oftenpaper.net

draw[array_, options___] := Module[
   {interval, topinterval, width, height, f, coords},
   {height, width} = Dimensions[array];
   interval = 2. Pi/width;
   topinterval = 2. Pi (1 + interval)/width;
   coords = Position[array, 1];

   f[{x_, r_}] := Rotate[Translate[
      Cuboid[-#, #] &[.5 topinterval {1, 1, 1}],
      {1, 0, -interval x}], interval r, {0, 0, 1}(*;{1,0,0}*), {0, 0, 0}];

   Graphics3D[{{Lighter[LightBlue], Opacity[.5],
      Sphere[{0, 0, -interval height/2}, .5]},
     EdgeForm[None], White, f /@ coords}, options, Boxed -> False]];

draw[CellularAutomaton[22,
  ConstantArray[0, 500]~ReplacePart~{1 -> 1, 251 -> 1}, 125],
 Lighting -> "Neutral"]

draw2[im_Image, options___] := draw2[ImageData[ColorConvert[im, "RGB"]], options];
draw2[array_, options___] := Module[
   {interval, width, height, f, cubes, coords},
   {height, width} = Dimensions[array][[{1, 2}]];
   interval = 2. Pi/width;
   coords = Position[array, p_ /; p != {0, 0, 0}, {2}];

   f[{x_, r_}] := Rotate[Translate[
      Cuboid[-#, #] &[.5 interval {1, 1, 1}],
      {1, 0, -interval x}], interval r, {0, 0, 1}, {0, 0, 0}];

   cubes = MapThread[{RGBColor @@ #1, f[#2]} &,
     {array[[##]] & @@@ coords, coords}];

   Graphics3D[{{Lighter[LightBlue], Opacity[.5],
      Sphere[{0, 0, -interval height/2}, .5]},
     EdgeForm[None], cubes}, options, Boxed -> False]];

(*this rule from "http://web.cecs.pdx.edu/~mm/evca-review.pdf"*)
rules = Thread[Tuples[{0, 1}, {7}] ->
    IntegerDigits[FromDigits["0504058705000f77037755837bffb77f", 16], 2, 128]];

arr = FixedPointList[CellularAutomaton[rules], RandomInteger[1, 600]];
arrEdge = ArrayPlot[arr, PixelConstrained -> 1, Frame -> False] // EdgeDetect // ImageData;

(*ad hoc coloring, originally intended for particle animation*)
pat1 = {{_, _, _, _, _}, {_, 1, 0, 0, 1}, {_, _, _, _, _}};
pat2 = {{_, 1, _, _, _}, {_, _, 1, _, _}, {_, _, _, 1, _}};
pat3 = {{_, _, _, _, _}, {_, 1, 1, 1, _}, {_, _, _, _, _}};
(f[#1 | Reverse /@ #1, _] = #2) & @@@
  {_ -> {0, 0, 0}, pat1 -> {1, 0, 0}, pat2 -> {0, 1, 0}, pat3 -> {0, 0, 1}};

(*see also ImageFilter, ImageConvolve, a million other things*)
colored = CellularAutomaton[{f, {}, {1, 2}}, arrEdge];

Image[colored]
draw2[colored, Lighting -> "Neutral"]