Chapter-01

Basics of Computer Graphics

1.1 Basics of Computer Graphics

What is Image?
A digital image is a representation of a two-dimensional image as a
bounded set of digital values, called picture elements or pixels

What is an Object?
In general, an object refers to any point, either in the physical or
virtual world. For example, a computer is considered an object in the physical world.
In the virtual world, a document, file, folder, icon, picture are all considered objects.

In computer graphics, an object refers to an point within a graphic,

such as a graphic circle or a square.

What is an Pixel and Resolution?

 A pixel is a single point in a graphic image.

 Resolution refers to the number of pixels in an image.

 Resolution is sometimes identified by the width and height of the image as well
as the total number of pixels in the image.

For example, an image that is 2048 pixels wide and

1536 pixels high (2048 x 1536) contains (multiply) 3,145,728 pixels (or 3.1
Megapixels).

Miss.P.V.Shitole.

AISSMS’S Polytechnic,Pune

(Computer Engineering Department)

 Chapter-01

Basics of Computer Graphics

What is text mode in computer graphics?

Text mode is a computer display mode in which content is
internally represented on a computer screen in terms of characters rather than
individual pixels. Typically, the screen consists of a uniform rectangular grid of
character cells, each of which contains one of the characters of a character set.

What is graphics mode in computer graphics?

Graphics mode is a computer display mode that generates image
using pixels. Today, most users operate their computer in a graphics mode opposed
to a text mode or command line environment.

Basic Graphics Pipeline

A graphics pipeline can be divided into three main parts:

 Application

 Geometry

 Rasterization.

 Application
The application step is executed by the software on the main processor (CPU). In the
application step, changes are made to the scene as required, for example, by user
interaction by means of input devices or during an animation. In a modern Game
Engine such as Unity, the programmer deals almost exclusively with the application
step, and uses a high-level language such as C#, as opposed to C or C++. The new
scene with all its primitives, usually triangles, lines and points, is then passed on to
the next step in the pipeline.
 Geometry
The geometry step (with Geometry pipeline), which is responsible for the majority of
the operations with polygons and their vertices (with Vertex pipeline), can be divided
into the following five tasks. It depends on the particular implementation of how these
tasks are organized as actual parallel pipeline steps.

Miss.P.V.Shitole.

AISSMS’S Polytechnic,Pune

(Computer Engineering Department)

 Chapter-01

Basics of Computer Graphics

 Rasterization
The rasterization step is the final step before the fragment shader pipeline that all
primitives are rasterized with. In the rasterization step, discrete fragments are created
from continuous primitives.
In this stage of the graphics pipeline, the grid points are also called fragments, for the
sake of greater distinctiveness. Each fragment corresponds to one pixel in the frame
buffer and this corresponds to one pixel of the screen. These can be colored (and
possibly illuminated). Furthermore, it is necessary to determine the visible, closer to
the observer fragment, in the case of overlapping polygons. A Z-buffer is usually used
for this so-called hidden surface determination. The color of a fragment depends on
the illumination, texture, and other material properties of the visible primitive and is
often interpolated using the triangle vertices properties.
Bitmap and Vector Based Graphics:-
A bitmap (also called "raster") graphic is created from rows of different colored
pixels that together form an image. In their simplest form, bitmaps have only two
colors, with each pixel being either black or white. With increasing complexity, an
image can include more colors; photograph-quality images may have millions.
Examples of bitmap graphic formats include GIF, JPEG, PNG, TIFF, XBM, BMP,
and PCX as well as bitmap (i.e., screen) fonts. The image displayed on a computer
monitor is also a bitmap, as are the outputs of printers, scanners, and similar devices.
They are created using paint programs like Adobe Photoshop.
Vector (also known as "object-oriented") graphics are constructed using
mathematical formulas describing shapes, colors, and placement. Rather than a grid of
pixels, a vector graphic consists of shapes, curves, lines, and text which together make
a picture. While a bitmap image contains information about the color of each pixel, a
vector graphic contains instructions about where to place each of the components. It is
even possible to embed a bitmap graphic within a vector graphic, which is how
vector-bitmap hybrid graphics work. It is not possible, however, to embed vector
information within a bitmap. Examples of vector graphic formats are PICT, EPS, and
WMF as well as PostScript and TrueType fonts. These are created with GIS and CAD
applications as well as drawing programs like FreeHand.

