Computer Graphics

This course introduces computer graphics and its participants will learn about the scientific challenges and problems of image synthesis and gain working knowledge in this area. The focus will lie on rendering (the process of producing images on a screen). The course will present the foundations of image synthesis, as well as the modelling of shape and appearance of objects.

The introduced elements are often general and apply to a wide variety of topics even outside of the area of Computer Graphics. Examples include geometric representations, hierarchical structures, or projective geometry, which will also reoccur later in the curriculum in various courses. A good basis in linear algebra is important for this course.

Computer Graphics applies fundamental aspects of Computer Science (parallel programming, data structures, algorithms...).

The course will give an overview of the field, but will create links to contemporary results and research, which will offer the possibility to further deepen certain knowledge and to gain an outlook on recent trends in research.

A preliminary outline is as follows:

1) Introduction, Objects and Images

2) An introduction to C++

3) Transformations and Homogeneous Coordinates

4) Projective geometry

5) An introduction to OpenGL

6) Materials and shading

7) Shadows

8) Whitted-Style Ray Tracing

9) Acceleration Structures