INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER GRAPHIC S

Introduction

“A Picture is worth a thousand

words”
“A Computer is worth a millions of pictures”
INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER GRAPHIC S

What is Computer Graphics?

• Graphics is the key technology for communicating
ideas, data, and trends in most areas of commerce,
Science, Engineering, and Education. Graphics
provides one of the natural means for
communicating with the computer

• Graphics refers to picture objects, Sketch of

building/bridge, Flowcharts, control flow diagrams,
bar charts, pie charts etc.,

• Computer Graphics(CG) means creation, storage

and manipulation of models and images of picture
objects by the aid of computers.

• Such models come from diverse and expanding set

of fields including physical, mathematical, artistic,
biological, and even conceptual (abstract)
structures.

• CG includes almost everything on computers that is

not text or sound. Today almost every computer
can do some graphics, and people have even come
to expect to control their computer through icons
and pictures rather than just by typing.
INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER GRAPHIC S

What is Computer Graphics?

• William Fetter coined term “computer graphics” in
1960 to describe new design methods for creating
a series of widely reproduced images on pen
plotter exploring cockpit design, using 3D model
of human body.

“Perhaps the best way to define computer

graphics is to find out what it is not. It is not a
machine. It is not a computer, nor a group of
computer programs. It is not the know-how of a
graphic designer, a programmer, a writer, a
motion picture specialist, or a reproduction
specialist.
Computer graphics is all these – a consciously
managed and documented technology directed
toward communicating information accurately and
descriptively.”
Computer Graphics, by William A. Fetter, 1966
INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER GRAPHIC S

Classification of CG

• Computer Graphics is broadly classified

into three categories.

 Based on Type of Object

 2-dimensional Graphics(Pixel, Line, circle)

 3-dimensional Graphics (Cube, Polyhedron)

 Based on User Interaction

 Interactive Computer Graphics (ICG)

 Non Interactive Computer Graphics

 Based on Applications
 Business or Presentation Graphics

 Scientific Graphics

 Scaled drawings

 Cartoons,games,and artwork( Entertainment)

INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER GRAPHIC S

What is Interactive Computer

Graphics?
• ICG involve two way communications between the user
and computer
• The user controls the contents, structure, and
appearance of objects and images by using input
devices such as keyboard, mouse, or touch sensitive
panel on the screen
• ICG improves the bandwidth of communication
between user and m/c. Graphical Interaction has
replaced most of the textual interaction.
• ICG is no longer a rarity. It is an integral part of all
computer user interfaces, and is indispensable for
visualizing 2D,3D, and higher dimensional objects
• First truly interactive graphics system, Sketchpad,
pioneered at MIT by Ivan Sutherland for his 1963 Ph.D.
thesis

Note: use of a CRT monitor,

light pen and function-key
panel.

ICG helps in training the Pilots

(Flight Simulation).
Sketchpad in 1963.
INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER GRAPHIC S

Classification of CG (contd..)
• Non Interactive CG - User/Observer has
no control over the pictures/images on the
screen.
– Ex: Titles displayed on TV system or other
computer art.
• Business Graphics - Used to present
the quantitative information and
performance of an industrial plant or
Business organization
– Ex: Bar charts, Pie charts etc.,
• Scientific Graphics - Includes program
flow charts, control flow diagrams, curve
fittings, X-Y plots etc.,
• Scaled drawings - Includes architectural
representations, building drawings, bridge
sketch, machine drawings etc.,
• Cartography, drafting, raster painting,
animation and artwork.
INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER GRAPHIC S

Hardware Diagram of an ICG

Interactive
Devices
Input Devices
Display Visual images
CPU Display Processor
Device (CRT)

Digital Electrical

Display Memory

Pictures stored as matrix of

intensity values (frame Buffer)

Architecture of ICG with Vector display

Input
Input
Devices
Devices
Display
LINE (100,200,300,200) device
Display Controller
TEXT (“RAJU”)
Display
commands
Refresh Buffer
Interface with host computer

Architecture of ICG with Raster display

Input
Input
Devices
Devices

Display
000000000000000000000
Display Controller device
000000011111111000000
000000000000000000000
Display
Refresh Buffer commands

Interface with host computer

INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER GRAPHIC S

Representative uses of CG
(Applications of CG)
• Used in areas such as - Industry, business,
Government, Education, Entertainment, and
at home.

• Used in building Graphical User interfaces

(GUIs) for most of the application programs.

• Plotting in Business, Science, and technology

- Bar charts, histograms, task-scheduling charts,
etc., are used to present meaningfully and
concisely the trends and patterns gleaned from
data, so as to clarify complex phenomena and to
facilitate informed decision making.

• Office Automation and Electronic publishing.

