Computer Graphics Tutorial

It is difficult to display an image of any size on the

computer screen. This method is simplified by using
Computer graphics. Graphics on the computer are produced
by using various algorithms and techniques. This tutorial
describes how a rich visual experience is provided to the
user by explaining how all these processed by the computer.

Introduction of Computer Graphics

Computer Graphics involves technology to access. The
Process transforms and presents information in a visual
form. The role of computer graphics insensible. In today life,
computer graphics has now become a common element in
user interfaces, T.V. commercial motion pictures.

Computer Graphics is the creation of pictures with the help

of a computer. The end product of the computer graphics is a
picture it may be a business graph, drawing, and
engineering.

In computer graphics, two or three-dimensional pictures can

be created that are used for research. Many hardware
devices algorithm has been developing for improving the
speed of picture generation with the passes of time. It
includes the creation storage of models and image of
objects. These models for various fields like engineering,
mathematical and so on.

Today computer graphics is entirely different from the earlier

one. It is not possible. It is an interactive user can control the
structure of an object of various input devices.

Definition of Computer Graphics:

It is the use of computers to create and manipulate pictures
on a display device. It comprises of software techniques to
create, store, modify, represents pictures.

Why computer graphics used?

Suppose a shoe manufacturing company want to show the
sale of shoes for five years. For this vast amount of
information is to store. So a lot of time and memory will be
needed. This method will be tough to understand by a
common man. In this situation graphics is a better
alternative. Graphics tools are charts and graphs. Using
graphs, data can be represented in pictorial form. A picture
can be understood easily just with a single look.

Application of Computer Graphics

1. Education and Training: Computer-generated model of
the physical, financial and economic system is often used as
educational aids. Model of physical systems, physiological
system, population trends or equipment can help trainees to
understand the operation of the system.

For some training applications, particular systems are

designed. For example Flight Simulator.

2.Flight Simulator: It helps in giving training to the pilots of

airplanes. These pilots spend much of their training not in a
real aircraft but on the ground at the controls of a Flight
Simulator.

Advantages:
1 Fuel Saving
2 Safety
3 Ability to familiarize the training with a large number of
the world's airports.

2. Use in Biology: Molecular biologist can display a picture

of molecules and gain insight into their structure with the
help of computer graphics.

3. Computer-Generated Maps: Town planners and

transportation engineers can use computer-generated maps
which display data useful to them in their planning work.

4. Architect: Architect can explore an alternative solution to

design problems at an interactive graphics terminal. In this
way, they can test many more solutions that would not be
possible without the computer.

5. Presentation Graphics: Example of presentation

Graphics are bar charts, line graphs, pie charts and other
displays showing relationships between multiple parameters.
Presentation Graphics is commonly used to summarize

o Financial Reports
o Statistical Reports
o Mathematical Reports
o Scientific Reports
o Economic Data for research reports
o Managerial Reports
o Consumer Information Bulletins
o And other types of reports

6. Computer Art: Computer Graphics are also used in the

field of commercial arts. It is used to generate television and
advertising commercial.

7. Entertainment: Computer Graphics are now commonly

used in making motion pictures, music videos and television
shows.

8. Visualization: It is used for visualization of scientists,

engineers, medical personnel, business analysts for the
study of a large amount of information.

9. Educational Software: Computer Graphics is used in the

development of educational software for making computer-
aided instruction.

10. Printing Technology: Computer Graphics is used for

printing technology and textile design.

Example of Computer Graphics Packages:

1. LOGO
2. COREL DRAW
3. AUTO CAD
4. 3D STUDIO
5. CORE
6. GKS (Graphics Kernel System)
7. PHIGS
8. CAM (Computer Graphics Metafile)
9. CGI (Computer Graphics Interface)

Interactive and Passive Graphics

(a) Non-Interactive or Passive Computer Graphics:

In non-interactive computer graphics, the picture is produced

on the monitor, and the user does not have any controlled
over the image, i.e., the user cannot make any change in the
rendered image. One example of its Titles shown on T.V.
Non-interactive Graphics involves only one-way
communication between the computer and the user, User
can see the produced image, and he cannot make any
change in the image.

(b) Interactive Computer Graphics:

In interactive Computer Graphics user have some controls

over the picture, i.e., the user can make any change in the
produced image. One example of it is the ping-pong game.

Interactive Computer Graphics require two-way

communication between the computer and the user. A User
can see the image and make any change by sending his
command with an input device.

Advantages:
4 Higher Quality
5 More precise results or products
6 Greater Productivity
7 Lower analysis and design cost
8 Significantly enhances our ability to understand data
and to perceive trends.

Cathode Ray Tube (CRT):

CRT stands for Cathode Ray Tube. CRT is a technology
used in traditional computer monitors and televisions. The
image on CRT display is created by firing electrons from the
back of the tube of phosphorus located towards the front of
the screen.

