CSE202

Computer Graphics Using

OpenGL
Unit III
3D Representation

01-05-2021
 3D Representation
• Polyhedra
• Spline representation
• Hermite interpolation splines
• Bezier spline curves and surfaces
• B-spline curve equations
• Uniform B-spline
• B-spline surfaces
• OpenGL curve functions

01-05-2021 Ref: Computer Graphics with OpenGL by Donald D. Hearn et al., 2

 3D Representation
• Graphics scenes can contain many different kinds of objects and
material surfaces:
• trees, flowers, clouds, rocks, water, bricks, steel, glass etc.
• There is no single method that we can use to describe objects
• Boundary representations(B-reps)
• describe a 3D object as a set of surfaces that separate the object interior from
the environment (Ex: Polyhedra, Spline)
• Space partitioning representation
• partitioning the object into a set of small, non-overlapping, contiguous solids
(Ex.octree representation)

01-05-2021 Ref: Computer Graphics with OpenGL by Donald D. Hearn et al., 3

 Polyhedra
• Most commonly used boundary representation for 3D graphics
• All object descriptions as sets of surface polygons
• All surfaces are described with linear equations
• To describe an object as a set of polygon facets, we give the list of
vertex coordinates for each polygon section over the object surface
• The vertex coordinates and edge information for the surface sections
are then stored in tables

01-05-2021 Ref: Computer Graphics with OpenGL by Donald D. Hearn et al., 4

 Polyhedra (Contd.)
• Polygon tables

01-05-2021 Ref: Computer Graphics with OpenGL by Donald D. Hearn et al., 5

 Polyhedra (Contd.)

01-05-2021 Ref: Computer Graphics with OpenGL by Donald D. Hearn et al., 6

 Spline Representations
• Splines are another example of boundary representation
• A spline is a flexible strip used to produce a smooth curve through a
designated set of point
• Spline can be represented as a piecewise cubic polynomial function
whose first and second derivatives are continuous across the various
curve sections
• A spline surface can be described with two sets of spline curves
• Splines are used to design curve and surface shapes, to digitize
drawings, CAD etc

01-05-2021 Ref: Computer Graphics with OpenGL by Donald D. Hearn et al., 7

 Interpolation and Approximation Splines
• Specify a spline curve by giving a set of coordinate positions, called
control points, which indicate the general shape of the curve
• These coordinate positions are then fitted with piecewise-continuous,
parametric polynomial functions
• Interpolation
 all the control points are connected
 used to digitize drawings or to specify animation paths
 Ex: Hermite spline
• Approximation
 some, or all, of the control points are not on the curve path
 used primarily as design tools to create object shapes
 Ex: B - spline

01-05-2021 Ref: Computer Graphics with OpenGL by Donald D. Hearn et al., 8

 Interpolation and Approximation Splines
(Contd.)

01-05-2021 Ref: Computer Graphics with OpenGL by Donald D. Hearn et al., 9

 Splines (Contd.)

01-05-2021 Ref: Computer Graphics with OpenGL by Donald D. Hearn et al., 10

 Splines (Contd.)
• Convex hull - a set of control points forms a boundary for a region of
space

01-05-2021 Ref: Computer Graphics with OpenGL by Donald D. Hearn et al., 11

 Splines (Contd.)
• Control graph - A polyline
connecting the sequence of
control points for an
approximation spline curve
• Control polygon or characteristic
polygon

01-05-2021 Ref: Computer Graphics with OpenGL by Donald D. Hearn et al., 12

 Parametric Continuity Conditions
• Continuity conditions - to ensure a smooth transition from one
section of a piecewise parametric spline to the next
• Each section of a spline curve is described with a set of parametric
coordinate functions

• Zero-order parametric continuity

• simply that the curves meet

01-05-2021 Ref: Computer Graphics with OpenGL by Donald D. Hearn et al., 13

 Parametric Continuity Conditions (Contd.)
• First-order parametric continuity
• Tangent lines - two successive curve sections are equal at their joining point

• Second-order
• both the first and second parametric derivatives of the two curve sections are
the same at the intersection

01-05-2021 Ref: Computer Graphics with OpenGL by Donald D. Hearn et al., 14

 Geometric Continuity Conditions
• Another method for joining two successive curve sections is to specify
conditions
• The parametric derivatives of the two sections are proportional to
each other at their common boundary
• Zero-order
• two successive curve sections must have the same coordinate position at the
boundary point
• First-order
• the parametric first derivatives are proportional at the intersection of two
successive sections

