Computer Graphics

Preamble

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This book covers key Computer Graphics concepts that have dominated the field since its inception. The book only introduces the most basic algorithms and techniques to enable writing a fairly basic but complete graphics pipeline.

The topics covered include:

  • Window to Viewport Mapping
  • Parallel and Perspective Projection
  • Ray tracing

While this book mostly highlights general techniques, some well-known algorithms are also looked at in depth. This book is written so it can be read from "cover to cover" in the length of a semester, where sections marked with a * may be skipped.

This book is a tutorial on techniques and is not a reference. For references we highly recommend the books listed in the References section.

Table of Chapters

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  1. Introduction
  2. Graphic Systems
  3. Output Primitive
  4. Two Dimensions
  5. Structures and Hierarchical Modeling
  6. GUI
  7. Three Dimensions
  8. Color Models
  9. Animation
  10. Mathematics
  11. Window to Viewport Mapping  

Why a Wikibook on Computer Graphics?

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A wikibook is an undertaking similar to an open-source software project: A contributor creates content for the project to help others, for personal enrichment, or to accomplish something for the contributor's own work (e.g., lecture preparation).

An open book, just like an open program, requires time to complete, but it can benefit greatly from even modest contributions from readers. For example you can fix "bugs" in the text (where the bug might be typographic, expository, technical, aesthetic or otherwise) in order to make a better book. If you find an opportunity to fix a bug, simply click on "edit", make your changes, and click on save. Other contributors may review your changes to be sure they are appropriate for the book. If you are unsure, you can visit the discussion page and ask there. Use common sense.

If you would like to make bigger contributions, you can take a look at the sections or chapters that are too short or otherwise need more work and start writing! Be sure to skim the rest of the book first in order to avoid duplication of content.

Note that you don't need to contribute everything at once. You can mark sections as "TODO," with a description of what remains to be done, and perhaps someone else will finish those parts for you. Once all TODO items are finished, we'll have reached our First Edition!

This book is intentionally kept narrow-in-focus in order to make contributions easier (because then the end-goal is clearer). If you would like to contribute a topic not already listed in the book feel free to contribute.

References

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The authors highly recommend the following reference materials. TO BE ADDED

Contributors

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Kapil A large portion of my contributions here come from lectures made by Dr. Kamangar at UT-Arlington. I like this project because it gives me a chance to explain the concepts in the way that I finally understood them.

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