V. S.

Patel College of Arts & Science, Computer Graphics

B.C.A. Self-finance, Bilimora By Samkit R. Shah

Chapter 1: Introduction

Introduction to Computer Graphics

The computer is an information processing machine. It is a tool for storing,

manipulating and correcting data. There are many ways to communicate the
processed information to the user. The computer graphics is one of the most
effective and common way to communicate the processes information to the users.
It displays the information in the form of graphics objects. Such as pictures,
diagrams, and graphs instead of simple text. That means with the help of computer
graphics, we can express the data in pictorial form.

In CG, pictures and graphics objects are presented as a collection of picture elements
called pixel. The pixel is the smallest addressable screen element. It is the smallest
piece of the display screen which we can control. The control is achieved by setting
the intensity and color of the pixel, which compose the screen.

Definition of Computer Graphics

Computer Graphics is a process of generation of images of virtual scenes using

computer hardware.

It is a human oriented system that uses the capability of a computer to create,

transform and display pictorial and symbolic data.

Advantages Of Interactive Graphics

 To get the high quality graphics display provides one of the most natural
means of communication with a computer.

 It provide tool for producing pictures in 3D and 4D format.

 It has an ability to show moving pictures and that is possible to produce

animation with interactive graphics.

 With interactive graphics, users can also control the animation by adjusting
speed and timing.

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V. S. Patel College of Arts & Science, Computer Graphics
B.C.A. Self-finance, Bilimora By Samkit R. Shah

 The interactive graphics provide tool called motion dynamics. With these
tools, user can move and adjust the objects with respect to a stationary and
the viewer moving around them. A typical example is, walk throughs made by
builder to show flat interior and building surroundings. In many cases, it is also
possible to move both objects and the viewer.

 The interactive graphics also provides facility called update dynamics. With
update dynamics, it is possible to change the shape, color or other parameters
of the objects being viewed.

1.1 Application of Computer Graphics

1.1.1 Presentation Graphics:

Presentation graphics is used to produce illustrations for reports or to generate 35-

mm slides or transparencies for use with projectors.

Presentation graphics is commonly used to summarize financial, statistical,

mathematical, scientific, and economic data for research reports, managerial
reports, consumer information bulletins, and other types of reports.

Workstation devices and service bureaus exist for converting screen displays into 35-
mm slides or overhead transparencies for use in presentations.

Typical examples of presentation graphics are bar charts, line graphs, surface graphs,
pie charts, and other displays showing relationships between multiple parameters.

1.1.2 Entertainment :

For many entertainment applications, photo realistic techniques are used to render
images of a product.

Animations are used frequently in advertising and TV commercials are produced

frame by frame where each frame of a motion is rendered and saved in an image file.

In each successive frame, the motion is simulated by moving object position slightly
from the positions in the previous frame.

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V. S. Patel College of Arts & Science, Computer Graphics
B.C.A. Self-finance, Bilimora By Samkit R. Shah

When all frames in animation sequence have been rendered, the frames are
transferred to film or stored in a video buffer for playback.

Film animation requires 24 frames for each second and if the animation is to be
played back on a video monitor30 frames per seconds are required.

A common graphics method employed in many commercials is morphing where one

object is transformed to another.

1.1.3 Education and Training :

Computer generated models of physicals, financials and economic systems are often
used as educational aids.

Models of physical system, physiological systems, population trends or equipment

such as the color coded diagram can help the trainers to understand the operation of
the system.

For some training application, some special systems are designed.

Some of the specialized systems are the simulators for practice sessions or training
of ship contains air-craft pilots, heavy equipments operators and air-traffic control
personnel.

Some simulators have no video screens eg. A flight simulator with only a control
panel for instrument flying.

But most simulators provide graphics screens for visual operator.

1.1.4 Image Processing :

Although methods used in computer graphics and image processing overlap, the two
areas are concerned with fundamentally different operations.

In computer graphics, computer is used to create a picture. Image processing on the

other hand applied techniques to modify or interpret existing pictures, such as
photographs and TV scans.

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V. S. Patel College of Arts & Science, Computer Graphics
B.C.A. Self-finance, Bilimora By Samkit R. Shah

Two principal applications of image processing are:

1. Improving picture quality
2. Machine perception of visual information as used in robotics.

To apply image processing methods use first digitize a photographs into an image
file.
Then digital methods can be applied to rearrange picture parts, to enhance color
separation, or to improve the quality of shading.

