Microsoft Patent | Selecting and Transferring Material Properties in a Virtual Drawing Space

Patent: Selecting and Transferring Material Properties in a Virtual Drawing Space

Publication Number: 10181223

Publication Date: 2019-01-15

Applicants: Microsoft

Abstract

Aspects of the technology described herein provide for sampling the material properties of a source object within a virtual 3D drawing space, and then applying those properties to a target object within the drawing space. The material properties may include not only color, but also other physical properties like texture and sheen. For example, the way an object behaves in different lighting conditions may constitute a material property. According to aspects of the technology described herein, the manner in which an object behaves in lighting conditions, the shininess of the object, and the texture of the object may all be selected, sampled, and transferred to other target surfaces, such as a canvas or the surfaces of other objects, in the virtual 3D drawing space.

Background

Traditionally, colors available for selection in computer-aided design applications have a flat, non-reflective finish, and depicting the interplay between light and surfaces in a virtual drawing space involves complex graphics design.

Summary

This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the detailed description. This summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used in isolation as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.

Aspects of the technology described herein provide for sampling the material properties of a source object within a virtual two-dimensional (“2D”) or three-dimensional (“3D”) drawing space, and then applying those properties to a target object within the drawing space. The material properties may include not only color, but also other physical properties like texture and sheen. For example, the way an object behaves in different lighting conditions affects how the object looks in 3D space–this interaction with light constitutes a material property. According to aspects of the technology described herein, the manner in which an object behaves in lighting conditions, the shininess of the object, and the texture of the object may all be selected, sampled, and transferred to other target surfaces, such as a canvas or the surfaces of other objects, in the virtual 3D drawing space.