INF251 Computer Graphics

Introduction

This course (INF251) is an introduction to the field of computer graphics and it is targeted at students at the end of their Bachelor studies (or in the beginning of their Master studies). It is the most important preliminary for the UiB Master study programme in informatics with focus on visualization (MAMN-INFVI).

The field of computer graphics deals with the computational generation of images. This course introduces the basic concepts of computer graphics. It covers fundamental topics such as graphics representations and transformations, the viewing pipeline, visibility, lighting, and textures, as well as more advanced areas such as ray tracing and global illumination. The course provides the necessary theoretical background and demonstrates the application of computer science to graphics. It allows students to develop programming skills in computer graphics through practical assignments.

a	b	c

(a) photorealistic rendering of a scene including shadows, reflections, and transparent materials, (b) real-time rendering of a realistically illuminated building model, (c) computer graphics in the movies.

Course Structure

INF251 on computer graphics is composed of three main parts:

• Students attend a lecture of (max.) 4 hours per week. Schedule & room info is provided during the semester via Mitt UiB. Note:  attendance is very much recommended. It is difficult to successfully pass the exam, otherwise.
• Students also solve exercises and discuss the solutions in separate (weekly) meetings (max. 2 hours). Course exercises are provided during the semester. Students solve the exercises before the meeting – every student presents his/her solution. Lecture and exercises are accompanied by work on course assignments.
• Course assignments are provided at particular dates during the semester.

Material

The course uses the textbook Computer Graphics with OpenGL, 4th Edition by Donald Hearn, M. Pauline Baker, and Warren Carithers, Pearson, ISBN-10: 0136053580, ISBN-13: 9780136053583.

Additional material will be provided during the semester.

Semester(s)

Course INF251 on computer graphics is taught in fall.
Per-semester information for INF251 is available on Mitt UiB.

Language

INF251 on computer graphics is given in English.

Prerequisites

Three semesters of basics in informatics (from the Bachelor programme in informatics), esp. in programming, are required. The programming languages expected to be used for the course assignments are C/C++.

MAMN-INFVI Context

INF251 on computer graphics is a course in the UiB Master study programme in informatics with focus on visualization (MAMN-INFVI), but it may also be taken as an elective course already in the Bachelor studies of computer science. INF251 is an important basis for all of the Master studies on visualization.  However, it is also valuable on its own and with a focus on other application fields.