Image types

[edit] 2D computer graphics

Raster graphic sprites (left) and masks (right)

2D computer graphics are the computer-based generation of digital images—mostly from two-
dimensional models, such as 2D geometric models, text, and digital images, and by techniques specific
to them. The word may stand for the branch of computer science that comprises such techniques, or for
the models themselves.

2D computer graphics are mainly used in applications that were originally developed upon traditional
printing and drawing technologies, such as typography, cartography, technical drawing, advertising, etc..
In those applications, the two-dimensional image is not just a representation of a real-world object, but
an independent artifact with added semantic value; two-dimensional models are therefore preferred,
because they give more direct control of the image than 3D computer graphics, whose approach is more
akin to photography than to typography.

[edit] Pixel art

Pixel art is a form of digital art, created through the use of raster graphics software, where images are
edited on the pixel level. Graphics in most old (or relatively limited) computer and video games,
graphing calculator games, and many mobile phone games are mostly pixel art.

[edit] Vector graphics

Example showing effect of vector graphics versus raster (bitmap) graphics.

Vector graphics formats are complementary to raster graphics, which is the representation of images as
an array of pixels, as it is typically used for the representation of photographic images. [4] There are
instances when working with vector tools and formats is best practice, and instances when working with
raster tools and formats is best practice. There are times when both formats come together. An
understanding of the advantages and limitations of each technology and the relationship between them
is most likely to result in efficient and effective use of tools.

[edit] 3D computer graphics

3D computer graphics in contrast to 2D computer graphics are graphics that use a three-dimensional
representation of geometric data that is stored in the computer for the purposes of performing
calculations and rendering 2D images. Such images may be for later display or for real-time viewing.

Despite these differences, 3D computer graphics rely on many of the same algorithms as 2D computer
vector graphics in the wire frame model and 2D computer raster graphics in the final rendered display.
In computer graphics software, the distinction between 2D and 3D is occasionally blurred; 2D
applications may use 3D techniques to achieve effects such as lighting, and primarily 3D may use 2D
rendering techniques.

3D computer graphics are often referred to as 3D models. Apart from the rendered graphic, the model is
contained within the graphical data file. However, there are differences. A 3D model is the mathematical
representation of any three-dimensional object. A model is not technically a graphic until it is visually
displayed. Due to 3D printing, 3D models are not confined to virtual space. A model can be displayed
visually as a two-dimensional image through a process called 3D rendering, or used in non-graphical
computer simulations and calculations.
[edit] Computer animation

An example of Computer animation produced using Motion capture

Computer animation is the art of creating moving images via the use of computers. It is a subfield of
computer graphics and animation. Increasingly it is created by means of 3D computer graphics, though
2D computer graphics are still widely used for stylistic, low bandwidth, and faster real-time rendering
needs. Sometimes the target of the animation is the computer itself, but sometimes the target is
another medium, such as film. It is also referred to as CGI (Computer-generated imagery or computer-
generated imaging), especially when used in films.

Virtual entities may contain and be controlled by assorted attributes, such as transform values (location,
orientation, and scale) stored in an object's transformation matrix. Animation is the change of an
attribute over time. Multiple methods of achieving animation exist; the rudimentary form is based on
the creation and editing of keyframes, each storing a value at a given time, per attribute to be animated.
The 2D/3D graphics software will interpolate between keyframes, creating an editable curve of a value
mapped over time, resulting in animation. Other methods of animation include procedural and
expression-based techniques: the former consolidates related elements of animated entities into sets of
attributes, useful for creating particle effects and crowd simulations; the latter allows an evaluated
result returned from a user-defined logical expression, coupled with mathematics, to automate
animation in a predictable way (convenient for controlling bone behavior beyond what a hierarchy
offers in skeletal system set up).

To create the illusion of movement, an image is displayed on the computer screen then quickly replaced
by a new image that is similar to the previous image, but shifted slightly. This technique is identical to
the illusion of movement in television and motion pictures.

[edit] Concepts and principles

[edit] Image

An image or picture is an artifact that resembles a physical object or person. The term includes two-
dimensional objects like photographs and sometimes includes three-dimensional representations.
Images are captured by optical devices—such as cameras, mirrors, lenses, telescopes, microscopes, etc.
and natural objects and phenomena, such as the human eye or water surfaces.

A digital image is a representation of a two-dimensional image in binary format as a sequence of ones

and zeros. Digital images include both vector images and raster images, but raster images are more
commonly used.

[edit] Pixel

In the enlarged portion of the image individual pixels are rendered as squares and can be easily seen.

In digital imaging, a pixel (or picture element[5]) is a single point in a raster image. Pixels are normally
arranged in a regular 2-dimensional grid, and are often represented using dots or squares. Each pixel is a
sample of an original image, where more samples typically provide a more accurate representation of
the original. The intensity of each pixel is variable; in color systems, each pixel has typically three
components such as red, green, and blue.

[edit] Graphics

Graphics are visual presentations on some surface, such as a wall, canvas, computer screen, paper, or
stone to brand, inform, illustrate, or entertain. Examples are photographs, drawings, line art, graphs,
diagrams, typography, numbers, symbols, geometric designs, maps, engineering drawings, or other
images. Graphics often combine text, illustration, and color. Graphic design may consist of the
deliberate selection, creation, or arrangement of typography alone, as in a brochure, flier, poster, web
site, or book without any other element. Clarity or effective communication may be the objective,
association with other cultural elements may be sought, or merely, the creation of a distinctive style.

