Procedural Surface Weathering of Cultural Stone Through Physically Based Mesh Deformations

Abstract

Weathering in computer graphics is crucial to creating believable objects. Common methods to add wear to an object include the application of 2D texture maps or direct model deformations through sculpting. These methods require an artist’s time and expertise, often at a cost to quality or iteration time for the asset. This creates a need for a method that is quick to iterate upon and easy to manipulate.

This thesis outlines a new procedural method that combines principles of 2D texture maps and 3D sculpting to achieve large-scale mesh deformations in stone surfaces. The method involves the use of procedural 3D noise to define a stone’s composition combined with particle systems to simulate rainfall on an object, deforming it over time. A custom user interface with preset stone options is implemented to reduce the level of expertise needed to use the system.