INTRODUCTION TO

COMPUTER GRAPHICS

PRESENTED BY:- NISPAP RATH BRANCH:- MATHEMATICS AND

GUIDED BY:- DR. MAYADHAR PANDA COMPUTING
REGISTRATION NO:- 2223100040 SEMESTER:- 7TH
CONTENT
 Definition and Importance
 History of Computer Graphics
 Types of Computer Graphics
 Components of Computer Graphics
 Graphics Pipeline
 Key Techniques
 Applications
 Conclusion
 DEFINITION AND IMPORTANCE
• Definition: Computer Graphics is the field of generating, manipulating, and
displaying images and animations using computers.
• Importance:
- Enables Visual Communication: Transforms complex data and ideas into easily
understandable visual forms (charts, graphs, simulations).
- Enhances Medical & Scientific Fields: Provides tools for medical imaging,
surgical planning, and visualizing complex scientific data.
- Supports Education & Training: Creates interactive learning environments,
simulations, and virtual training scenarios.
- Facilitates Marketing & Advertising: Creates compelling visuals for product
showcasing, advertisements, and branding.
HISTORY OF COMPUTER GRAPHICS
• The first electronic television system was developed using a cathode ray tube
(CRT) in the early 20th century.
• Vector Graphics Era: Beginning in the 1960s, this era focused on using
mathematical equations to create images with lines and curves, exemplified by
Ivan Sutherland's Sketchpad.
• Raster Graphics Era: Starting in the late 1970s, this era introduced bitmap
display systems. The Xerox Alto and later the Apple Macintosh and Microsoft
Windows popularized graphical user interfaces (GUIs).
• 3D Graphics Era: This period in the early 1990s was marked by the development
of the first 3D graphics cards for personal computers, such as the 3dfx Voodoo,
which revolutionized the gaming industry.
• Modern Era: From the early 2000s onward, the rise of Graphics Processing Units
(GPUs) has enabled complex 3D calculations and has extended to applications like
machine learning and AI.
 Cathode Ray Tube (CRT)

Ivan Sutherland's Sketchpad Alto Graphical User

Interface
TYPES OF COMPUTER GRAPHICS
VECTOR GRAPHICS RASTER GRAPHICS
• Composition: Created using • Composition: Built on a grid of
mathematical equations that define individual pixels.
points, lines, curves, and shapes.
• Scalability: They are resolution-
• Scalability: They are resolution- dependent. Enlarging them causes
independent. They can be scaled the pixels to become visible, making
infinitely without any loss of quality, the image appear blurry or
as the math is simply recalculated. "pixelated.“

• Best For: Logos, icons, illustrations, • Best For: Photographs, complex

and designs that require frequent digital paintings, and images with
resizing. subtle color gradients.

• Common File Types: SVG, AI (Adobe • Common File Types: JPEG, PNG, GIF,
Illustrator), EPS, and PDF. and TIFF.
 3D GRAPHICS 2D GRAPHICS
• Represent objects in three dimensions • Represent objects in two dimensions
(height, width & depth). (height & width).
• Images appear realistic with depth and • Images appear flat, without depth.
perspective.
• Easier to create and render.
• More complex and resource-intensive
to create/render. • Requires less storage space and lower
computational power.
• Requires more storage space and
higher computational power. • Commonly used in cartoons, logos, UI
design, mobile games, maps.
• Commonly used in movies, VR/AR,
video games, architecture, • Animation is based on frames (frame-by-
simulations. frame movement).
• Animation is based on models, rigging, • Tools: Adobe Photoshop, CorelDRAW,
and motion paths.
Adobe Illustrator.
• Tools: Blender, Autodesk Maya, 3ds Max,
Cinema 4D.
COMPONENTS OF COMPUTER
GRAPHICS
HARDWARE SOFTWARE COMPONENTS:
COMPONENTS:
• GPU (Graphics Processing Unit): • Graphics APIs (OpenGL, DirectX):
The specialized processor that Libraries that allow software to
accelerates the creation of images. communicate with the GPU.
• CPU (Central Processing Unit): • Rendering Software (Unreal
Manages the overall application and
Engine, V-Ray): Applications that
sends commands to the GPU.
generate the final image from a
• RAM & VRAM: Memory used to store model.
graphics data for quick access by the
CPU and GPU.
• Modeling & Animation Software
(Blender, Maya): Tools for creating
• Display Devices: Monitors, screens, or 3D objects and their movements.
headsets that show the final image.
• Device Drivers: Software that
• Input Devices: Tools like mice, tablets,
enables the operating system to
and scanners for creating and
interacting with graphics.
control the graphics hardware
GRAPHICS PIPELINE
Definition:- The graphics pipeline is the sequence of steps used by a graphics card
(GPU) to convert 3D models into a 2D image that can be displayed on a screen. It's
essentially a production line for creating images from data.

