Class 12: How 3D Computer Graphics Work

3D computer graphics has a lot of background that goes into it before displaying its final images. In today's world 3D graphics is commonly used within different video graphics. Most displayed while playing a video game, playing a virtual game on the computer or even going out to watch a 3D movie in theaters.

                                                        
3D geometry is when vertices are connected to make the 3D image. Vertex points is the corner point that is center to interesting two or more lines. When wanting to expand an object or make it bigger that vertex point will help achieve that. Vertices is another way of saying vertex but plural. It has the same meaning as Vertex points in which it is center to intersecting lines. But when referring to vertices it implies many different angles that are intersecting lines. Vectors are lines made as the first structure to making a 3D image. For example like the picture below.  The lines created the final result of that 3D object and the object is clearly seen.

                                            
Polygon in computer graphics is used to create an image and is modified by angling the vertices. It is common that triangular polygons are used when creating a 3D image. Polygon Mesh is a collection of the polygons that connect through the vertices. The polygon mesh is the structure to making the 3D image before the final image is displayed. The image below is  an example of Polygon Mesh if you look closely it is clear to see the different triangular polygons angled together to make this 3D form of a dolphin.

                          
Normal simply means that it is perpendicular to the polygon and plays a big role for lighting. Lighting is a great quality used when the 3D object is already made. It gives the affect to the changes made when a 3D object is moving. Another way to understand how lighting plays a big role for 3D objects is that it separates the foreground (which is the front view of the picture) from the background.


 Shading is a type of lighting technique used in computer graphic. Each polygon is shaded in different colors to give the affect from different angles of the 3D object. For example in the dolphin picture above not all the polygons are shaded one color. The belly of the dolphin is shaded dark grey and parts of the body has a lighter grey to a darker grey affect to it. Texture map is the type of surface in a 3D object. In the image below it shows the texture map of bricks and once added to the 3D image it looks as though it is an actual brick wall on the 3D object.