CMSC 427 - Computer Graphics

Lecture Notes

These course notes are visible only from umd.edu domains.

Following each lecture I have listed the approximate (but usually not exhaustive) coverage of the topics that we covered in our lectures from the textbook by Ed Angel. The following reading suggestions are for the case when you do not fully understand what was discussed in the lectures. Unfortunately, the following list does not cover everything discussed in the class (there is no perfect textbook yet).

Sep 2
Discussion of course policies and course plan
Motivation, Overview
applications, pipeline
PDF
Angel: Sections 1.1, 8.1, 8.2

Sep 4
Graphics Display Technology
human visual system, graphics hardware, vector/raster graphics
PDF
Angel: Sections 1.2, 1.4, 1.8

Sep 9
Graphics APIs
OpenGL overview and Event-Driven Computing
PDF
Angel: Sections 1.7, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 2.7

Sep 11
Designing Interactive Programs and Pixel Operations
GLUT overview, bitmaps, pixmaps, images
PDF
Angel: Sections 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 3.9, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4

Sep 16
Line Drawing
overview, algorithms
PDF, Assignment 1 given
Generalized Bresenham Line Drawing Algorithm
Angel: Sections 8.9, 8.10

Sep 18
No class due to hurricane Isabel

Sep 23
Polygon Filling
overview, algorithms
PDF
Angel: Section 8.11

Sep 25
Geometric Primitives and 2D transformations
lines, triangles, normals
translate, rotate, shear, scale, homogeneous coords
PDF
Angel: Chapter 4 (skip 4.4, 4.10, 4.11)

Sep 30
2D and 3D Transformations
homogeneous coords, aggregations, 3D vs 2D transformations
PDF
Assignment 1 due, Assignment 2 given
Angel: Chapter 4 (skip 4.4, 4.10, 4.11)

Oct 2
Color and Transparency
color models, dithering, alpha-blending
PDF
Angel: Sections 2.5, 7.9, 8.13

Oct 7
Sampling and Filtering
Aliasing and Anti-aliasing, common effects and solutions
PDF
An interesting overview of Aliasing and Anti-Aliasing
Angel: Sections 7.11, 8.12

Oct 9
3D Viewing
parallel and perspective projections
PDF
Angel: Sections 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 5.5

Oct 14
Review for Midterm
discuss the course and solutions to the sample midterm
Information About the Midterm

Oct 16
Midterm Exam

Oct 21
Visibility and Cullings
depth cues, coherences, VFC, backface
PDF
Assignment 2 due, Assignment 3 given
Lecture not adequately covered in Angel's textbook

Oct 23
3D Viewing and Picking
canonical view volumes and selection
PDF
Angel: Sections 5.8, 5.9, 3.7

Oct 28
Visibility Determination
hidden surfaces, Z-buffer, other algorithms
PDF
Angel: Sections 8.8, 9.10.3

Oct 30
Illumination and Shading
Ambient, Diffuse, Specular Illuminations; Flat, Gouraud, Phong Shadings
PDF
Angel: Chapter 6

Nov 3
Textures
use, types, mappings
PDF
Angel: Sections 7.5, 7.6, 7.7, 7.8

Nov 5
Ray Tracing
basic algorithm and efficiency measures
PDF
Angel: Sections 13.2, 13.3

Nov 11
Shadows
shadow matrices, light maps, shadow z-buffer
PDF
Angel: Section 5.10

Nov 13
Radiosity
basic algorithm and efficiency measures
PDF
Angel: Section 13.5

Nov 18
Modeling Overview
various approaches
PDF
Angel: Sections 10.1, 10.11.1, 11.6

Nov 20
Curves and Surfaces
Bezier and B-splines
PDF
Angel: Sections 10.2, 10.3, 10.4, 10.6, 10.8

Nov 25
Computer Animation
Overview
PDF
Angel: Section 9.6

Dec 2
Volume Rendering
Overview
PDF
Angel: Sections 12.4, 12.6

Dec 4
Rendering with Points and Images
Overview
PDF

Dec 9
Virtual Environments
Overview
PDF