Once the electron heats the phosphorus, they light up, and
they are projected on a screen. The color you view on the
screen is produced by a blend of red, blue and green light.
Components of CRT:
Main Components of CRT are:

1. Electron Gun: Electron gun consisting of a series of

elements, primarily a heating filament (heater) and a
cathode. The electron gun creates a source of electrons
which are focused into a narrow beam directed at the face of
the CRT.

2. Control Electrode: It is used to turn the electron beam on

and off.

3. Focusing system: It is used to create a clear picture by

focusing the electrons into a narrow beam.

4. Deflection Yoke: It is used to control the direction of the

electron beam. It creates an electric or magnetic field which
will bend the electron beam as it passes through the area. In
a conventional CRT, the yoke is linked to a sweep or scan
generator. The deflection yoke which is connected to the
sweep generator creates a fluctuating electric or magnetic
potential.

5. Phosphorus-coated screen: The inside front surface of

every CRT is coated with phosphors. Phosphors glow when
a high-energy electron beam hits them. Phosphorescence is
the term used to characterize the light given off by a
phosphor after it has been exposed to an electron beam.

Random Scan and Raster Scan Display:

Random Scan Display:
Random Scan System uses an electron beam which
operates like a pencil to create a line image on the CRT
screen. The picture is constructed out of a sequence of
straight-line segments. Each line segment is drawn on the
screen by directing the beam to move from one point on the
screen to the next, where its x & y coordinates define each
point. After drawing the picture. The system cycles back to
the first line and design all the lines of the image 30 to 60
time each second. The process is shown in fig:
Random-scan monitors are also known as vector displays or
stroke-writing displays or calligraphic displays.

Advantages:
9 A CRT has the electron beam directed only to the parts
of the screen where an image is to be drawn.
10 Produce smooth line drawings.
11 High Resolution

Disadvantages:
12 Random-Scan monitors cannot display realistic shades
scenes.

Raster Scan Display:

A Raster Scan Display is based on intensity control of pixels
in the form of a rectangular box called Raster on the screen.
Information of on and off pixels is stored in refresh buffer or
Frame buffer. Televisions in our house are based on Raster
Scan Method. The raster scan system can store information
 of each pixel position, so it is suitable for realistic display of
objects. Raster Scan provides a refresh rate of 60 to 80
frames per second.

Frame Buffer is also known as Raster or bit map. In Frame

Buffer the positions are called picture elements or pixels.
Beam refreshing is of two types. First is horizontal retracing
and second is vertical retracing. When the beam starts from
the top left corner and reaches the bottom right scale, it will
again return to the top left side called at vertical retrace.

Advantages:
13 Realistic image
14 Million Different colors to be generated
15 Shadow Scenes are possible.

Disadvantages:
16 Low Resolution
17 Expensive

Differentiate between Random and Raster Scan Display:

Random Scan Raster Scan

1. It has high Resolution 1. Its resolution is low.

2. It is more expensive 2. It is less expensive
3. Any modification if needed is easy 3.Modification is tough
4. Solid pattern is tough to fill 4.Solid pattern is easy to fill
5. Refresh rate depends or resolution 5. Refresh rate does not depend on t
picture.
6. Only screen with view on an area is 6. Whole screen is scanned.
displayed.
7. Beam Penetration technology come 7. Shadow mark technology ca
under it. under this.
8. It does not use interlacing method. 8. It uses interlacing
9. It is restricted to line drawing 9. It is suitable for realistic display.
applications

Color CRT Monitors:

The CRT Monitor display by using a combination of
phosphors. The phosphors are different colors. There are
two popular approaches for producing color displays with a
CRT are:

18 Beam Penetration Method

19 Shadow-Mask Method

1. Beam Penetration Method:

The Beam-Penetration method has been used with random-

scan monitors. In this method, the CRT screen is coated with
two layers of phosphor, red and green and the displayed
color depends on how far the electron beam penetrates the
phosphor layers. This method produces four colors only, red,
green, orange and yellow. A beam of slow electrons excites
the outer red layer only; hence screen shows red color only.
A beam of high-speed electrons excites the inner green
layer. Thus screen shows a green
Advantages:
20 Inexpensive

Disadvantages:
21 Only four colors are possible
22 Quality of pictures is not as good as with another
method.

2. Shadow-Mask Method:
23 Shadow Mask Method is commonly used in Raster-
Scan System because they produce a much wider range of
colors than the beam-penetration method.
24 It is used in the majority of color TV sets and monitors.

Construction: A shadow mask CRT has 3 phosphor color

dots at each pixel position.