Miss.P.V.Shitole.

AISSMS’S Polytechnic,Pune

(Computer Engineering Department)

 Chapter-01

Basics of Computer Graphics

Applications of Computer Graphics:-

 Computer Art
 Computer Aided Drawing
 Presentation Graphics
 Entertainment
 Education
 Training
 Visualization
 Image Processing
 Machine Drawing
 Graphical User Interface

1.2 Display Devices

 Raster Scan

In a raster scan system, the electron beam is swept across the screen, one row at a
time from top to bottom. As the electron beam moves across each row, the beam
intensity is turned on and off to create a pattern of illuminated spots.
Picture definition is stored in memory area called the Refresh Buffer or Frame
Buffer. This memory area holds the set of intensity values for all the screen points.
Stored intensity values are then retrieved from the refresh buffer and “painted” on the
screen one row scanline at a time as shown in the following illustration.
Each screen point is referred to as a pixel picture element picture element or pel. At
the end of each scan line, the electron beam returns to the left side of the screen to
begin displaying the next scan line.

Miss.P.V.Shitole.

AISSMS’S Polytechnic,Pune

(Computer Engineering Department)

 Chapter-01

Basics of Computer Graphics

 Random-Scan Display
In Random-Scan Display electron beam is directed only to the ares of screen where a
picture has to be drawn. It is also called vector displays, as it draws picture one line
at time. It can draw and refresh component lines of a picture in any specified
sequence. Pen plotter is an example of random-scan displays.
The number of lines regulates refresh rate on random-scan displays. An area of
memory called refresh display files stores picture definition as a set of line drawing
commands. The system returns back to first line command in the list, after all the
drawing commands have been processed. High-quality vector systems can handle
around 100, 00 short lines at this refresh rate. Faster refreshing can burn the
phosphor. To avoid this every refresh cycle is delayed to prevent refresh rate greater
than 60 frames per second.

Miss.P.V.Shitole.

AISSMS’S Polytechnic,Pune

(Computer Engineering Department)

 Chapter-01

Basics of Computer Graphics

Fig: A Random Scan display draws the lines of an object in a specific order

 Flat Panel Display

It is generally known as FPD, the flat-panel display is such a display technology
which overtakes Cathode Ray Tube as a new standard of computer desktop displays.
Unlike monitors through CRT, flat-panel displays use LCD (liquid crystal display)
or LED (light-emitting diode) screens, which makes them lighter and thinner as
compared to the previous monitors.
These refer to the class of video devices that have resulted in the reduction of weight,
size, and consumption of energy as compared to the Cathode Ray Tube. They are
mainly used in televisions, monitors and various other sources.

Miss.P.V.Shitole.

AISSMS’S Polytechnic,Pune

(Computer Engineering Department)

 Chapter-01

Basics of Computer Graphics

 Light Emitting Diode (LED):

LED is a device which emits when current passes through it. It is a semiconductor
device.The size of the LED is small, so we can easily make any display unit by
arranging a large number of LEDs.LED consumes more power compared to LCD.
LED is used on TV, smartphones, motor vehicles, traffic light, etc. LEDs are
powerful in structure, so they are capable of withstanding mechanical pressure. LED
also works at high temperatures.

 Liquid crystal display (LCD)

The LCD depends upon the light modulating properties of liquid crystals. LCD is
used in watches and portable computers. LCD requires an AC power supply instead
of DC, so it is difficult to use it in circuits.It generally works on flat panel display
technology. LCD consumes less power than LED. The LCD screen uses the liquid
crystal to turn pixels on or off. Liquid Crystals are a mixture of solid and liquid.
When the current flows inside it, its position changes into the desired color.

 Plasma Display
It is a type of flat panel display which uses tiny plasma cells. It is also known as the
Gas-Discharge display.

