shader sketch
2010, ongoing, application for the interactive design and exploration of computer graphic „shaders“
Description
How a 3D model is displayed, or rendered on the screen nowadays is mostly determined by so-called shader programs. Contemporary graphics hardware in a computer is able to execute these programs independently from the main processor. They can affect the geometric information of a 3D model and the displayed pixel prior to rendering them on the screen. They are used for example to apply lightning or surface characteristics to the model. Shader Sketch is a tool to program these shaders in real time. It enables the user to test and develop them independently from the application they are intended to be used with. Changes to the shader code are applied to a 3D model instantly and thus allow rapid prototyping of graphical effects.
Technique
The application is implemented for the Apple iPad using Objective-C with OpenGL ES 2.1 and GLSL 1.0.