Topic 1 Introduction to Computer Graphics & animation

1. Topic 1 Introduction to Computer Graphics & animation

2. Contents • Introduction to Graphics and Animation. • History & Background of Graphics and Animation. • Applications of Computer Graphics and Animation.

3. What is Computer Graphics? • Computer graphics is commonly understood to mean the creation, storage and manipulation of models and images. (Andries van Dam) • Computer graphic is concerned with • all aspects of producing pictures or images using a computer. • the pictorial synthesis or real or imaginary objects from their computer based model.

4. What is animation? • Animation is the production of consecutive images, which, when displayed one after the other, convey a feeling of motion. • Moving diagrams or cartoons that are made up of a sequence of images displayed one after the other. • Animation - motion of object. • To animate = to give life to!

5. ComputerGraphics • Computer Graphics • Synthesis of graphical images • Visualization : • creating an image from an abstract, symbolic description. • Generation of Synthesis Image • using graphical primitives • data from real world phenomena

6. What is graphic? • Refers to any computer device or program that makes a computer capable of displaying and manipulating pictures. The term also refers to the images themselves. • laser printers and plotters are graphics devices because they permit the computer to output pictures. • A graphics monitor is a display monitor that can display pictures. • A graphics card is a printed circuit board that, when installed in a computer, permits the computer to display pictures.

7. What is Interactive Computer Graphics? • User controls contents, structure, and appearance of objects and their displayed images via rapid visual feedback. • Basic components of an interactive graphics system: • input (e.g., mouse, tablet and stylus, force feedback device,scanner…) • processing (and storage) • display/output (e.g., screen, paper-based printer, video recorder…)

8. Why Computer Graphics? • Humans communicate well with images • 1/3 of your brain is devoted to visual processing • A picture is worth a few hundred megabytes

9. Why Computer Graphics? • Developing Computational Capability • Rendering: synthesizing realistic-looking, useful, or interesting images • Animation: creating visual impression of motion • Image processing: analyzing, transforming, displaying images efficiently

10. Why Computer Graphics? • Better Understanding of Data, Objects, Processes through Visualization • Visual summarization, description, manipulation • Virtual environments (VR), visual monitoring, interactivity • Human-computer intelligent interaction (HCII): training, tutoring, analysis, control systems

11. Why Computer Graphics? • advances in the last decade due mostly to the microchip • software advances, especially in object-oriented programming and real-time rendering algorithms • Hardware advances continue to benefit graphics: • faster inexpensive microprocessors and dedicated graphics chips • screen technology: High-definition television (HDTV), colour LCD • virtual reality interfaces

12. Types of Computer graphics • Bitmap • Also known as raster images. • Made up of pixels in a grid. • Pixels are picture elements; tiny dots of individual color that come together to form the images you see. • Each element is in specific location of : • width • height • colour • brightness • Each element is stored in memory as bit. A Bitmap Image--shown zoomed in with the original size in the upper right corner. Notice the individual pixels that make up the image.

13. Types of Computer graphics • Key Points About Bitmap Images:• pixels in a grid • resolution dependent • resizing reduces quality • easily converted • restricted to rectangle • minimal support for transparency • Common bitmap formats include:• BMP • GIF • JPEG, JPG • PNG • PICT (Macintosh) • PCX • TIFF

14. Types of Computer graphics • Vector • Vector images are made up of many individual, scalable objects. • Defined by mathematical equations. • 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 effect the object itself. • increase and decrease the size of vector images to any degree and your lines will remain crisp and sharp, both on screen and in print. Vector and Bitmap Differences--vector images are not confined to a rectangular shape.

15. Types of Computer graphics • Key Points About Vector Images • scalable • resolution independent • no background • cartoon-like • inappropriate for photo-realistic images • metafiles contain both raster and vector data • Common vector formats include:• AI (Adobe Illustrator) • CDR (CorelDRAW) • CMX (Corel Exchange) • CGM Computer Graphics Metafile • DXF AutoCAD • WMF Windows Metafile Fonts are a type of vector object

16. Difference Between2D & 3D Graphics • 2D Graphic • 2D Graphic has 2 dimensions: length and breadth. • Example: drawings, paintings,prints, photographs, are two-dimensional. They are flat surfaces. • 3D Graphic • 3D Graphic has 3 dimensions: length, breadth and depth. • Example: sculpture and pottery are three-dimensional; they take up real space.

17. Styles and techniques of animation • Traditional animation • Character animation • Limited animation • Rotoscoping ("painting on movies" ) • Computer animation • skeletal animation • Per-vertex animation • Cel-shaded animation • Onion skinning • Analog computer animation • Motion capture • Tradigital animation • Stop-motion animation • Cutout animation • claymation • Pixilation • Pinscreen animation • Puppetoon • Drawn on film animation • Special effects animation

18. Brief History of Computer Graphics • Teletype printouts were first graphical output devices. • Lightpens were an early input device. • CAD applications began in the 1960's. • Plotters also a 1960's development: high-resolution, but slow, main bottlenecks of computer graphics back then • cost of graphics hardware • expense of computer resources • batch systems weren't suitable for interactive graphics • non-portability of hardware and software • a new field: technology was primitive

19. Brief History of Computer Graphics • 1950 MIT’s Whirlwind computer had computer generated CRTs mid 1950s SAGE command and control • 1960s Ivan Sutherland’s thesis - Sketchpad • introduced data structures and interactive techniques http://www.computer.org/history/development/1951.htm

20. Brief History of Computer Graphics • 1960s GM (General Motor) - developed CAD (Computer Aided Design) and CAM (Computer Aided Manufacturing) • 1968 Tektronix storage tubes • 1970s Boeing CAD CAM

