CGMB214: Intro. To Computer Graphics

Chapter 1Introduction

What You Need to know

• What is computer graphics?• What is our approach?

What is Computer Graphics?

What?

What is it for?

Where it is being used?

How it is used?

Motivation?

Why learn CG?

What is Computer Graphics?

• Pictures generated by computer• Tools to make pictures• Hardware tools – monitor, mouse etc• Software tools – OS, debugger, graphics libraries

etc• Field of study that involves pictures produced

and tools used

What exactly is Computer Graphics?

Pretty Pictures

Data Structures

Algorithm

Mathematics

What CG is used for?

• To produce RAPID and ECONOMICAL PRODUCTION of pictures

Where CG is being used?

Computer Graphics

Art, Entertainment,

Publishing

Computer Graphics and

Image Processing

Monitoring a Process

Displaying a Simulation

Computer Aided Design

Scientific Analysis and

Visualizations

CG in Art, Entertainment, Publishing

Movie Production, Animation, Special

Effect• 2012• LOTR• Shrek• Harry Potter

Computer Games

• Ragnarok• Mario Bro.• EA Sport series

Browsing the WWW

• Groovy

Slide, Book and Magazine Design

• Paint• Microsoft

Publisher• Microsoft Power

Point• Mapmaking

CG in CG and Image Processing

• CG create images• IP enhance images

Image from camera

Image created (CG)

Satisfied with

Image?

Image accepted

NO Enhance Image

(IP)

YES

CG in CG and Image Processing

• CG combines with IP

CG in Monitoring Process

• Usually used in factory, research

CG in Displaying a Simulation

• Virtual Reality– Research– Education– Entertainment

CG in Computer Aided Design

• Computer Aided Architectural Design• Electric Circuit Design• Benefits of CAD• Drives the high-end of the hardware market • Integration of computing and display resources • Reduced design cycles

CG in Scientific Analysis and Visualization

• Computer graphics makes vast quantities of data accessible. Numerical simulations frequently produce millions of data values.

• Satellite-based sensors amass data at rates beyond our abilities to interpret them by any other means than visually.

• Mathematicians use computer graphics to explore abstract and high-dimensional functions and spaces.

• Physicists can use computer graphics to transcend the limits of scale.

How CG is used?

Computer Graphics

Create Tools

Hardware

Output Devices

Input Devices

Graphic

Card

Software

OS

Compiler

Debugger

Graphic Library

Create Libraries

Functions/ routines to draw

Elaborated – e.g.

menus

Using APIs – e.g.

OpenGL, DirectX, Java3D

Motivation for CG

• Appealing pictures produced• Humans respond better to pictorial

information• Human brain recognizes visual

patterns• “If it looks right, it is right”, Jim Blinn,

CG pioneer

Why Learn CG?

• Better information presentation• Job in computer graphics (games,

movies, etc)• New medium for artistic expression• Communicate ideas better• Create more user-friendly systems

What is Our Approach?

• learn algorithms• use OpenGL as concrete example

References

• http://thefreedictionary.com• http://news.cnet.com• http://als-ny.org• http://www.ferret.com.au