Here is some software and other links for doing vector field visualization.
http://www.scipy.org/Cookbook/LineIntegralConvolution - Scipy cookbook entry for line integral convolution. This uses Cython!
http://www.cg.tuwien.ac.at/research/vis/dynsys/frolic/ - Fast approximate line integral convolution and oriented line integral convolution. This is from 1997 (read the paper on the linked page).
http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.90.7638 A overview summary article
http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.5.6235 Another recent summary article
http://facstaff.l3.drake.edu/turness/research.html Tim Urness, who did his PhD work in vector field visualization.