1. A computer-implemented method, comprising, dividing an image into a set of image subregions; for each image subregion of the set of image subregions, identifying a set of subregion dictionary entries from a subregion dictionary, each respective subregion dictionary entry comprising: a subregion entry appearance matching an appearance of the respective image subregion; and a subregion entry geometry comprising a shape construction parameter; and constructing a shape from the image by at least identifying a set of optimal subregion dictionary entries and minimizing an energy function of the sets of subregion dictionary entries for the set of image subregions, said minimizing including calculating a term representing an incongruity between an optimal subregion dictionary entry for a selected image subregion and optimal subregion dictionary entries of adjacent image subregions, the incongruity being determined by a sum of a square difference between normals of overlapped subregions, each optimal subregion dictionary entry comprising a subregion entry associated with a minimum of the energy function of a respective one of the image subregions, the shape comprising a shape construction parameter from a subregion geometry entry of each optimal subregion geometry entry of the set of optimal subregion geometry entries.