01-05-2021 Ref: Computer Graphics with OpenGL by Donald D. Hearn et al., 15

 Geometric Continuity (Contd.)
• Second-order
• both the first and second parametric derivatives of the two curve sections are
proportional at their boundary

01-05-2021 Ref: Computer Graphics with OpenGL by Donald D. Hearn et al., 16

 Spline Specifications
• There are three equivalent methods for specifying a spline
representation
1) state the set of boundary conditions on the spline
2) state the matrix that characterizes the spline
3) set of blending functions(or basis functions)
• Parametric cubic polynomial representation for the “x” coordinate
along the path of a spline-curve section

01-05-2021 Ref: Computer Graphics with OpenGL by Donald D. Hearn et al., 17

 Spline Specifications (Contd.)

01-05-2021 Ref: Computer Graphics with OpenGL by Donald D. Hearn et al., 18

 Spline Specifications (Contd.)

• Blending functions or basis function

01-05-2021 Ref: Computer Graphics with OpenGL by Donald D. Hearn et al., 19

 Spline Surfaces
• A spline surface is to specify two sets of spline curves using a mesh of
control points
• The spline-curve blending functions

01-05-2021 Ref: Computer Graphics with OpenGL by Donald D. Hearn et al., 20

 Cubic-Spline Interpolation Methods
• Used to set up paths for object motions
• Cubic splines require less calculations and storage space, and they are
more stable
• Cubic interpolation splines are obtained by fitting the input points
with a piecewise cubic polynomial curve that passes through every
control point

01-05-2021 Ref: Computer Graphics with OpenGL by Donald D. Hearn et al., 21

 Cubic-Spline Interpolation (Contd.)
• The parametric cubic polynomial that is to be fitted between each
pair of control points

• We need to determine the values for the four coefficients a, b, c, and

d in the polynomial representation

01-05-2021 Ref: Computer Graphics with OpenGL by Donald D. Hearn et al., 22

 Natural Cubic Splines
• Two adjacent curve sections have the same first and second
parametric derivatives at their common boundary
• Each curve must pass through the control point
• If we have n+1 control points, then we have “n” curve sections with a
total of 4n polynomial coefficients to be determined

01-05-2021 Ref: Computer Graphics with OpenGL by Donald D. Hearn et al., 23

 Hermite Interpolation
• It is an interpolating piecewise cubic polynomial
• Hermite splines can be adjusted locally because each curve section
depends only on its endpoint constraints

01-05-2021 Ref: Computer Graphics with OpenGL by Donald D. Hearn et al., 24

 Hermite Interpolation(Contd.)

01-05-2021 Ref: Computer Graphics with OpenGL by Donald D. Hearn et al., 25

 Hermite Interpolation(Contd.)
• We can write the vector equivalent

• The matrix equivalent of equation is

01-05-2021 Ref: Computer Graphics with OpenGL by Donald D. Hearn et al., 26

 Hermite Interpolation(Contd.)
• Substituting endpoint values 0 and 1 for parameter “u”

01-05-2021 Ref: Computer Graphics with OpenGL by Donald D. Hearn et al., 27

 Hermite Interpolation(Contd.)
• Substituting endpoint values 0 and 1 for parameter “u”

01-05-2021 Ref: Computer Graphics with OpenGL by Donald D. Hearn et al., 28

 Hermite Interpolation(Contd.)

01-05-2021 Ref: Computer Graphics with OpenGL by Donald D. Hearn et al., 29

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 Hermite Interpolation(Contd.)
• We can determine expressions for the polynomial Hermite blending
functions

01-05-2021 Ref: Computer Graphics with OpenGL by Donald D. Hearn et al., 31

 Hermite Interpolation(Contd.)

01-05-2021 Ref: Computer Graphics with OpenGL by Donald D. Hearn et al., 32

 Bézier Spline Curves
• This method was developed by the French engineer Pierre Bézier for
use in the design of Renault automobile bodies
• Highly useful and convenient for curve and surface
• Easy to implement
• A Bézier curve section can be fitted to any number of control points

01-05-2021 Ref: Computer Graphics with OpenGL by Donald D. Hearn et al., 33

 Bézier Curve Equations

01-05-2021 Ref: Computer Graphics with OpenGL by Donald D. Hearn et al., 34

 Bézier Curve (Contd.)

