Computer

Graphics
1. Introduction to CG

Dr. Jos Ignacio Nez Varela

[email protected]

Term: 2014-2015/II

Prerequisites
0000 Geometra y Trigonometra

0042 lgebra B
2223 Programacin Orientada a Objetos

If you have not taken one of the above then you

should NOT be here!

Textbook
Course textbook:
Hearn D., y Baker P.
Grficas por Computadora (con OpenGL)
3a. Edicin, Prentice Hall, 2006

Other books:
Foley, van Dam, Feiner, Hughes, Computer Graphics:
Principles and Practice, 2nd. edition, Addison Wesley, 1997
Vince, J., Mathematics for computer graphics, 2nd. edition,
Springer, 2006

Grading
Final grade:
Average of 3 partial grades
Final project
Overall attendance

Partial grades: (tentative)

Exam
Homeworks (lab)
Partial project revision

30%
30%
40%

Important

Attendance
Punctuality
Notes (notebook/slides)
Academic code
Use of electronic devices
English!

Communication
Class

Office
E-mail: [email protected]
Facebook group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/704785436224527/

Project
Teams of 1 to 2 people
Will be explained this week

Project
Teams of 1 to 2 people
Will be explained this week

Topics
Modelling and representation
Animation
Rendering
Rasterisation

Understand what C.G. is

and why it is important

Definition (ACM*):
Computer graphics (CG) is the term commonly used to
describe the computer generation and manipulation of
images. It is the science of enabling visual communication
through computation. Its uses include cartoons, film
special effects, video games, medical imaging,
engineering, as well as scientific, information, and
knowledge visualization.

*Source: CC2001 Computing Curricula 2001 Computer Science, ACM/IEEE

Definition (con't):
CG broadly studies the manipulation of visual and
geometric information using computational techniques.

CG as an academic discipline focuses on the

mathematical and computational foundations of image
generation and processing rather than purely aesthetic
issues.
CG is a sub-field of Computer Science and is concerned
with digitally synthesizing and manipulating visual
content.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_graphics_%28computer_science%29

Sub-fields

Modelling
Rendering
Animation
Visualization
Computational Geometry

Source: CC2001 Computing Curricula 2001 Computer Science, ACM/IEEE

Interdisciplinary
CG is related to the fields of:
Image processing (Intelligent Systems)
Machine vision (Intelligent Systems)
Interface design (Human-Computer Interaction)
Virtual reality (Human-Computer Interaction)

Images Source: Nao, Aldebaran Robotics, http://www.aldebaran-robotics.com/

http://www.instablogsimages.com/1/2012/04/03/virtual_reality_image_title_xz6o9.jpg

SIGGRAPH

(short for Special Interest Group on GRAPHics

and Interactive Techniques) is the name of the
annual conference on computer graphics (CG)
convened by the ACM SIGGRAPH organization.
The first SIGGRAPH conference was in 1974.
www.acm.org

www.siggraph.org

Applications
Some fields where CG is used:

Science, engineering, design, architecture.

Companies, industry, government.
Art, entertainment, publicity.
Education, training, presentations.

Applications
Science, Engineering, etc.:
Computer Assisted Design (CAD)
Simulations, etc.

Images Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer-aided_design

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MATLAB

Applications
Art, entertainment, publicity:

Images Source: http://behindthetalent.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/toy-story-3-508098b122af2.jpg (c)Pixar

http://mynintendolove.blogspot.mx/2012/04/two-mario-games-confirmed.html (c) Nintendo

We need a way to display the

computer generated graphics

Graphical Displays

Graphical Devices
Output devices:
Computer displays, projectors
2D and 3D printers
3D displays (volumetric displays)

Graphical Devices
Display technologies:
Cathode ray tube (CRT)

Liquid crystal display (LCD)

Plasma display panel (PDP)
Light-emitting diode (LED)

Digital light processing (DLP)

Light-emitting diode (LED)
Laser TV

Vector Displays
Only the vertices of the graphics primitives are stored
The electron beam of the output display is then
commanded to move from vertex to vertex, tracing an
analog line across the area between these points

Image Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_graphics

CRT
Evacuated glass envelope containing an electron gun (a
source of electrons) and a fluorescent screen
When electrons strike the fluorescent screen, light is
emitted

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CRT_monitor

LCD
Is a thin, flat display device made up of any number of
color or monochrome pixels arrayed in front of a light
source or reflector

Source: http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pantalla_de_cristal_l%C3%ADquido

PDP
Many tiny cells located between two panels of glass hold
an inert mixture of noble gases (neon and xenon)
The gas in the cells is electrically turned into a plasma
which then excites phosphors to emit light

