Future Work and Conclusion

 The shading algorithm presented here is exploratory, and we expect many improvements are possible. The most interesting open ended question in automatic technical illustrations is how illustration rules may change or evolve when illustrating a scene instead of single objects, as well as the practical issues involved in viewing and interacting with 3D technical illustrations. It may also be possible to automate other application-specific illustration forms, such as medical illustration.

The model we have presented is tailored to imitate colored technical drawings. Once the global parameters of the model are set, the technique is automatic and can be used in place of traditional illumination models. The model can be approximated by interactive graphics techniques, and should be useful in any application where communicating shape and function is paramount.