Expressive visualization
Eric B. Lum · 2004
Scientific visualization is a valuable tool that permits scientists to visually explore their data as well as create imagery that assists them in communicating their understanding of this data to others. Traditional artistic techniques, on the other hand, have long been used by artists as a means of creating visual representations of a subject that convey their individual interpretations. This dissertation describes methods that provide scientists the ability to create visualizations with similar types of individual expressiveness, without requiring them to learn to paint or draw. By giving scientists new, but not necessarily realistic, rendering techniques to choose from, previously only understood by artists and professional illustrators, and allowing them to interactively explore the use of these techniques, they can develop more effective visual depictions that better communicate their research findings.