Learning Computer Graphics: From 3D Models to Animated Movies on Your PC

¿ Modeling - creating objects in three-dimensional space. ¿ Animation - assigning a time-varying geometry and behavior to the modeled object. ¿ Rendering - creating a photorealistic image of the modeled object. ¿ Image Manipulation - enhancing rendered images to produce desired special effects. This book is organized to give the reader a clear and concise over­ view of the above basic principles in computer graphics. New concepts introduced in a chapter are illustrated by hands-on projects using the software provided. The chapters are organized as described below: Chapter 1 providesanoverviewofcomputergraphics (CG) andhow it has evolved. It includes an introduction to computer graphics ter­ minology and definitions. Chapter 2 describes what modeling means in CG. The concept of wire frame models is elucidated. Basic models (sphere, cube, cylinder, cone, polygon) are covered and an insight into polygonal representa­ tions of other complex objects is also provided. The projects included in this chapter involve use of modeling concepts leamed in the chapter. Chapter 3 discusses animation in detail. Principles of frame ani­ mation and real time animation are explained. The reader is given the opportunity to animate the modeled objects from Chapter 2. Chapter 4 covers rendering of the wire frame objects created in Chapter 2. The fundamentals oflighting, shading, and texture mapping are discussed. The objects created in Chapter 2 are rendered by the user and the complete animation is seen in a rendered form.