When it comes to the creation of imagery, we're all familiar with applications in the usual bitmap, vector or 3D categories. But it's easy to overlook applications, typically the work of small developers, that provide a completely different perspective to the process of creating imagery. One such developer is Stephane Marty, who has been active in the area of 3D renderers and has now launched SUBSTANCE via the NeuroSystems site, powered by the Procedural Organic Modeling Engine and Physically-based Unbiased Rendering Engine technologies he's worked on in recent years.

SUBSTANCE allows users to visualize, edit and shape unique imagery in a 3D, real-time environment that employs an evolutionary algorithm to generate a continually evolving stream of shapes. Imagery is based on complex organic, fractal or ephemeral structures, with random genetic mutations occuring during the subsequent creation of shapes. One or more parent virtual sculptures are mutated and/or crossbred to produce a number of "children," which are then selected again. These results are then used to produce the next "generation." An included photorealstic rendering system ensures that the final structures have a convincing realism.

Work can be saved as a high-definition image file, as 3D meshes or as an animated sequence. NeuroSystems also provides a 3D printing service for those who wish to transform SUBSTANCE imagery into resin-based models. SUBSTANCE for Windows is provided in a Classic version, priced at $49.95, as well as Complete, for $79.95. A free Viewer application is also available for download on the NeuroSystems site. It's worth noting that SUBSTANCE requires a relatively powerful graphics card.