Abstract: In this paper a novel algorithm for semi-automatic creation of bas-relief on curved surfaces of 3D mesh models is presented.First,an image-based edge detection method is used to get the boundary vertices of mesh models in the scene,which are further matched with corresponding parts of curved surfaces.This provides the Dirichlet boundary condition of a Poisson equation.By compressing the gradient domains of height fields of mesh models,suitable gradient magnitudes for relief models were obtained,and the height field of relief was recovered from the modified gradient domain with the Poisson equation.Finally,examples of bas-relief on curved surfaces generated by the proposed method is presented.