Painting with Gaussians
A developer details the creation of a digital painting tool that uses edge-aware grids and Gaussian splatting to simulate brush strokes. The project explores how computational geometry can translate image structure into artistic, painterly marks.
Why it matters
This demonstrates the intersection of computer graphics and artistic expression, showcasing how technical algorithms can mimic traditional media.
Last year I built an edge-aware pixelation tool to turn images into pixel art by deforming a grid so that it follows image edges instead of naively using a fixed grid over the picture. Using an edge adapter grid bent to inform the color and brightness of the pixels worked well for keeping edges crisp and preserving details.
I later realized the same edge information could also be applied in a context of digital painting. A painting program has to figure out where to put brush strokes, how big should they be, and which direction should they flow in. Much of that is already encoded in the edges since they mark the boundaries between regions. These are the contours around areas of objects that a brush would trace, and their absence indicates generally flat areas where a few broad strokes should suffice.
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