3D computer graphics

Basics

3D modeling / 3D scanning 3D rendering / 3D printing 3D computer graphics software Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (2048x1536, 2972 KB) copied from English Wikipedia, there uploaded by en:User:Gilles Tran, en:User:Janke and en:User:Veledan. ... This article is about computer modeling within an artistic medium. ... A 3D scanner is a device that analyzes a real-world object or environment to collect data on its shape and possibly its appearance (i. ... 3D rendering is the 3D computer graphics process of automatically converting 3D wire frame models into 2D images with 3D photorealistic effects on a computer. ... Three-dimensional printing is a method of converting a virtual 3D model into a physical object. ... 3D computer graphics software refers to programs used to create 3D computer-generated imagery. ...

Primary Uses

3D models / Computer-aided design Graphic design / Video games Visual effects / Visualization Virtual engineering / Virtual reality This article does not cite its references or sources. ... CADD and CAD redirect here. ... Graphics are often utilitarian and anonymous,[1] as these pictographs from the US National Park Service illustrate. ... Computer and video games redirects here. ... Visual effects (or VFX for short) is the term given in which images or film frames are created and manipulated for film and video. ... It has been suggested that Interactive visualization be merged into this article or section. ... Virtual engineering is defined as integrating geometric models and related engineering tools such as analysis and simulation, optimization and decision making tools, etc. ... This article is about the simulation technology. ...

Related concepts

CGI / Animation / 3D display Wireframe model / Texture mapping Computer animation / Motion capture Skeletal animation / Crowd simulation Global illumination / Volume rendering Computer-generated imagery[1] (also known as CGI) is the application of the field of computer graphics or, more specifically, 3D computer graphics to special effects in films, television programs, commercials, simulators and simulation generally, and printed media. ... The bouncing ball animation (below) consists of these 6 frames. ... A 3D display prototype by Philips A 3D display is any display device capable of conveying three-dimensional images to the viewer. ... A wire frame model is a visual presentation of an electronic representation of a three dimensional or physical object used in 3D computer graphics. ... Spherical texture mapping Texture mapping is a method, pioneered by Edwin Catmull, of adding detail, surface texture, or colour to a computer-generated graphic or 3D model. ... See also: Computer-generated imagery Computer animation is the art of creating moving images via the use of computers. ... Motion capture, or mocap, is a technique of digitally recording the movements of real things — usually humans — it originally developed as an analysis tool in biomechanics research, but has grown increasingly important as a source of motion data for computer animation. ... A technique in computer animation, particularly the animation of vertebrates, where a character is represented in two parts: a surface representation used to draw the character (called the skin) and a hierarchical set of bones used for animation only (called the skeleton). ... Crowd simulation is the process of simulating the movement of a large number of objects or characters, now often appearing in 3D computer graphics for film. ... Global illumination algorithms used in 3D computer graphics are commonly used to add realistic lighting to 3D scenes. ... A volume rendered cadaver head using view-aligned texture mapping and diffuse reflection Volume rendering is a technique used to display a 2D projection of a 3D discretely sampled data set. ... This box: view • talk • edit

3D computer graphics (in contrast to 2D computer graphics) are graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data that is stored in the computer for the purposes of performing calculations and rendering 2D images. Such images may be for later display or for real-time viewing. Despite these differences, 3D computer graphics rely on many of the same algorithms as 2D computer vector graphics in the wire frame model and 2D computer raster graphics in the final rendered display. In computer graphics software, the distinction between 2D and 3D is occasionally blurred; 2D applications may use 3D techniques to achieve effects such as lighting, and primarily 3D may use 2D rendering techniques. 3D computer graphics are often referred to as 3D models. Apart from the rendered graphic, the model is contained within the graphical data file. However, there are differences. A 3D model is the mathematical representation of any three-dimensional object (either inanimate or living). A model is not technically a graphic until it is visually displayed. Due to 3D printing, 3D models are not confined to virtual space. A model can be displayed visually as a two-dimensional image through a process called 3D rendering, or used in non-graphical computer simulations and calculations. This article is about the scientific discipline of computer graphics. ... 2D computer graphics is the computer-based generation of digital images—mostly from two-dimensional models (such as 2D geometric models, text, and digital images) and by techniques specific to them. ... Fig. ... Flowcharts are often used to graphically represent algorithms. ... Example showing effect of vector graphics versus raster graphics. ... A wire frame model is a visual presentation of an electronic representation of a three dimensional or physical object used in 3D computer graphics. ... Imagine the smiley face in the top left corner as an RGB bitmap image. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... For other meanings of mathematics or uses of math and maths, see Mathematics (disambiguation) and Math (disambiguation). ... The space we live in is three-dimensional space. ... Three-dimensional printing is a method of converting a virtual 3D model into a physical object. ... 3D rendering is the 3D computer graphics process of automatically converting 3D wire frame models into 2D images with 3D photorealistic effects on a computer. ... This article is about computer modeling within a scientific medium. ...