Components of plasma display:

1.Anode: It is used to deliver a positive voltage. It also has the line wires.
2.Cathode: It is used to provide negative voltage to gas cells. It also has fine wires.
3.Gas Plates: These plates work as capacitors. When we pass the voltage, the cell
lights regularly.
4.Fluorescent cells: It contains small pockets of gas liquids when the voltage is
passed to this neon gas. It emits light.

 Touchscreen

A touchscreen, or touch screen, is a both input and output device and normally
layered on the top of an electronic visual display of an information processing system.
A user can give input or control the information processing system through simple
or multi-touch gestures by touching the screen with a special stylus or one or more
fingers.[1] Some touchscreens use ordinary or specially coated gloves to work while
others may only work using a special stylus or pen. The user can use the touchscreen
to react to what is displayed and, if the software allows, to control how it is displayed;
for example, zooming to increase the text size.
Miss.P.V.Shitole.

AISSMS’S Polytechnic,Pune

(Computer Engineering Department)

 Chapter-01

Basics of Computer Graphics

1.3 Output Primitive

A computer Graphics can be anything like beautiful scenery, images, terrain,

trees, or anything else that we can imagine, however all these computer graphics are
made up of the most basic components of Computer Graphics that are called Graphics
Output Primitive or simply primitive.

The Primitives are the simple geometric functions that are used to generate
various Computer Graphics required by the User.

Some most basic Output primitives are

 point-position(pixel)

 straight line.

However different Graphic packages offers different output primitives like a

rectangle, conic section, circle, spline curve or may be a surface. Once it is specified
what picture is to be displayed, various locations are converted into integer pixel
positions within the frame buffer and various functions are used to generate the
picture on the two dimensional co ordinate system of output display.
Miss.P.V.Shitole.

AISSMS’S Polytechnic,Pune

(Computer Engineering Department)

 Chapter-01

Basics of Computer Graphics

1.4 Graphics Functions and Standards

Graphics Standards
Agreed specifications which define the common interfaces between
computer systems or subsystems. Standards, if they are generally observed by
manufacturers, promote the interchangeability of computer equipment.
When standards promote the portability of programs, this is called device
independence.

Graphic functions
is an exercise concerning the graphical recognition of functions of one real
variable. The server will give you the graph of a function f(x)f(x), whose expression
will be hidden.
Eg:- putpixel,line,rectangle,setcolor etc.

1.5 Latest trends in computer graphics

Virtual Reality:
Virtual Reality (VR) is the use of computer technology to create a simulated
environment. Unlike traditional user interfaces, VR places the user inside an experience.
Instead of viewing a screen in front of them, users are immersed and able to interact
with 3D worlds. By simulating as many senses as possible, such as vision,
hearing, touch, even smell, the computer is transformed into a gatekeeper to
this artificial world. The only limits to near-real VR experiences are the availability of
content and cheap computing power.

Augmented reality:
in computer programming, a process of combining or “augmenting” video
or photographic displays by overlaying the images with useful computer-generated data.
The earliest applications of augmented reality were almost certainly the
“heads-up-displays” (HUDs) used in military airplanes and tanks, in which instrument
panel-type information is projected onto the same cockpit canopy or viewfinder
through which a crew member sees the external surroundings. Faster computer
processors have made it feasible to combine such data displays with real-time video.

What’s the difference Between Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality?

Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality are two sides of the same coin. You
could think of Augmented Reality as VR with one foot in the real world: Augmented
Reality simulates artificial objects in the real environment; Virtual Reality creates an
artificial environment to inhabit.

Miss.P.V.Shitole.

AISSMS’S Polytechnic,Pune

(Computer Engineering Department)

 Chapter-01

Basics of Computer Graphics

In Augmented Reality, the computer uses sensors and algorithms to
determine the position and orientation of a camera. AR technology then renders the 3D
graphics as they would appear from the viewpoint of the camera, superimposing the
computer-generated images over a user’s view of the real world.
In Virtual Reality, the computer uses similar sensors and math.
However, rather than locating a real camera within a physical environment, the position
of the user’s eyes are located within the simulated environment. If the user’s head turns,
the graphics react accordingly. Rather than compositing virtual objects and a real scene,
VR technology creates a convincing, interactive world for the user.

Miss.P.V.Shitole.

AISSMS’S Polytechnic,Pune

(Computer Engineering Department)