01-05-2021 Ref: Computer Graphics with OpenGL by Donald D. Hearn et al., 35

 Bézier Curve (Contd.)

01-05-2021 Ref: Computer Graphics with OpenGL by Donald D. Hearn et al., 36

 Bézier Curve (Contd.)

01-05-2021 Ref: Computer Graphics with OpenGL by Donald D. Hearn et al., 37

 Bézier Curve (Contd.)

01-05-2021 Ref: Computer Graphics with OpenGL by Donald D. Hearn et al., 38

 Properties of Bézier Curves
• Bézier curve is that connects the first and last control points

• Values for the parametric first derivatives of a Bézier curve at the

endpoints can be calculated from control-point coordinates as

01-05-2021 Ref: Computer Graphics with OpenGL by Donald D. Hearn et al., 39

 Properties of Bézier Curves (Contd.)
• The parametric second derivatives of a Bézier curve at the endpoints
are calculated as

• Bézier curve is that it lies within the convex hull of the control point
• Bézier blending functions are all positive and their sum is always 1:

01-05-2021 Ref: Computer Graphics with OpenGL by Donald D. Hearn et al., 40

 Design Techniques Using Bézier Curves
• A closed Bézier curve is generated when we set the last control-point
position to the coordinate position of the first control point

01-05-2021 Ref: Computer Graphics with OpenGL by Donald D. Hearn et al., 41

 Cubic Bézier Curves
• Many graphics packages provide functions for displaying only cubic
splines
• Cubic Bézier curves are generated with four control points
• The four blending functions for cubic Bézier curves

01-05-2021 Ref: Computer Graphics with OpenGL by Donald D. Hearn et al., 42

 Cubic Bézier Curves (Contd.)

01-05-2021 Ref: Computer Graphics with OpenGL by Donald D. Hearn et al., 43

 Cubic Bézier Curves (Contd.)

(a-b)^3=a^3-b^3-3a^2b+3ab^2

01-05-2021 Ref: Computer Graphics with OpenGL by Donald D. Hearn et al., 44

 Cubic Bézier Curves (Contd.)

01-05-2021 Ref: Computer Graphics with OpenGL by Donald D. Hearn et al., 45

 Cubic Bézier Curves (Contd.)
• At u=1, the only nonzero function is BEZ3,3(1)=1
• A cubic Bézier curve always begins at control point p0 and ends at the
position of control point p3
• Blending function BEZ1,3 is maximized at u=1/3, and BEZ2,3 is
maximized at u=2/3

01-05-2021 Ref: Computer Graphics with OpenGL by Donald D. Hearn et al., 46

 Cubic Bézier Curves (Contd.)

01-05-2021 Ref: Computer Graphics with OpenGL by Donald D. Hearn et al., 47

 Cubic Bézier Curves (Contd.)
• A matrix formulation for the cubic-Bézier curve function is

01-05-2021 Ref: Computer Graphics with OpenGL by Donald D. Hearn et al., 48

 Bézier Surfaces
• Two sets of orthogonal Bézier curves can be used to design an object
surface
• Bézier blending functions

01-05-2021 Ref: Computer Graphics with OpenGL by Donald D. Hearn et al., 49

 Bézier Surfaces (Contd.)

01-05-2021 Ref: Computer Graphics with OpenGL by Donald D. Hearn et al., 50

 Problem - Bézier
• Construct the Bézier curve of order 3 and with 4 polygon vertices
A(1,1), B(2,3), C(4,3) and D(6,4)

01-05-2021 Ref: Computer Graphics with OpenGL by Donald D. Hearn et al., 51

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 Problem – Bezier

01-05-2021 Ref: Computer Graphics with OpenGL by Donald D. Hearn et al., 54

 Problem – Bezier

01-05-2021 Ref: Computer Graphics with OpenGL by Donald D. Hearn et al., 55

 Problem – Bezier
• Find equation of Bezier curve which passes through points (0, 0) and
(-2, 1) and is controlled through points (7, 5) and (2, 0).

