Steven A. Coons

To gain a deeper understanding of Sutherland&s;s approach and to close Part II , Steven Coons, one of Ivan E. Sutherland&s;s dissertation thesis supervisors, is presented in this chapter. Coons had strong visions on imaging and computing, and two sections are respectively devoted to each of his concepts. It is especially the synthesis of both fields which is insightful, because it makes visible Coons’ pivotal role in the history of computer graphics, which is, essentially, a combination of the two fields. Coons was very sensible toward creative processes and expressed meticulous reflections on how a computer could be a creative partner to humans. He is in this sense a key figure in this study. This chapter is therefore central, not only to understand how Coons influenced developments such as Sutherland&s;s Sketchpad but also to understand which of Coons’ concepts have, through Sutherland, been carried on to Utah. There Sutherland was, a few years later, part of the research team from which eventually emerged companies such as Adobe and the Pixar Animation Studios .