The magic of computer graphics : landmarks in rendering

Computer graphics is a vast field that is becoming larger every day. It is impossible to cover every topic of interest, even within a specialization such as CG rendering. For many years, Noriko Kurachi has reported on the latest developments for Japanese readers in her monthly column for CG World . Being something of a pioneer herself, she selected topics that represented original and promising new directions for research. Many of these novel ideas are the topics covered in The Magic of Computer Graphics . Starting from the basic behavior of light, the first section of the book introduces the most useful techniques for global and local illumination using geometric descriptions of an environment. The second section goes on to describe image-based techniques that rely on captured data to do their magic. In the final section, the author looks at the synthesis of these two complementary approaches and what they mean for the future of computer graphics. In broad terms, computer graphics (CG) is the use of computers to create images. CG has come to be the dominant form of content creation for video games, movie special effects, and many other forms of entertainment. One of the principal things CG does for creatives is to free them from the bounds of what can be held in front of a camera. From the standpoint of a naive observer, CG really is magic. Vision is entwined with our sense of reality, 'seeing is believing' as they say, and when the line between physical experience and imagination is crossed, there is simply no other word for it. Computer graphics is a vast field, and getting larger every day. It is impossible to cover every topic of interest, even within a specialization such as CG rendering. For many years, Noriko Kurachi has reported on the latest developments for Japanese readers in her monthly column for Computer Graphics World. Being something of a pioneer herself, she selected topics that represented original and promising new directions for research, as opposed to the tried and true methods. Many of these novel ideas paid off handsomely, and these are the topics covered in this book. Starting from the basic behavior of light, Ms. Kurachi introduces the most useful techniques for global and local illumination using geometric descriptions of an environment in the first section. She then goes on to describe image-based techniques that rely on captured data to do their magic in the second section. In the final section, she looks at the synthesis of these two complementary approaches and what they mean for the future of computer graphics Front Cover......Page 1 Contents......Page 6 Foreword......Page 8 Preface......Page 10 Section I. Geometry-Based Approaches......Page 14 Chapter 1. Introduction to Photorealistic Rendering......Page 16 Chapter 2. Global Illumination......Page 36 Chapter 3. Volume Rendering and Participating Media......Page 66 Chapter 4. Subsurface Scattering......Page 96 Section II. Image-Based Approaches......Page 136 Chapter 5. Image-Based Rendering......Page 138 Chapter 6. High Dynamic Range Imaging......Page 178 Chapter 7. Image-Based Lighting......Page 200 Section III. Coalescence of Geometry-Based and Image-Based Approaches......Page 224 Chapter 8. Reconstruction of eflectance......Page 226 Chapter 9. Bidirectional Texture Function......Page 318 Chapter 10. Radiance Transfer......Page 352 Bibliography......Page 400 Color Insert......Page 416 Back Cover......Page 428 Front Cover 1 Contents 6 Foreword 8 Preface 10 Section I. Geometry-Based Approaches 14 Chapter 1. Introduction to Photorealistic Rendering 16 Chapter 2. Global Illumination 36 Chapter 3. Volume Rendering and Participating Media 66 Chapter 4. Subsurface Scattering 96 Section II. Image-Based Approaches 136 Chapter 5. Image-Based Rendering 138 Chapter 6. High Dynamic Range Imaging 178 Chapter 7. Image-Based Lighting 200 Section III. Coalescence of Geometry-Based and Image-Based Approaches 224 Chapter 8. Reconstruction of eflectance 226 Chapter 9. Bidirectional Texture Function 318 Chapter 10. Radiance Transfer 352 Bibliography 400 Color Insert 416 Back Cover 428 Title In broad terms, computer graphics (CG) is the use of computers to create images. This title introduces some of the most useful techniques for global and local illumination using geometric descriptions of an environment. It also describes image-based techniques that rely on captured data to do their magic in the second section.