01-05-2021 Ref: Computer Graphics with OpenGL by Donald D. Hearn et al., 56

 Problem – Bezier

01-05-2021 Ref: Computer Graphics with OpenGL by Donald D. Hearn et al., 57

 B-Spline Curves
• B-splines are generated by approximating a set of control points
• B-splines have two advantages over Bézier splines
1) the degree of a B-spline polynomial can be set independently of the
number of control points
2) B-splines allow local control over the shape of a spline

01-05-2021 Ref: Computer Graphics with OpenGL by Donald D. Hearn et al., 58

 B-Spline Curve Equations
• B-spline curve using a blending-function formulation as

01-05-2021 Ref: Computer Graphics with OpenGL by Donald D. Hearn et al., 59

 B-Spline Curve Equations (Contd.)

n=

01-05-2021 Ref: Computer Graphics with OpenGL by Donald D. Hearn et al., 60

d=4; k varying from 0 to 3
u0=0;u1=1;u2=2;u3=3;.... u7=7

B-Spline Curve Equations (Contd.)

01-05-2021 Ref: Computer Graphics with OpenGL by Donald D. Hearn et al., 61

 B-Spline Curve Equations (Contd.)

01-05-2021 Ref: Computer Graphics with OpenGL by Donald D. Hearn et al., 62

 B-Spline Curve Equations (Contd.)

01-05-2021 Ref: Computer Graphics with OpenGL by Donald D. Hearn et al., 63

 B-Spline Curve Equations (Contd.)

01-05-2021 Ref: Computer Graphics with OpenGL by Donald D. Hearn et al., 64

d=1; k varying from 0 to 6

B-Spline Curve Equations (Contd.)

01-05-2021 Ref: Computer Graphics with OpenGL by Donald D. Hearn et al., 65

 B-Spline Curve Equations (Contd.)

01-05-2021 Ref: Computer Graphics with OpenGL by Donald D. Hearn et al., 66

 B-Spline Curve Equations (Contd.)

01-05-2021 Ref: Computer Graphics with OpenGL by Donald D. Hearn et al., 67

 B-Spline Curve Equations (Contd.)

01-05-2021 Ref: Computer Graphics with OpenGL by Donald D. Hearn et al., 68

 B-Spline Curve Equations (Contd.)

01-05-2021 Ref: Computer Graphics with OpenGL by Donald D. Hearn et al., 69

 B-Spline Curve Equations (Contd.)

01-05-2021 Ref: Computer Graphics with OpenGL by Donald D. Hearn et al., 70

 B-Spline Curve Equations (Contd.)

01-05-2021 Ref: Computer Graphics with OpenGL by Donald D. Hearn et al., 71

 B-Spline Curve Equations (Contd.)

01-05-2021 Ref: Computer Graphics with OpenGL by Donald D. Hearn et al., 72

 B-Spline Curve (Contd.)
• Each subinterval endpoint uj is referred to as a knot, and the entire
set of selected subinterval endpoints is called a knot vector

01-05-2021 Ref: Computer Graphics with OpenGL by Donald D. Hearn et al., 73

 B-Spline Properties

01-05-2021 Ref: Computer Graphics with OpenGL by Donald D. Hearn et al., 74

 Uniform Periodic B-Spline Curves
• When the spacing between knot values is constant, the resulting
curve is called a uniform B-spline
• Example:

• Many applications have uniform knot values with a separation of 1

and a starting value of 0

01-05-2021 Ref: Computer Graphics with OpenGL by Donald D. Hearn et al., 75

 Uniform Periodic B-Spline (Contd.)
• Uniform B-splines have periodic blending functions

01-05-2021 Ref: Computer Graphics with OpenGL by Donald D. Hearn et al., 76

 B-Spline Surfaces
• B-spline surface is similar to that for Bézier splines
• B-spline surface can be created by using the tensor product of
B-spline blending functions in the form

01-05-2021 Ref: Computer Graphics with OpenGL by Donald D. Hearn et al., 77

 OpenGL Curve Functions

• A coordinate position along the curve path is calculated with

01-05-2021 Ref: Computer Graphics with OpenGL by Donald D. Hearn et al., 78

 OpenGL Curve Functions (Contd.)
• OpenGL provides the following functions, which we can use to
produce a set of uniformly spaced parameter values

• OpenGL Bézier-surface routines are accomplished with

01-05-2021 Ref: Computer Graphics with OpenGL by Donald D. Hearn et al., 79

 References
• Donald D. Hearn, M. Pauline Baker and Warren Carithers, “Computer
Graphics with OpenGL”, Pearson Education, Fourth Edition, 2011.

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