Stages of the Graphics Pipeline:-

I. Application Stage: This runs on the CPU. It's where the application (like a
game or 3D modeling software) sends data—such as models, textures, and
camera position—to the GPU for rendering.
II. Vertex Processing: This is the first step on the GPU. Vertex Shader
processes each individual vertex (a point in 3D space) of a model. It transforms
the vertex from its local 3D model space into the 2D screen space. It can also
be used to manipulate properties like color or texture coordinates.
III. Primitive Assembly & Clipping: Primitive Assembly connects the
processed vertices to form basic shapes, or primitives (usually triangles).
Clipping removes any primitives that are outside the camera's view (the
frustum) so the GPU doesn't waste time rendering things that won't be visible .
[Link]: This stage takes the geometric primitives
(triangles) and figures out which pixels on the screen they cover.
The output is a set of fragments, which are potential pixels with
associated data like color, depth, and texture coordinates.
V. Fragment Processing: Fragment Shader (or Pixel Shader)
runs a program on every single fragment generated during
rasterization. This is where the final color of the pixel is calculated,
often by applying textures, lighting, and other effects.
[Link] & Blending: Before a fragment becomes a final pixel, it
undergoes several tests. The most common is the depth test (or
Z-buffering), which checks if the fragment is in front of or behind
other objects already drawn at that pixel location. This ensures
objects appear correctly layered. Blending combines the color of
the new fragment with the color already at that pixel, which is
essential for rendering transparent objects.
[Link]: The final pixel colors are written to a memory
buffer called the framebuffer. The image in this buffer is then sent
to the display to be shown on your screen.
KEY TECHNIQUES
Rendering: The process of generating the final image.
• Real-Time Rendering: Used in video games and interactive simulations (focus on
speed).
• Offline Rendering: Used in movies and visual effects (focus on photorealism).
Texture Mapping: Applying a 2D image (a texture) to the surface of a 3D model
to add detail (e.g., wood grain on a table, bricks on a wall).

Animation: Creating the illusion of movement.

• Keyframing: Manually setting start and end points for an object's motion.
• Skeletal Animation: Rigging a "skeleton" inside a model to create lifelike character
movement.
Anti-Aliasing: A technique used to smooth out the jagged, staircase-like edges
("jaggies") that can appear on diagonal lines.
APPLICATIONS OF COMPUTER
GRAPHICS
• Entertainment: The driving force behind video games,
animated films, and movie special effects (VFX).
• Science & Medicine: Powers 3D medical imaging from
CT/MRI scans and helps visualize complex scientific data.
• Design & Engineering: Essential for Computer-Aided Design
(CAD) in architecture, manufacturing, and product design.
• Simulation & Data: Used for everything from pilot training in
flight simulators to the charts and graphs in business reports.
CONCLUSION
• We've established the foundational principles of raster and
vector graphics, outlined the critical stages of the rendering
pipeline, and surveyed its key industrial applications.
• Computer graphics has matured from a niche specialty into a
core enabling technology. Its deep integration with AI for
performance and cloud computing for accessibility is
accelerating innovation at an unprecedented rate.
• Understanding these principles is no longer just for
animators. It's essential for engineers, data scientists,
designers, and strategists. The line between the digital
product and the physical experience is blurring, and
computer graphics is the pen that is drawing that line.