From a
University of Bath press
release:
The family portrait is set to become a great work of art thanks to new computer software that can turn photographs into
cubist artworks in the style of Picasso.The Picasso-effect software is part of a unique suite of imaging technologies developed by computer scientists at the University of Bath that turns photo albums, videos and movies into drawings, paintings, and cartoons.
The software could also revolutionise the way that animations are made.
In order to create the software, the researchers had to teach the computer how to pick out the elements of photographs that, until now, only humans have been able to recognise as important.
By giving the computer an `aesthetic sense’, Dr Peter Hall and Dr John Collomosse from the Department of Computer Science, were able to create a series of automated artworks with new effects, such as making a Picasso cubist-style picture from ordinary photos.
The researchers also have created wacky
videos showing how ordinary video footage can be converted by computer into cartoon-style animation. (Sadly, this link only
worked the first time I tried it. The press release above also has a link to it.)