Artwork created in 1997

• Renderer: Megapov
• Old cities with their intricate mazes of narrow streets are a real challenge for computer generated pictures. As much as I like the smoothness and purity of contemporary architecture, I think that the eye needs the chaos of natural shapes. Alfama is an old popular district in Lisbon. I took many photos there in May 1997, and one of these was the basis for this picture. Of course, everything was reconstructed in CSG.
• "O Sonhador de Alfama" means "The Dreamer of Alfama", in Portuguese.
• This picture uses area lights and radiosity. Radiosity is particularly noticeable in the way the left walls and the bottom of the balconies are lit : the light comes from the white walls on the right, not from a direct light source. Without radiosity, the picture would seem totally flat.
• The pattern on the Dreamer is the "spiral2" pattern type in POV.
• The wrought iron arm that supports the street light was drawn by hand in Paint Shop Pro in black and white and the resulting picture was used as a height field.
• All the clothes are bezier patches.