Application areas:
Commercial Art Application
Analyze satellite photos of earth and galaxy photos
Medical Application

1.2 Graphics File Format

A file format designed specifically for representing graphical images. Graphics file
formats can be broadly categorized into bit-mapped formats and vector formats.

Pixel Graphics Or Bitmap Graphics Or Raster Graphics

Bitmap images (also known as raster images) are made up of pixels in a grid. Pixels
are picture elements; tiny dots of individual color that make up what you see on your
screen. All these tiny dots of color come together to form the images you see. Most
computer monitors display approximately 70 to 100 pixels per inch--the actual
number depends on your monitor and screen settings.

Common bitmap formats include:

• BMP
• GIF
• JPEG, JPG
• PNG
• PCX
• TIFF
• PSD (Adobe Photoshop)

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V. S. Patel College of Arts & Science, Computer Graphics
B.C.A. Self-finance, Bilimora By Samkit R. Shah

Bitmap images are resolution dependent. Resolution refers to the number of pixels
in an image and is usually stated as dpi (dots per inch) or ppi (pixels per inch). Bitmap
images are displayed on your computer screen at screen resolution: approximately
100 ppi.

Vector Graphics

Vector images are made up of many individual, scalable objects. These objects are
defined by mathematical equations rather than pixels, so they always render at the
highest quality. Objects may consist of lines, curves, and shapes with editable
attributes such as color, fill, and outline. Changing the attributes of a vector object
does not affect the object itself. You can freely change any number of object
attributes without destroying the basic object. An object can be modified not only by
changing its attributes, but also by shape and transformation.

Vector-based images are resolution independent. You can increase and decrease the
size of vector images to any degree and your lines will remain crisp and sharp.

Common vector formats include:

• AI (Adobe Illustrator)
• CDR (CorelDRAW)
• CMX (Corel Exchange)
• CGM Computer Graphics Metafile
• DXF AutoCAD
• WMF Windows Metafile

What is Resolution?

Resolution is the term used to describe the number of dots, or pixels, used to display
an image. Higher resolutions mean that more pixels are used to create the image,
resulting in a crisper, cleaner image.

The display, or resolution on a monitor, is composed of thousands of pixels or dots.

This display is indicated by a number combination, such as 800 x 600. This indicates
that there are 800 dots horizontally across the monitor, by 600 lines of dots
vertically, equaling 480,000 dots that make up the image you see on the screen.

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V. S. Patel College of Arts & Science, Computer Graphics
B.C.A. Self-finance, Bilimora By Samkit R. Shah

What is aspect Ration?

Aspect ratio means the relative horizontal and vertical sizes. For example, if a graphic
has an aspect ratio of 2:1, it means that the width is twice as large as the height.
When resizing graphics, it is important to maintain the aspect ratio to avoid
stretching the graphic out of proportion.

The term is also used to describe the dimensions of a display resolution. For
example, a resolution of 800x600 has an aspect ratio of 4:3.

1.3 Introduction To Graphics Standard

The computer is an information processing machine, a tool for storing, manipulation

and correlating data. With the advancement of CG improve the communication
between human and machine. A graph may be replaced by huge table of number
and allow the user to understand relevant pattern & characteristics at a glance.

Over the years many graphics display device have been developed. There are many
software package and graphics languages become popular. The problem with such
diversity makes it difficult to transfer a graphics program from one installation to
another installation. In late 1970’s, the graphics standards planning committee of the
association for computing machinery developed a proposal for a standard graphics
system called the CORE system. This system provided a standardized method set of
commands to control the construction & display of graphics image. The commands
were independent of the device used to create or to display the image and
independent of the language in which the graphics program was written. The CORE
system contains the graphics primitives to display both 2D and 3D structures. This
system can draw only line drawing.

A 2nd standard called graphics kernel system[GKS], was development in Europe and it
gained popularity. The GKS system was influenced by CORE system. Therefore, the
GKS standard contained primitives for imaging areas and colors but it did not contain
the primitives for 3D object. It introduced the concept of graphic program to control
several graphics primitives.

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V. S. Patel College of Arts & Science, Computer Graphics
B.C.A. Self-finance, Bilimora By Samkit R. Shah

Another graphics standard is Programmer’s Hierarchical interactive Graphics

Standard[PHIGS]. It takes input, output function and viewing model from CORE &
GKS. But it is intended for programming graphics application. It contained enhanced
graphics program structuring features.

Two other graphics standard are Computer Graphics Metafile[CGM] and the
Computer Graphics Interface[CGI]. The CGM is file format for picture capture,
storage and transfer. The CGI is a companion standard which provides a procedural
interface for the CGM primitives.