Graphics Reference
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Fig. 4.10 The absolute length of any fractal subject is conditional on the minimum unit size.
The smaller the unit, the longer the dimension will be
or an inch, or a millimeter, the length of the Atlantic American coastline would be
much larger. This is because of the fractal complexity of certain types of objects
(Gleick 1997 ) (Fig. 4.10 ).
4.2.8
Resolution Limits
It is always good to set a resolution limit when measuring your subject, so that unnec-
essary detail does not bog you down. If you are building a vacuum cleaner meant to
be rendered at fi lm resolution as seen from the perspective of a mouse, you will prob-
ably have to build details as small as a single millimeter in length. If it will be rendered
as some room clutter in a video game, you will want to construct only much larger
structures. You may include smaller measurements like the radius of the handle, but
only because it is a part of the handle, which is the longest dimension in the object.
4.2.9
Measuring Tools
If you have access to the subject, you should take as many measurements as you
can. Depending on the object, you may use a ruler, protractor, tape measure,
micrometer (caliper), yardstick, or any other measurement device, as appropriate
(Fig. 4.11 ). You should also take photographs. Your photos should capture all of
the information needed to build your object. At a minimum, you should photograph
the subject from several orthographic angles.
4.3
Reference
If you do not have direct access to your subject, you will have to rely on whatever
you can fi nd through research. In a best-case scenario, you will fi nd dimensioned
drawings of your subject. This is most likely with architectural and industrial design
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