GoKawiilDeveloper documents technique for variable-width Bézier curves in 2D graphics APIs
Luther Tychonievich, who built eight custom board-work applications for teaching since 2014, has published a technical post explaining how to draw variable-width Bézier curves using existing 2D graphics APIs. He notes these applications were created because he found no suitable commercial tablet tools for live classroom drawing, and built versions in both JavaScript and D using various rendering backends including SVG, Canvas, Cairo and GSK.
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The post addresses a gap Tychonievich says persists in common 2D graphics libraries: the lack of native support for pressure-sensitive stroke width as a first-class primitive in Bézier curves. His workaround could be useful to other developers building lightweight drawing tools, such as educational or note-taking apps, that need legible pressure-based strokes without the computational overhead of full art-software pressure modeling.
- Tychonievich built eight custom boardwork applications since 2014 across JavaScript and D due to dissatisfaction with existing tablet tools.
- The post focuses on rendering variable-width Bézier curves, a feature he says is missing from standard 2D graphics APIs.
- His approach favors simple pressure-to-stroke-width mapping over complex art-software techniques like opacity scaling, for clarity in classroom settings.
Wacom Intuos Pro Graphics Tablet — Since the article centers on using a pressure-sensitive graphics tablet for live board-work and variable-width stroke rendering, a Wacom Intuos Pro is a natural fit—it's the modern successor to the Intuos 4 the author started with. Its pressure-sensitive pen pairs perfectly with experiments in variable-width Bézier curves and custom drawing apps.
See Wacom Intuos Pro Graphics Tablet on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: luthert.web.illinois.edu — Luther Tychonievich, 2026-11-09
Published there as: “Variable-width Bézier curves (2025)”
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