 One phosphor dot emits: red light

 Another emits: green light
 Third emits: blue light
This type of CRT has 3 electron guns, one for each color dot
and a shadow mask grid just behind the phosphor coated
screen.

Shadow mask grid is pierced with small round holes in a

triangular pattern.

Figure shows the delta-delta shadow mask method

commonly used in color CRT system.

Working: Triad arrangement of red, green, and blue guns.

The deflection system of the CRT operates on all 3 electron

beams simultaneously; the 3 electron beams are deflected
and focused as a group onto the shadow mask, which
contains a sequence of holes aligned with the phosphor- dot
patterns.

When the three beams pass through a hole in the shadow

mask, they activate a dotted triangle, which occurs as a
small color spot on the screen.
The phosphor dots in the triangles are organized so that
each electron beam can activate only its corresponding color
dot when it passes through the shadow mask.

Advantage:
1. Realistic image
2. Million different colors to be generated
3. Shadow scenes are possible

Disadvantage:
4. Relatively expensive compared with the monochrome
CRT.
5. Relatively poor resolution
6. Convergence Problem

Flat Panel Display:

The Flat-Panel display refers to a class of video devices that
have reduced volume, weight and power requirement
compare to CRT.

Example: Small T.V. monitor, calculator, pocket video

games, laptop computers, an advertisement board in
elevator.
1. Emissive Display: The emissive displays are devices that
convert electrical energy into light. Examples are Plasma
Panel, thin film electroluminescent display and LED (Light
Emitting Diodes).

2. Non-Emissive Display: The Non-Emissive displays use

optical effects to convert sunlight or light from some other
source into graphics patterns. Examples are LCD (Liquid
Crystal Device).

Plasma Panel Display:

Plasma-Panels are also called as Gas-Discharge Display. It
consists of an array of small lights. Lights are fluorescent in
nature. The essential components of the plasma-panel
display are:

7. Cathode: It consists of fine wires. It delivers negative

voltage to gas cells. The voltage is released along with
the negative axis.
8. Anode: It also consists of line wires. It delivers positive
voltage. The voltage is supplied along positive axis.
9. Fluorescent cells: It consists of small pockets of gas
liquids when the voltage is applied to this liquid (neon
gas) it emits light.
10. Glass Plates: These plates act as capacitors. The
voltage will be applied, the cell will glow continuously.

The gas will slow when there is a significant voltage

difference between horizontal and vertical wires. The voltage
level is kept between 90 volts to 120 volts. Plasma level
does not require refreshing. Erasing is done by reducing the
voltage to 90 volts.

Each cell of plasma has two states, so cell is said to be

stable. Displayable point in plasma panel is made by the
crossing of the horizontal and vertical grid. The resolution of
the plasma panel can be up to 512 * 512 pixels.

Advantage:
 High Resolution
 Large screen size is also possible.
 Less Volume
 Less weight
 Flicker Free Display

Disadvantage:
 Poor Resolution
 Wiring requirement anode and the cathode is complex.
 Its addressing is also complex.

LED (Light Emitting Diode):

In an LED, a matrix of diodes is organized to form the pixel
positions in the display and picture definition is stored in a
refresh buffer. Data is read from the refresh buffer and
converted to voltage levels that are applied to the diodes to
produce the light pattern in the display.

LCD (Liquid Crystal Display):

Liquid Crystal Displays are the devices that produce a
picture by passing polarized light from the surroundings or
from an internal light source through a liquid-crystal material
that transmits the light.

LCD uses the liquid-crystal material between two glass

plates; each plate is the right angle to each other between
plates liquid is filled. One glass plate consists of rows of
conductors arranged in vertical direction. Another glass plate
is consisting of a row of conductors arranged in horizontal
direction. The pixel position is determined by the intersection
of the vertical & horizontal conductor. This position is an
active part of the screen.

Liquid crystal display is temperature dependent. It is

between zero to seventy degree Celsius. It is flat and
requires very little power to operate.

Advantage:
1. Low power consumption.
2. Small Size
3. Low Cost

Disadvantage:
4. LCDs are temperature-dependent (0-70°C)
5. LCDs do not emit light; as a result, the image has very
little contrast.
6. LCDs have no color capability.
7. The resolution is not as good as that of a CRT.

Three Dimensional Graphics

The three-dimensional transformations are extensions of
two-dimensional transformation. In 2D two coordinates are
used, i.e., x and y whereas in 3D three co-ordinates x, y, and
z are used.

For three dimensional images and objects, three-

dimensional transformations are needed. These are
translations, scaling, and rotation. These are also called as
basic transformations are represented using matrix. More
complex transformations are handled using matrix in 3D.
The 2D can show two-dimensional objects. Like the Bar
chart, pie chart, graphs. But some more natural objects can
be represented using 3D. Using 3D, we can see different
shapes of the object in different

n 3D when a translation is done we need three factors for

rotation also, it is a component of three rotations. Each can
be performed along any three Cartesian axis. In 3D also we
can represent a sequence of transformations as a single
matrix.

