Arad, Nur2014-10-212014-10-2119941467-8659https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8659.1330259A grid-distortion mapping based on variational principles is described. The mapping is first defined between any two equivalent regular grids with minor geometric restrictions, and is then optimally extended to the interior of the source grid in a sense to be defined. The result is independent of the particular representation of the curves, and depends only on geometric properties of the grids. We then proceed to construct an approximation to the mapping defined and demonstrate its implementation. Finally, this algorithm is compared to several competing ones, in particular separable (scanline) algorithms.10.1111/1467-8659.1330259259-270