This book provides a clear tutorial guide to essential concepts in computer graphics, including state-of-the-art techniques and novel applications such as virtual reality and other forms of 3D interaction. Providing a rich source of examples with which to experiment, and encouraging the development of programming skills, this book is ideal for anyone interested in the study of computer graphics.

Table of Contents:
PART 1 INTRODUCTION: PERCEPTION, LIGHT, COLOUR AND MATH1 Introduction: A Phantom World of Projections Introduction Scope Modeling and Virtual Environments Realism and Real-Time Presence and Immersion How Virtual Environments Work Summary2 Mathematics for Virtual Environments Introduction Dimension Positions and Directions: Points and Vectors Flatness Preserving Transformations Quaternians Summary 3 Lighting - the Radiance Equation Lighting - The Fundamental Problem for Computer Graphics Light Simplifying Assumptions Radiance Reflectance The Radiance Equation Solutions of the Radiance Equation Visibility Summary 4 Color and The Human Response to Light Introduction: Colour as Spectral Distributions A Simple Model for the Visual System A Simple Model for an Emitter System Generating Perceivable Colors The CIE-RGB Color Matching Functions CIE-RGB Chromaticity Space CIE-XYZ Chromaticity Space Some Characteristics of CRT Displays Converting between RGB and XYZ Color Spaces Color Gamuts and Undisplayable Colors Summary: Putting it All Together PART 2 FROM REALISM TO REAL- TIME 5 A Painting Metaphor for Computer Graphics Introduction - The Painting Metaphor Simulating the Painting Metaphor Major Concepts of GraphicsSummary 6 Local Illumination and Ray Tracing Introduction Diffuse Reflection and Lambert's Law Computing Local Diffuse Reflection A Simple Model for Local Specular Reflection Rendering the Local Illumination Model with Ray Casting Introduction to Recursive Ray Tracing Recursive Ray Tracing Including Transparent Objects Some Details of the Ray Tracing Algorithm Illumination in OpenGL Illumination in VRML97 Summary 7 Generalizing the Camera Introduction Mapping from WC to the UVN Viewing Coordinate System Using a General Camera in Ray Tracing VRML97 Examples Summary 8 Constructing a Scene Introduction Polygons and Planes Polyhedra The Scene Hierarchy Using Open GL Using VRML97 Summary References Appendix 8.1 - C Specification of the Winged Edge Data Structure 9 Projection: Completing the Camera Model Introduction Full Camera Specification Projection A Composite Matrix Computing the View Matrix T Putting It All Together Combining View Implementation with the Scene Graph Viewing in OpenGL Creating 3D Stereo Views Summary Appendix 9.1 Derivation of Matrix in eq 9.8 Appendix 9.2 OpenGL Rendering of an Object Hierarchy 10 Clipping Polygons Introduction The Sutherland-Hodgman Algorithm (2D) Clipping Polygons - Weiler-Atherton Algorithm Clipping Polygons in 3D Summary 11 Visibility Determination Introduction Back-face Elimination List Priority Algorithms Binary Space Partition Trees Summary 12 Rendering Polygons Introduction Polygon Rasterization Summary 13 Image Space Rendering and Texturing Introduction The Z-buffer Visibility Algorithm Smooth Shading TexturingVRML97 Examples Summary PART 3 FROM REAL - TIME TO REALISM14 Shadows: Towards Real-time Realism Introduction Shadow UmbrasShadow PenumbrasSummary 15 An Introduction to Radiosity Introduction Form Factors: Energy Between Two Patches The Radiosity Equations Computing the Form-Factors The Progressive Refinement Method MeshingRendering Summary 16 Faster Ray Tracing Introduction Intersection Calculations Bounding Volumes and Hierarchies Uniform Space Subdivision Non-Uniform Space SubdivisionRay Coherence Methods Summary 17 Clipping and Rendering Lines Introduction Clipping Line Segments Rasterisation of Line Segments Summary PART 4 SOLIDS, CURVES AND SURFACES18 Constructive Solid Geometry Introduction Quadric Surfaces Ray Classification and Combination Summary 19 Introduction to Compute