Description:
In this introduction to computer graphics, Olin Lathrop teaches readers about such complex graphics issues as color spaces, displays, graphics primitives, and 3D vectors and transforms. The explanations are just right for beginning and intermediate computer users, and full-color images help clarify each discussion. A chapter on modeling includes an introduction to fractals and particle systems, and chapters on scene creation and rendering include discussions of directional and ambient light and of Z-buffer rendering, ray tracing, and radiosity. Lathrop covers such animation elements as key frames to inverse kinematics, and instructs about file-format issues such as lossless and lossy compression. A "Glindex" at the back of the book, which is a combined glossary and index, is a useful quick reference to new terms. Overall, Lathrop has managed to provide a technically accurate and comprehensible overview. It's worth a look if you want to know more about the technology behind computer graphics, whether you're an aspiring artist, programmer, or hobbyist.
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