Overview

The process of creating 3D computer graphics can be sequentially divided into three basic phases: 3D modeling which describes the process of forming the shape of an object, layout and animation which describes the motion and placement of objects within a scene, and 3D rendering which produces an image of an object. This article is about computer modeling within an artistic medium. ... See also: Computer-generated imagery Computer animation is the art of creating moving images via the use of computers. ... 3D rendering is the 3D computer graphics process of automatically converting 3D wire frame models into 2D images with 3D photorealistic effects on a computer. ...

Modeling

A 3D rendering with ray tracing and ambient occlusion using Blender and Yafray

Main article: 3D modeling

The model describes the process of forming the shape of an object. The two most common sources of 3D models are those originated on the computer by an artist or engineer using some kind of 3D modeling tool, and those scanned into a computer from real-world objects. Models can also be produced procedurally or via physical simulation. Image File history File links Engine_movingparts. ... Image File history File links Engine_movingparts. ... 3D rendering is the 3D computer graphics process of automatically converting 3D wire frame models into 2D images with 3D photorealistic effects on a computer. ... Ambient occlusion is a shading method used in 3D computer graphics which can help add realism by taking into account attenuation of light caused by obstructive geometry. ... Blender is a free software 3D animation program. ... A YafRay rendering of piston engine parts modelled in Blender. ... This article is about computer modeling within an artistic medium. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... A 3D scanner is a device that analyzes a real-world object or environment to collect data on its shape and possibly color. ... Procedural modeling is an umbrella term for a number of techniques in computer graphics to create 3D models and textures from sets of rules. ... Dynamical simulation, in computational physics, is the simulation of systems of objects that are free to move, usually in three dimensions according to Newtons laws of dynamics, or approximations thereto. ...

Layout and animation

Main article: Computer animation

Before objects are rendered, they must be placed (layout/laid out) within a scene. This is what defines the spatial relationships between objects in a scene including location and size. Animation refers to the temporal description of an object, i.e., how it moves and deforms over time. Popular methods include keyframing, inverse kinematics, and motion capture, though many of these techniques are used in conjunction with each-other. As with modeling, physical simulation is another way of specifying motion. See also: Computer-generated imagery Computer animation is the art of creating moving images via the use of computers. ... Layout, in publishing, is the process of arranging editorial content, advertising, graphics and other information in a manner that creates an effective presentation. ... Scene may refer to: Scene (fiction), an element of a larger fictional work such as a play Scene (film), a part of action in a single location in a TV or movie Scene (music), a collection of musical acts that play regularly in one location. ... Look up size in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... In animation, a key frame is a frame in an animated sequence of frames that was drawn or otherwise constructed directly by the user rather than generated automatically, e. ... Inverse kinematics is the process of determining the movement of interconnected segments of a body or model. ... Motion capture, or mocap, is a technique of digitally recording the movements of real things — usually humans — it originally developed as an analysis tool in biomechanics research, but has grown increasingly important as a source of motion data for computer animation. ... Dynamical simulation, in computational physics, is the simulation of systems of objects that are free to move, usually in three dimensions according to Newtons laws of dynamics, or approximations thereto. ...

Rendering

During the 3D rendering step, the number of reflections “light rays” can take, as well as various other attributes, can be tailored to achieve a desired visual effect.

Main article: 3D rendering

Rendering converts a model into an image either by simulating light transport to get photorealistic images, or by applying some kind of style as in non-photorealistic rendering. The two basic operations in realistic rendering are transport (how much light gets from one place to another) and scattering (how surfaces interact with light). This step is usually performed using 3D computer graphics software or a 3D graphics API. The process of altering the scene into a suitable form for rendering also involves 3D projection which allows a three-dimensional image to be viewed in two dimensions. Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 631 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1364 × 1296 pixel, file size: 236 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Shown above is what the science of sphere packing calls a closest-packed arrangement. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 631 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1364 × 1296 pixel, file size: 236 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Shown above is what the science of sphere packing calls a closest-packed arrangement. ... 3D rendering is the 3D computer graphics process of automatically converting 3D wire frame models into 2D images with 3D photorealistic effects on a computer. ... 3D rendering is the 3D computer graphics process of automatically converting 3D wire frame models into 2D images with 3D photorealistic effects on a computer. ... Light transport theory deals with the mathematics behind calculating the energy transfers between mediums that affect visibility. ... Non-photorealistic rendering (NPR) is an area of computer graphics that focuses on enabling a wide variety of expressive styles for digital art. ... 3D computer graphics software refers to programs used to create 3D computer-generated imagery. ... 3D graphics have become so popular, particularly in computer games, that specialized APIs (application programming interfaces) have been created to ease the processes in all stages of computer graphics generation. ... A 3D projection is a mathematical transformation used to project three dimensional points onto a two dimensional plane[1]. Often this is done to simulate the relationship of a camera to a subject, as 3D projection is often the first step in the process of representing three dimensional shapes two...

