Communications of the ACM
It's All About the Hair
Iman Sadeghi, who earned a Ph.D. in computer science from University of California, San Diego, developed a better way to light and animate character's hair in the Disney movie "Tangled."
Credit: Courtesy of Disney Enterprises, Inc.
Recent University of California, San Diego computer science Ph.D. graduate Iman Sadeghi developed a new way to light and animate characters' hair, and his method is now part of Disney's production pipeline to be used in upcoming movies.
"I think his work was critical [because] he brought state-of-the-art research into our studio," says Disney's Heather Pritchett.
Sadeghi's method enables animators to add realistic lighting to hair, while also adding artistic effects. The software allows artists to control the sheen, color, and highlights in animated hair.
Disney animators previously used two separate systems to shade characters' hair. One is based on the physical laws that govern the way light interacts with hair, but it does not allow for any control by artists. The other is fully controlled by artists, but does not reflect how hair and light interact in the real world. Sadeghi's system combines the two older systems, giving animators complete control, while maintaining the physical properties of light and hair.
From UCSD News (CA)
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