Computer imaging using graphics components

Computer apparatus for presenting an image on a viewing screen comprising:

• a) processor means for defining a custom paint tool for use in rendering images on the computer display by organizing the paint tool as a plurality of paint tool components that define a manner in which a tool paints an image on the computer display wherein at least some of the paint tool components are made up of multiple paint tool subcomponents that define an associated tool component and thereby defining a hierarchy of components that characterize the paint tool;
• b) storage means operatively coupled to the processor means for storing data that characterizes the paint tool components and paint tool subcomponents for a plurality of paint tools within a memory store for retrieval and use in rendering images;
• and
• c) a computer display coupled to the processor means for presenting a graphics image on a viewing screen;
• d) wherein said processor means periodically retrieves from the storage means data to define at least part of a paint tool for rendering images on the computer display.

Computer graphics rendering apparatus for presenting an image comprising:

• a) a display monitor comprising means for rendering a color image on a display screen of the display monitor by activating picture elements that combine to define the color image;
• b) drive circuitry coupled to the display monitor for supplying video display signals for rendering images on the display monitor;
• c) a processor executing a stored program for creating the video display signals coupled to the drive circuitry to implement a style object for use in rendering images on the display monitor;
• said stored program defining a data structure for storing data attributes of a paint tool for use in rendering text or brush strokes on the display monitor;
• d) a computer memory for storing data attributes of a plurality of paint tools for retrieval of the data attributes;
• and
• e) said stored program presenting a user interface on the display monitor that allows the user to retrieve from the computer memory the data attributes of a particular custom paint tool or data attributes of components or subcomponents and using the retrieved data attributes for painting an image.

A method for rendering images on a computer display comprising the steps of:

• a) defining one or more image rendering tools as a plurality of tool components that define a manner in which a rendering tool paints an image on the computer display wherein at least some of the tool components are made up of multiple tool subcomponents that define an associated tool component and thereby define a multiple level hierarchy of tools, components and subcomponents that characterize the one or more image rendering tools;
• b) storing characterizing data for a plurality of image rendering tools, tool components and tool subcomponents on a memory store for selective retrieval of various combinations of the stored rendering tools, stored tool components and stored tool subcomponents;
• c) periodically retrieving from the memory store a selected combination of stored rendering tools, tool components and tool subcomponents to define an active rendering tool for subsequent image rendering on the display screen;
• d) displaying a hierarchical arrangement of components and subcomponents for an active rendering tool on the computer display;
• and
• e) with the aid of an input pointing device allowing a user to select an object within an image display region of the computer display and updating the display of the hierarchical arrangement of the tool rendering components or subcomponents that made up the rendering tool used to paint the selected object onto the image display region.