Computer Graphics uses CAD. CAD allows manipulation of

machine components which are 3 Dimensional. It also
provides automobile bodies, aircraft parts study. All these
activities require realism. For realism 3D is required. In the
production of a realistic 3D scene from 2D is tough. It require
three dimension, i.e., depth.

3D Geometry
Three dimension system has three axis x, y, z. The
orientation of a 3D coordinate system is of two types. Right-
handed system and left-handed system.

In the right -handed system thumb of right- hand points to

positive z-direction and left- hand system thumb point to
negative two directions. Following figure show right-hand
orientation of the cube.
Using right-handed system co-ordinates of corners A, B, C,
D of the cube

Point A x, y, z
Point B x, y, 0
Point C 0, y, 0
Point D 0, y, z

Producing realism in 3D: The three-dimensional objects

are made using computer graphics. The technique used for
two Dimensional displays of three Dimensional objects is
called projection. Several types of projection are available,
i.e.,

 Parallel Projection
 Perspective Projection
 Orthographic Projection
1. Parallel Projection: In this projection point on the screen
is identified within a point in the three-dimensional object by
a line perpendicular to the display screen. The architect
Drawing, i.e., plan, front view, side view, elevation are
nothing but lines of parallel projections.

2. Perspective Projection: This projection has a property

that it provides idea about depth. Farther the object from the
viewer, smaller it will appear. All lines in perspective
projection converge at a center point called as the center of
projection.

3. Orthographic Projection: It is simplest kind of projection.

In this, we take a top, bottom, side view of the object by
extracting parallel lines from the object.

Three Dimensional Models

The techniques for generating different images of a solid
object depend upon the type of object. Two viewing
techniques are available for viewing three-dimensional
objects.

1. Geometry: It is concerned with measurements.

Measurement is the location of a point concerning origin
or dimension of an object.
2. Topological Information: It is used for the structure of a
solid object. It is mainly concerned with the formation of
polygons with the help of points of objects or the creation
of the object with polygons.

Hard Copy Devices

Introduction: Hard copy device or output devices accept
data from a computer and converted them into a form which
is suitable for use by the user.
Basic output devices include the:

 Monitors
 Printers
 Plotters

1. Monitors: Alternatively referred to as a video display

terminal (VDT) and video display unit (VDU), monitors
are video display screen and the hard shell that holds it.
In its most common usage, monitor refers only to devices
that contain no electronic equipment other than what is
essentially needed to display and adjust the
characteristics of an image.

Like most TVs, the computer monitor has a CRT (Cathode

Ray Tube) that is found inside the computer monitor as
illustrated in the picture to the right. The CRT is the main
component and most expensive part within your computer.

Display device includes:

1. CRT monitors,
2. LCD monitors and displays,
3. Gas plasma monitors,
4. Televisions

Printers:Printers are the most commonly used output

devices for producing hard copy output.

The various types of printers in used today are

 Dot-Matrix Printers
 Inkjet Printers
 Drum Printers
 Laser Printers
Dot-Matrix Printers: A dot matrix printer or impact matrix
printer is a type of computer printer with a print head that
runs back and forth, or in an up and down motion, on the
page and prints by impact, striking an ink-soaked cloth
ribbon against the paper, much like a typewriter. Unlike a
typewriter or daisy wheel printer, letters are drawn out of a
dot matrix, and thus, varied fonts and arbitrary graphics can
be produced. Because the printing involves mechanical
pressure, these printers can create carbon copies and
carbonless copies.

Each dot is produced by a tiny metal rod, also called a "wire"

or "pin", which is driven forward by the power of a tiny
electromagnet or solenoid, either directly or through small
levers. Facing the ribbon and the paper is a small guide plate
(often made of an artificial jewel such as sapphire or ruby)
pierced with holes to serve as guides for the pins. The
moving portion of the printer is called the print head, and
when running the printer as a generic text device generally
prints one line of text at a time. Most dot matrix printers have
a single vertical line of dot-making equipment on their print
heads; others have a few interleaved rows in order to
improve dot density.

Inkjet Printers: Inkjet printers form characters and images

by spraying small drops of ink on to the paper. They are the
most common type of computer printer for the general user
due to their low cost, high quality of output, capability of
printing in different colors, and ease of use.If you ever look at
a piece of paper that has come out of an inkjet printer, you
know that:

25 The dots are extremely small, so small that they are

tinier than the diameter of a human hair (70 microns).
26 The dots are positioned very precisely, with resolutions
of up to 1440x720 dots per inch.
27 The dots can have different colors combined together to
create photo-quality images.