• Computer Aided Drafting and Manufacturing

(CAD/CAM) - in building the 2D and 3D models,
to design components and systems of mechanical,
electrical, electronic, and automobile bodies. In
design of VLSI chips, and optical systems.
INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER GRAPHIC S

Representative uses of CG
(Applications of CG)
• In Simulation and animation for scientific
visualization and entertainment - Computer
produced animated movies and displays of the
time-varying behavior of real and simulated
objects are becoming increasingly popular for
scientific and engineering visualization. Using
these, we can study the mathematical models of
the fluid flow, nuclear and chemical reactions.
• Art and Commerce: In advertising, to express
a message, and attract attention. i.e., at
museums, supermarkets, Transportation
terminals, and hotels.
•  In Process Control systems: Status displays
in refineries, power plants, and computer
networks, and in Military: to view number and
position of vehicles, weapons launched, troop
movements, causalities.
•  Cartography: to produce both accurate and
schematic representations of geographical and
other natural phenomena from measurement
data. Ex: Geographic maps, relief maps,
exploring maps for drilling and mining,
oceanographic charts, weather maps etc.,
INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER GRAPHIC S

Definitions
• Pixel: Smallest unit/part of picture. P(X,Y)
• Resolution: Maximum number of pixels
that can be displayed on a screen area
without overlapping. Ex: 640x480,
1024x1024, 300x200 ( Depends on the
Driver/Adapter)
• Some common Graphics Adapters: CGA,
VGA, EGA, Herculous, IBM etc.,
CGA operates in CGAC0, CGAC1, CGAC2
modes
VGA operates in VGALO, VGAHI, VGAMED
modes
Note: With respect to different driver/
adapter and the mode , Resolution of the
Screen differs.
• Aspect ratio: It is the ratio of Maximum
number of pixels on vertical to the Maximum
number of pixels on horizontal direction.
Usually aspect ratio must be ¾ for better
resolution/appearance.
INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER GRAPHIC S

2D Primitives

Line Polyline

Y Y

X X

Polygon Circle

Y Y

X X
INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER GRAPHIC S

Curves
• Piecewise linear approximation

• Splines: higher-order polynomials

– piecewise curvilinear approximation

French Curves Draftman’s Spline

(“duck”)
Mathematical Splines

Natural Cubic Spline:

INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER GRAPHIC S

Example 3D Primitives
Polyline Polyhedron

Sphere Patch

(spline boundary curve)

 INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER GRAPHIC S

Conceptual Framework for Interactive

Graphics
• At the hardware level, a computer receives the input
from interactive devices, and outputs an image on the
display device.
• At the software level, Application model represents
data or objects to be pictured on the screen, which will
be retrieved by the Application Program to create and
store the pictures . Graphics System retrieves the
views from the application program and is responsible
for actually generate the picture from the detailed
descriptions
• Graphics library/package is intermediary between
application and display hardware (Graphics System)
• Application program maps application objects to views
(images) of those objects by calling on graphics library
• This hardware and software framework is more than 4
decades old but is still useful, indeed dominant

Graphics
Application Application
Library Graphics
model program
(GL) System
INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER GRAPHIC S

Decomposition of a Geometric
Model
• Divide and Conquer
• Hierarchy of geometrical components
• Reduction to primitives (e.g., spheres,
cubes, etc.)
• Simple vs. not-so-simple elements (nail
vs. screw)

Head

Shaft

Point

composition decomposition
 INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER GRAPHIC S

Environmental (R)evolution
• Graphics has been key to technology
growth in evolution of computing
environments:
– graphical user interfaces (GUIs)
– visual computing, e.g., desktop publishing,
scientific visualization, information
visualization
Apple iPhoneTM

• Hardware revolution drives everything

– every 12-18 months, computer power
improves by factor of 2 in price / performance
– Moore’s Law
• Palm TX™, HP I-Paq™ as full PC
• iPhone, Blackberry for email/internet
• Hallmark singing card, LeapFrog Pad
– graphics memory and network speeds HP I-Paq TM

are on even faster exponentials

• Graphics chips in particular have major
Blackberry Pearl
TM improvements every six to nine months
(e.g. nVidia GeForce™ series, ATI
Radeon™ series)

nVidia GoForceTM chip

(cellphones and PDAs)

Leapfrog PadTM
INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER GRAPHIC S

Comparison in Hardware

Original New iMac

Macintosh 24”
Date 1984 2007 +23

Price $2500 $2300 x .92

CPU 8 MHz 2.8 GHz (Dual) x 350

Memory 128KB RAM 2.0GB DDR2 x 15625

SDRAM

Storage 400KB Floppy 500GB Hard Disk x 1250000

Monitor 9” Black & White 24” Color x 2.6

512 x 342 1920 x 1200 x 13.2
68 dpi 100 dpi x 1.5

Devices Mouse Mouse same

Keyboard Keyboard same

GUI Desktop WIMP Desktop WIMP same

INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER GRAPHIC S

New Forms of Computing:

1990-2007

ADVISER: Mars data visualization