Computer Graphics From Scratch : A Programmer's Introduction to 3D Rendering

Computer Graphics from Scratch demystifies the algorithms used in modern graphics software and guides beginners through building photorealistic 3D renders. Computer graphics are at work everywhere today, adding eye-popping details to video games, hyper-realistic CGI to major blockbusters, and life-like imagery to computer-animated films. This beginners book will introduce you to a core slice of this ever-expanding field, 3D rendering, with a focus on two popular algorithmic methods: raytracing and rasterization. Written to be easily understood by high-school students but rigorous enough for professional engineers, you’ll build each of these surprisingly simple algorithms into complete, fully functional renderers as you build your knowledge base. The first half covers raytracing, which simulates rays of light as they bounce off of objects in a scene; the second half breaks down rasterization, the real-time process for converting 3D graphics into a screen-compatible array of 2D pixels. Every chapter gives you something visually new and exciting to add to your works-in-progress, from creating reflections and shadows that make objects look more realistic, to rendering a scene from any directional point of view. You’ll learn how to: • Represent objects in a scene, and use perspective projection to draw them in • Compute the illumination for light sources (point, directional, and ambient) • Render mirror-like reflections on surfaces, and cast shadows for depth • Use clipping algorithms to render a scene from any camera position • Implement flat shading, Gouraud shading, and Phong shading algorithms • "Paint” textures that fake surface details and turn shapes into everyday objects The book uses informal pseudocode throughout the text, so you can write your renderers in any language. In addition, the author provides links to live working versions of his algorithms. Computer Graphics from Scratch demystifies the algorithms used in modern graphics software and guides beginners through building photorealistic 3D renders. Computer graphics programming books are often math-heavy and intimidating for newcomers. Not this one. Computer Graphics from Scratch takes a simpler approach by keeping the math to a minimum and focusing on only one aspect of computer graphics, 3D rendering. You’ll build two complete, fully functional renderers: a raytracer, which simulates rays of light as they bounce off objects, and a rasterizer, which converts 3D models into 2D pixels. As you progress you’ll learn how to create realistic reflections and shadows, and how to render a scene from any point of view. Pseudocode examples throughout make it easy to write your renderers in any language, and links to live JavaScript demos of each algorithm invite you to explore further on your own. Learn how to: Use perspective projection to draw 3D objects on a 2D plane Simulate the way rays of light interact with surfaces Add mirror-like reflections and cast shadows to objects Render a scene from any camera position using clipping planes Use flat, Gouraud, and Phong shading to mimic real surface lighting Paint texture details onto basic shapes to create realistic-looking objects Whether you’re an aspiring graphics engineer or a novice programmer curious about how graphics algorithms work, Gabriel Gambetta’s simple, clear explanations will quickly put computer graphics concepts and rendering techniques within your reach. All you need is basic coding knowledge and high school math. Computer Graphics from Scratch will cover the rest. Computer Graphics from Scratch demystifies the algorithms used in modern graphics software with basic programming and high school math. Behind the beautiful imagery of the latest animated movie and the realistic environments of popular videogames lie some mysterious algorithms. Computer Graphics from Scratch aims to demystify these algorithms and shows you that computer graphics can be surprisingly simple. This broad introductory book gives you an overview of the computer graphics field with a focus on two core areas of modern graphics: raytracing and rasterization. Links to interactive demos throughout bring the algorithms alive. Every algorithm is built up without the use of external libraries or APIs and is presented with language agnostic pseudocode, allowing anyone with a basic understanding of programming and high school math to follow along "An introduction to computer graphics that focuses on raytracing and rasterization. Topics and algorithms are presented without the use of external libraries or APIs and with pseudocode that is not specific to a programming language. Includes links to interactive demonstrations for each algorithm"-- Provided by publisher Jean-louis Ezine. Interviews With 38 Literary Figures Originally Conducted For Les Nouvelles Littéraires From 1973 To 1979.