Communities

There are a multitude of websites designed to help educate and support 3D graphic artists. Some are managed by software developers and content providers, but there are standalone sites as well (such as Renderosity). These communities allow for members to seek advice, post tutorials, provide product reviews or post examples of their own work.

Distinct from photorealistic 2D graphics

Not all computer graphics that appear 3D are based on a wireframe model. 2D computer graphics with 3D photorealistic effects are often achieved without wireframe modeling and are sometimes indistinguishable in the final form. Some graphic art software includes filters that can be applied to 2D vector graphics or 2D raster graphics on transparent layers. Visual artists may also copy or visualize 3D effects and manually render photorealistic effects without the use of filters. See also still life. This article is about the art movement. ... A screenshot of Karbon14 vector graphic software running on an AegeanLinux desktop. ... Many times, the term art is used to refer to the visual arts. ... Rendering in visual art and technical drawing means the process of creating, shading and texturing of an image, especially a photorealistic one. ... A still life is a work of art which represents a subject composed of inanimate objects. ...

History

William Fetter was credited with coining the term computer graphics in 1960,^{[citation needed]} to describe his work at Boeing. One of the first displays of computer animation was Futureworld (1976), which included an animation of a human face and hand — produced by Ed Catmull and Fred Parke at the University of Utah. William Fetter (1928-2002) was an American computer graphics art director. ... The Boeing Company (NYSE: BA, TYO: 7661) is a major aerospace and defense corporation, originally founded by William Edward Boeing. ... Futureworld was a 1976 sequel to the 1973 science fiction film Westworld. ... The bouncing ball animation (below) consists of these 6 frames. ... Edwin Catmull, Ph. ... -University of Utah graduate, creator of the first CGI physically-modelled human face Categories: Computer specialist stubs ... The University of Utah (also The U or the U of U or the UU), located in Salt Lake City, is the flagship public research university in the state of Utah, and one of 10 institutions that make up the Utah System of Higher Education. ...

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

3D computer graphics

A 3-dimensional motion controller is a computer interface device that allows a user to move in three diensions (X,Y,Z). ... A 3D projection is a mathematical transformation used to project three dimensional points onto a two dimensional plane[1]. Often this is done to simulate the relationship of a camera to a subject, as 3D projection is often the first step in the process of representing three dimensional shapes two... Stereo image anaglyphed for red (left eye) and cyan (right eye) filters. ... Computer vision is the science and technology of machines that see. ... Digital geometry deals with discrete sets (usually discrete point sets) considered to be digitized models or images of objects of the 2D or 3D Euclidean space. ... Geometry Pipelines, also called Geometry Engines(GE) are the first stage in a classical Graphics Pipeline, such as the Reality Engine. ... Geometry Processing is a fast-growing area of research that uses concepts from applied mathematics, computer science, and engineering to design efficient algorithms for the acquisition, reconstruction, analysis, manipulation, simulation and transmission of complex 3D models. ... Graphic redirects here. ... GPU redirects here. ... A graphical output device is a computer output device that produces visual material. ... UPIICSA IPN - Binary image Image processing is any form of information processing for which the input is an image, such as photographs or frames of video; the output is not necessarily an image, but can be for instance a set of features of the image. ... Reflection in computer graphics is used to emulate mirrors and shiny surfaces. ... An image created by using POV-Ray 3. ... SIGGRAPH 2005 official logo SIGGRAPH (short for Special Interest Group in Graphics) is the name of the annual conference on computer graphics convened by the ACM SIGGRAPH organization. ... Pioneering uses of computer-generated imagery in film and television: // 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s External links CG production companies and CGI in the movies - detailed historical information Categories: Special effects | Computing timelines ...

References

This article does not cite any references or sources. (November 2007) Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed.

External links

Look up computer graphics in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

• A Critical History of Computer Graphics and Animation
• The ARTS: Episode 5 An in depth interview with Legalize on the subject of the History of Computer Graphics. (Available in MP3 audio format)
• How Stuff Works - 3D Graphics
• History of Computer Graphics series of articles