Patent ID: 8836699

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for generating a presentation of three-dimensional (3D) pictorial characters on a computer display, the method comprising: selecting at least one pictorial character by a user, wherein each character is represented by a sequence of calligraphic strokes and each stroke is selected from a group of 3D structural elements; constructing at least one 3D object corresponding to the calligraphic strokes of the selected at least one pictorial character according to a first set of placement rules; and rendering the at least one 3D object on the computer display, each 3D object comprises a plurality of structural layers, wherein each structural layer comprises at least one 3D structural element and at least two structural layers are placed at different heights relative to a base plane of the corresponding 3D object, wherein the first set of placement rules include translating, cloning, scaling, flipping, morphing, and overlapping, each allowing for a change relative to a corresponding default value associated with the placement of each 3D structural element, each 3D structural element corresponding to a stroke of the at least one selected pictorial character, wherein a second set of placement rules, which include rotating, translating, cloning, scaling, flipping, morphing, and overlapping, may be applied on at least one root part of the selected character, each rule allows for a change relative to a default value associated with the at least one root part, and wherein each root part comprises at least two strokes forming a portion of one of the selected pictorial characters.