1. A method of adaptively selectively refining a variable resolution representation of an object for producing computer graphics images of the object, the method comprising: constructing a current mesh model of the object, the current mesh model defining a surface of interconnected polygons; in a plurality of iterative traverses over a plurality of localities on the current mesh model, determining whether to apply a localized mesh refinement transformation or mesh coarsening transformation at individual such localities according to a set of selective refinement criteria and a set of transformation constraints, so as to thereby adaptively selectively refine the current mesh model; and producing computer graphics images according to viewing parameters using the adaptively selectively refined current mesh model; wherein the selective refinement criteria comprise a time-variant parameter that defines movement of a light source about the object.