computer graphics has evolved into an innovative multifaceted field of research and computing that affects many other sciences. In many areas and for many problems we can best convey an understanding through images that trigger our sense with the highest capability: our eye. And, what is more, aside from algorithms, formulas, and tables, the computer graphics scientist often is able to create beauty. Though it is a beauty of its own, it often fascinates the viewer, especially when complex aesthetic images emerge from simple mathematical concepts. Also, there are only a few other areas that advance as dynamically as informatics and especially computer graphics. While CPU capaci