Arambilet: Dots on the I's, D-ART 2009 Online Digital Art Gallery, exhibited at IV09 and CG09 computer
Graphics conferences, at Pompeu Fabra University, Barcelona; Tianjin University, China; Permanent
Exhibition at the London South Bank University
[edit] Rendering

A 2D/3D scene file contains objects in a strictly defined language or data structure. It would contain
geometry, viewpoint, texture, lighting, and shading information as a description of the virtual scene. The
data contained in the scene file is then passed to a rendering program to be processed and output to a
digital image or raster graphics image file. The rendering program is usually built into the computer
graphics software, though others are available as plug-ins or entirely separate programs; examples
include mental images' mental ray and Disney Pixar's RenderMan. The term "rendering" may be by
analogy with an "artist's rendering" of a scene. Though the technical details of rendering methods vary,
the general challenges to overcome in producing a 2D image from a 3D representation stored in a scene
file are outlined collectively as the graphics pipeline along a rendering device, such as a GPU. A GPU is a
purpose-built device able to assist a CPU in performing complex rendering calculations. If a scene is to
look relatively realistic and predictable under virtual lighting, the rendering software should solve the
rendering equation. The rendering equation doesn't account for all lighting phenomena, but is a general
lighting model for computer-generated imagery. 'Rendering' is also used to describe the process of
calculating effects in a video editing file to produce final video output.

3D projection

3D projection is a method of mapping three dimensional points to a two dimensional plane. As most
current methods for displaying graphical data are based on planar two dimensional media, the use of
this type of projection is widespread, especially in computer graphics, engineering and drafting.

Ray tracing

Ray tracing is a technique for generating an image by tracing the path of light through pixels in an image
plane. The technique is capable of producing a very high degree of photorealism; usually higher than
that of typical scanline rendering methods, but at a greater computational cost.

Shading

Example of shading.

Shading refers to depicting depth in 3D models or illustrations by varying levels of darkness. It is a

process used in drawing for depicting levels of darkness on paper by applying media more densely or
with a darker shade for darker areas, and less densely or with a lighter shade for lighter areas. There are
various techniques of shading including cross hatching where perpendicular lines of varying closeness
are drawn in a grid pattern to shade an area. The closer the lines are together, the darker the area
appears. Likewise, the farther apart the lines are, the lighter the area appears. The term has been
recently generalized to mean that shaders are applied.

Texture mapping

Texture mapping is a method for adding detail, surface texture, or colour to a computer-generated
graphic or 3D model. Its application to 3D graphics was pioneered by Dr Edwin Catmull in 1974. A
texture map is applied (mapped) to the surface of a shape, or polygon. This process is akin to applying
patterned paper to a plain white box. Multitexturing is the use of more than one texture at a time on a
polygon.[6] Procedural textures (created from adjusting parameters of an underlying algorithm that
produces an output texture), and bitmap textures (created in an image editing application) are,
generally speaking, common methods of implementing texture definition from a 3D animation program,
while intended placement of textures onto a model's surface often requires a technique known as UV
mapping.

Anti-aliasing

Rendering resolution-independent entities (such as 3D models) for viewing on a raster (pixel-based)

device such as a LCD display or CRT television inevitably causes aliasing artifacts mostly along geometric
edges and the boundaries of texture details; these artifacts are informally called "jaggies". Anti-aliasing
methods rectify such problems, resulting in imagery more pleasing to the viewer, but can be somewhat
computationally expensive. Various anti-aliasing algorithms (such as supersampling) are able to be
employed, then customized for the most efficient rendering performance versus quality of the resultant
imagery; a graphics artist should consider this trade-off if anti-aliasing methods are to be used. A pre-
anti-aliased bitmap texture being displayed on a screen (or screen location) at a resolution different than
the resolution of the texture itself (such as a textured model in the distance from the virtual camera) will
exhibit aliasing artifacts, while any procedurally-defined texture will always show aliasing artifacts as
they are resolution-independant; techniques such as mipmapping and texture filtering help to solve
texture-related aliasing problems.

[edit] Volume rendering

Volume rendered CT scan of a forearm with different colour schemes for muscle, fat, bone, and blood.

Volume rendering is a technique used to display a 2D projection of a 3D discretely sampled data set. A
typical 3D data set is a group of 2D slice images acquired by a CT or MRI scanner.

Usually these are acquired in a regular pattern (e.g., one slice every millimeter) and usually have a
regular number of image pixels in a regular pattern. This is an example of a regular volumetric grid, with
each volume element, or voxel represented by a single value that is obtained by sampling the immediate
area surrounding the voxel.

[edit] 3D modeling

3D modeling is the process of developing a mathematical, wireframe representation of any three-

dimensional object, called a "3D model", via specialized software. Models may be created automatically
or manually; the manual modeling process of preparing geometric data for 3D computer graphics is
similar to plastic arts such as sculpting. 3D models may be created using multiple approaches: use of
NURBS curves to generate accurate and smooth surface patches, polygonal mesh modeling
(manipulation of faceted geometry), or polygonal mesh subdivision (advanced tessellation of polygons,
resulting in smooth surfaces similar to NURBS models). A 3D model can be displayed as a two-
dimensional image through a process called 3D rendering, used in a computer simulation of physical
phenomena, or animated directly for other purposes. The model can also be physically created using 3D
Printing devices.