CSc 472 / I0500
Computer Graphics

Course description

• OpenGL graphics library:
• Legacy OpenGL (<3.1), Shader-Based OpenGL (3.1+), GLSL
• Qt user interface library:
• Cross-platform software for implementing modern user interfaces for your homework projects
• Geometric objects and transformations:
• 3D primitives, coordinate systems, 2D/3D transformations
• 3D viewing:
• projections, affine transformations, perspective transformations, hidden surface removal
• Shading:
• light sources, flat shading, Gouraud shading, Phong shading, texture mapping
• Curves and surfaces:
• Hermite curves, Bezier curves, cubic B-splines

Course goals

• Understand the legacy and modern (shader-based) versions of OpenGL
• Understand the design and implementation of GUIs using Qt
• Understand geometric objects and their 2D/3D transformations
• Understand lighting, shading models, and texture mapping
• Understand specification and rendering of curves and surfaces
• Use programming assignments to reinforce the material covered in class.

Piazza

• This term we will be using Piazza for class discussion.
• The system is highly catered to getting you help fast and efficiently from classmates, the TA, and myself.
• Rather than emailing questions to the teaching staff, I encourage you to post your questions on Piazza.
• If you have any problems or feedback for the developers, email team@piazza.com.
• Find our class page here

Sample code

• Click here for code examples useful for homework and implementation details of algorithms discussed in lectures.

Homework submission

• Please follow the instructions here for turning in homework solutions.

Syllabus

Instructor

Teaching Assistant

Lectures

• CSc 472: Tuesday/Thursday, 2:00pm-3:15pm, Shepard 75

Required Textbook

• V. Scott Gordon and John Clevenger, Computer Graphics Programming in OpenGL with C++, 2nd Edition, Mercury Learning and Information, 2021.

Supplemental Notes

• Click here for supplemental notes.

Supplemental Videos

• Watch the brilliant linear algebra video series by 3Blue1Brown on Youtube. Here is the link.
• The videos provide an intuitive and animated deep-dive into topics such as linear transformations and matrices, matrix multiplication, coordinate transformations, and change of basis, which are all relevant to computer graphics and are explained by the creator of the video series.
• You are strongly recommended to watch all 16 episodes if you are interested in getting an in-depth look at linear algebra, which will give you an intuitive insight into computer graphics.
• The core set to watch for computer graphics is episodes 1-4 (3 being the most important) as well as episode 13. Play it at 1.25 speed for optimal playback.
• 3Blue1Brown created his own visualization software to animate his lessons, which extend beyond the linear algebra sessions mentioned above. He has videos on a wide variety of topics in math, which impacts graphics, image processing, neural networks for machine learning, and more. Definitely check them out!

Grading

• 4 programming projects (50%)
• Midterm exam (25%)
• Final exam (25%)
• Good class participation is a bonus