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plasma_display

LED
Any light-emitting diode (LED) whose emissive
electroluminescent layer is composed of a film of organic
compounds

Image Source: http://businesstoday.intoday.in/story/led-tv-lcd-plasma-tv/1/191656.html

E-Paper
Is a display technology designed to mimic the
appearance of ordinary ink on paper
Reflects light like ordinary paper and is capable of
holding text and images indefinitely without drawing
electricity

Image Source: http://www.gizmowatch.com/entry/e-ink-corp-anticipates-color-e-paper-in-2008/

3D Displays

Image Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volumetric_display

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3D_television

Virtual Reality

Image Source: http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oculus_Rift

Volumetric Displays

Image Source: http://tangible.media.mit.edu/project/inform/

Hologram

Source: http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2008/06/usc-lab-creates/

Autosterograms

Image Source:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3D_display

Things to consider about

Computer Graphics

Graphical Modes
They are often a combination of:
Display resolution (pixels)
Color depth (bits)
Refresh rate (hertz)

Aspect ratio: Most common was 4:3, but now it is 16:9

4:3

Image Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aspect_ratio_%28image%29

16:9

Image Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Display_resolution

Video Card
A.K.A. Graphics accelerator card, Display adapter or
Graphics card
Its function is to generate and output images to a display
Components:
Graphics processing unit (GPU)
Video memory
Video BIOS

Image Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_card

Framebuffer
It is a video output device that drives a video display
from a memory buffer containing a complete frame of
data
The information in the buffer typically consists of color
values for every pixel (point that can be displayed) on
the screen

Cards Manufacturers
GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) manufacturers:
AMD (acquired ATI in 2006)
Nvidia
Matrox

IGP (Integrated Graphics Processor) manufacturers:

Intel
VIA technologies

Graphics Processing Units

Used to accelarate the creation of images (Parallelism)
Common programming models:
CUDA platform (Compute Unified Device
Architecture), developed by Nvidia
OpenCL framework, developed by Khronos Group

Graphics APIs
Due to the difficulties working with video cards at a
programming level, interfaces which abstract the
complexity and diversity of the graphic card primitives
appeared:
DirectX: Released by Microsoft in 1996
OpenGL: Released by Silicon Graphics in the early
1990s. Is a free, open multi-language and multiplatform API

OpenGL
OpenGL (Open Graphics Library) is a standard
specification defining a cross-language cross-platform
API for writing applications that produce 2D and 3D
computer graphics
It is a specification, i.e. it is simply a document that
describes a set of functions and the precise behaviours
that they must perform

Source: http://www.opengl.org/

A general view of the Computer

Graphics pipeline

General C.G. Pipeline

Modelling

Animation

Rendering

Rasterization

Computer
generated image
(CGI)

Modelling

Information to be displayed must be encoded in

computer memory in some form, often in the form of a
mathematical specification of shape and form.

Source: CC2001 Computing Curricula 2001 Computer Science, ACM/IEEE

Animation

Animation is the rendering in a

manner that makes images appear
to move and the synthesis or
acquisition of the time variations of
models.

Source: CC2001 Computing Curricula 2001 Computer Science, ACM/IEEE

Image Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3D_animation

Rendering

Rendering is the process

of displaying the
information contained in
a model.

Source: CC2001 Computing Curricula 2001 Computer Science, ACM/IEEE

Rasterisation
It is the task of taking an
image described in a vector
graphics format (shapes)
and converting it into a
raster image (pixels or dots)
for output on a video display
or printer

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rasterization

Two ways to store and manipulate

graphical information

Raster vs Vector Graphics

Raster Graphics
Digital image, or bitmap
Data structure representing a generally rectangular grid
of pixels, or points of color, viewable via a computer
monitor, paper, or other display medium
Raster images are stored in image files with varying
formats

Source: http://fc03.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2011/268/a/e/pixel_art_mario_by_darilhowell-d4ax05g.png

Vector Graphics
Also called geometric
modeling or object-oriented
graphics
Is the use of geometrical
primitives such as points,
lines, curves, and
polygons, which are all
based upon mathematical
equations to represent
images

Image Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vector_graphics

Resources
OpenGL:
http://www.opengl.org
http://www.glprogramming.com/red/

CG Schools, programmes:
https://www.digipen.edu
CG slides, courses:
http://vis.cs.pitt.edu/teaching/cs1566/lectures.php
http://cs.brown.edu/courses/cs123/
https://class.coursera.org/interactivegraphics-001
https://www.udacity.com/course/cs291