Gradient meshes are a 2D vector graphics primitive where colour is interpolated between mesh vertices. The current implementations of gradient meshes are restricted to rectangular mesh topology. Our new interpolation method relaxes this restriction by supporting arbitrary manifold topology of the input gradient mesh. Our method is based on the Catmull-Clark subdivision scheme, which is well-known to support arbitrary mesh topology in 3D. We adapt this scheme to support gradient mesh colour interpolation, adding extensions to handle interpolation of colours of the control points, interpolation only inside the given colour space and emulation of gradient constraints seen in related closed-form solutions. These extensions make subdivision a viable option for interpolating arbitrary-topology gradient meshes for 2D vector graphics.

Jiri Kosinka received the graduate and doctoral degrees in 2002 and 2006, respectively, from Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic.

He worked at the Institute of Applied Geometry, Johannes Kepler University, Austria, at the Centre of Mathematics for Applications, University of Oslo, Norway, and in the Graphics and Interaction research group, University of Cambridge. He is currently an assistant professor at the University of Groningen, the Netherlands, and works on splines and subdivision surfaces, and their applications in computer aided design and vector graphics.