21. Brief History of Computer Graphics • Mid 1970s engineering workstations and personal computers emerged separately • 1980s new algorithms and techniques • new standards • ever more powerful system • transition from specialized field • 1990s widespread use • low cost, but powerful personal workstations • networks • essential part of systems • now part of multimedia

22. Brief History of Computer Graphics At first - progress was slow because • cost of equipment was high (specially memory) • significant computing resources needed • difficulty in writing software ( harder than it looks) • lack of standard and thus portability • lack of software tools

23. Brief History of Computer Graphics Now - previous use • cost of equipment is low. • Most computer have necessary computing resources for graphics • established standards, implementations and tools • still difficulty in writing software ( still harder than it looks)

24. Some of Historical Picture • First truly interactive graphics system, Sketchpad, pioneered at MIT by Ivan Sutherland for his 1963 Ph.D. thesis. Sketchpad, A Man-Machine Graphical Communication System. • Note the use of a CRT monitor, light pen and function-key panel.

25. Some of Historical Picture Mark I John VonNeuman http://ei.cs.vt.edu/~history/VonNeumann.html http://www.man.ac.uk/Science_Engineering/CHSTM/nahc.htm

26. Brief History of animation * • Before Disney’s era: • Egyptian wall decoration • Leonardo da Vinci drew limbs in different positions • The Japanese used scrollsto tellcontinuous stories • Giotto’s angels seem to flightin thier perspective motions • * http://wwwviz.tamu.edu/courses/viza615/97spring/pjames/history/main.html

27. Brief History of animation • In 1826discovered a fundamental principle of the human eye: the persistence of vision • Frenchman Paul Rogetthe thaumatrope • In 1828 Joseph Plateauthephenakistoscope • In 1860 Pierre Desvignesinserted a strip of paper containingdrawings on the inside of a drumlikecylinder. * • * http://www-viz.tamu.edu/courses/viza615/97spring/pjames/history/main.html • http://www.mhsgent.ugent.be/engl-plat5.html

28. Brief History of animation * • In 1906, after motion camera was developed, Stuart Blackton createdfirst short film ”HumourousPhasesof Funny Faces” • In 1910, John Bray, cell animation • 1914 the first fullyanimatedcartoon ”Gertie the Dinosaur”by Winsor McCay • In 1919 First strongscreen personalityFelix the Cat by OttoMessmer’s. • * http://www.vegalleries.com/gerthistory.html • http://www.felixthecat.com/history.html

29. Brief History of animation • 1950s • Was developed not for artistic work. • Related for manufacturing, flight simulators. • 1960s • The early years of computer graphics technology. • Artists and designers used to create images. • CADAM(Computer-aided design and manufacturing) was used to make the design process more effectively.

30. Brief History of animation • 1970s • Became more practical and useful. • Significant decade for the development of 3D animation and imaging technology. • 1980s • The proven of artistic and commercial potential. • A lot of research was conducted to enhance the hardware and software of graphics and imaging.

31. Brief History of animation • 1990s • Prices of computer system significantly dropped, so encouraged visual professionals to integrate it with daily professional practices. • It became more powerful, practical and less expensive. • The Matrix, The Mummy, Star Wars, Stuart Little, Titanic etc.- the visual effect films • 2000s • Gladiators, The Perfect Storm, Harry Potter, LOTR, King Kong etc. • What else?

32. Applications of Computer Graphics Divided into 4 majors area: • Display of Information • Design • Simulation • User Interface

33. Display of Information • Geographic Information System (GIS) • Computerized Tomography (CT) • Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) • Ultrasound • Positron-emission Tomography (PET) http://www.soest.hawaii.edu/soest/about.ftp.html http://www.queens.org/qmc/services/imaging/ct.htm

34. Design • Computer-Aided Design (CAD) • Architecture • Design of Mechanical part • VLSI • etc... http://www.memagazine.org/contents/current/features/push/push.html

35. The Concorde Panel. Simulation • Graphical flight simulator • reduce training process • Robotic simulation • TV, Movie, advertising industries • generate photo realistic images • Virtual Reality (VR) • reduce risk of training • surgery • astronaut http://www.motionshop.com/pr/festocosimirlg.shtml

36. User Interfaces • Window Operating System • Windows Vista • MAC OS • Graphical Network Browsers • Internet Explorer • Netscape • Mozilla Firefox

37. Graphics Applications • Entertainment: Cinema Pixar: Geri’s Game Universal: Jurassic Park Antz A bug’s Life

38. Graphics Applications • Entertainment: Games Aki Ross : Final Fantasy Star Wars Jedi Outcast: Jedi Knight II Quake III

39. Graphics Applications • Medical Visualization The Visible Human Project http://www.ercim.org/publication/Ercim_News/enw44/koenig.html

40. Visible Decisions SeeIT (http://www.vdi.com) Graphics Applications • Information Visualization

41. Graphics Applications • Scientific Visualization

42. Graphics Applications • Computer Aided Design (CAD)

43. Applications of animation • Art, Entertainment and publishing • Movie production, animation and special effect. • Computer games. • Browsing on the WWW. • Slide, book and magazine design.

44. Applications of animation • Monitoring a process • For highly complex systems • Simulation of production machine motion. • Power plants • Displaying simulation • Driving jet/ plane, war • Fact proving, e.g.: accident simulation • Virtual world

45. Professional Societies • ACM SIGGRAPH- Association for Computing Machinery Special Interest Group in Graphics. • IEEE- The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Technical Committee on Computer Graphics.

46. Standard Organization • ANSI - American National Standard Institute (private, non government). • ISO - International Standards Organization(voluntary, non treaty). • ANSI is a member of ISO.