Disney Researchers Create Computer Models That Capture Style and Process of Abstraction of Individual Portrait Artistshttp://www.disneyresearch.com/project/portraitsketching/ (http://www.disneyresearch.com/project/portraitsketching/)
Also reported on BBC News (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-23376199 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-23376199)):
QuoteComputer program replicates artist sketches
A computer program that can mimic the abstract portrait drawings of specific artists has been built by experts at Disney Research.
Seven artists were asked to create quick sketches based on portrait photographs, taking various lengths of time to complete their work.
Each artist generated about 8,000 pen strokes for the sketches. Individual artist preferences, such as how far apart they drew eyes, were also included in the data gathered.
That data was then used to create sketches of photographs as the computer understood each artist would have done them - even beginning with a particular feature if that had been identified as what the artist would have done.
Jings!
Crivens!
Ok, I'll do it...
Helpmaboab!
Is John Wagner (or indeed Alan Grant) some sort of futurist OR do top technology bods just read Dredd and think. Uhhhh that'd be cool, I wonder if...
If anyone saw the Disney short 'Paperman' that ran in front of Wreak it Ralph, that cartoon was basically done as a series of story board images, and computer programs created the animation art between each key frame.
Its insane what they can do these days. And somewhat scary. But also interesting.