Computer Modelling of Fallen Snow

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Computer Modelling of Fallen Snow

• Paul Fearing
• University of British Columbia

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The Algorithmic Beauty of Snow

• One of natures greatest beauties is the way
  fresh snow covers the world in a perfect blanket
  of crystalline white. It replaces sharp angles
  with gentle curves, and clings to surfaces to
  form ghostly silhouettes.

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The Algorithmic Beauty of Snow

• Complex natural phenomenon
• Locally complex, globally apparently simple
• Combined effect of millions of crystals
• Snow movement - slip, fold, fracture, avalance
• Variable properties, on borderline
• Fluids and solids
• Rough/smooth, soft and powdery/hard and blocky
• Predictable and random accumulation and motion

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Why Auto Snow Generation

• First work on thick snow pack modeling
• Gives a tool to animators to add snow to any
  scene
• Previously, added it manually tedious
  inaccurate
• Integrated into overall animation pipeline
• object mesh gets augmented with snow surfaces
• Keep control over quality based on time available
  for modeling (progressive) and importance
  assigned to parts of the scene.

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