G’MIC, a highly colourful software program
French bandes-dessinées (comic strips) are extremely popular with millions of readers but their creation involves certain laborious phases such as image colouring. Researchers at the GREYC research group1Groupe de Recherche en Informatique, Image, Automatique et Instrumentation de Caen (CNRS/Université de Caen Normandie/ENSICAEN). have developed an algorithm to automate this work and distributed it via their free G’MIC software. It can be used to quickly fill in white spaces on the page according to the lines drawn and the user’s expectations while enabling colour artists to adapt the tool to their styles and requirements at any stage in the process. The researchers worked in close collaboration with a freelance illustrator to design an algorithm suited to artists’ reality and creativity.
[:fr]Le dessin original fourni par l'artiste.[:en]The original drawing supplied by the artist.[:]
![[:fr]rain1-web[:en]rain1[:]](https://ra2017cnrs.fr/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/rain1-web.jpg)
[:fr]Le résultat fourni par l’algorithme : les zones sont pré-remplies (avec des couleurs aléatoires), et l'artiste n'a plus qu'à assigner à chaque zone une couleur "plausible".[:en]The result supplied by the algorithm: the zones are pre-filled (with random colours), and the artist merely has to assign a "plausible" colour to each zone.[:]
![[:fr]rain2-web[:en]rain2[:]](https://ra2017cnrs.fr/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/rain2-web.jpg)
[:fr]Le résultat après que l'artiste ait assigné ses couleurs.[:en]The result once the artist has assigned the colours.[:]
[:fr]Le résultat final, après que l'artiste a ajouté ombre, lumière et texture.[:]