Cambridge University Press, 2003. — 397 p. — ISBN 0521821037. This book is an introduction to 3-D computer graphics with particular emphasis on fundamentals and the mathematics underlying computer graphics. It includes descriptions of how to use the cross-platform OpenGL programming environment. It also includes source code for a ray tracing software package. (Accompanying software is available freely from the book’s Web site.) Topics include a thorough treatment of transformations and viewing, lighting and shading models, interpolation and averaging, Bezier curves and B-splines, ray tracing and radiosity, and intersection testing with rays. Additional topics, covered in less depth, include texture mapping and color theory. The book also covers some aspects of animation, including quaternions, orientation, and inverse kinematics. Mathematical background on vectors and matrices is reviewed in an appendix. This book is aimed at the advanced undergraduate level or introductory graduate level and can also be used for self-study. Prerequisites include basic knowledge of calculus and vectors. The OpenGL programming portions require knowledge of programming in C or C++. The more important features of OpenGL are covered in the book, but it is intended to be used in conjunction with another OpenGL programming book. This textbook, first published in 2003, emphasises the fundamentals and the mathematics underlying computer graphics. The minimal prerequisites, a basic knowledge of calculus and vectors plus some programming experience in C or C++, make the book suitable for self study or for use as an advanced undergraduate or introductory graduate text. The author gives a thorough treatment of transformations and viewing, lighting and shading models, interpolation and averaging, Bézier curves and B-splines, ray tracing and radiosity, and intersection testing with rays. Additional topics, covered in less depth, include texture mapping and colour theory. The book covers some aspects of animation, including quaternions, orientation, and inverse kinematics, and includes source code for a Ray Tracing software package. The book is intended for use along with any OpenGL programming book, but the crucial features of OpenGL are briefly covered to help readers get up to speed. Accompanying software is available freely from the book's web site. This introduction to 3D computer graphics emphasizes fundamentals and the mathematics underlying computer graphics, while also covering programming techniques using OpenGL, a platform-independent graphics programming environment. The minimal prerequisites make it suitable for self-study or for use as an advanced undergraduate or introductory graduate text as the author leads step-by-step from the basics of transformations to advanced topics such as animations and kinematics. Accompanying software, including source code for a ray tracing software package, is available freely from the book's web site. "This book is aimed at the advanced undergraduate level or introductory graduate level and can also be used for self-study. Prerequisites include basic knowledge of calculus and vectors. The OpenGL programming portions require knowledge of programming in C or C++. The more important features of OpenGL are covered in the book, but it is intended to be used in conjunction with another OpenGL programming book."--BOOK JACKET This chapter discusses some of the basic concepts behind computer graphics with particular emphasis on how to get started with simple drawing in OpenGL.
