Introductory computer graphics courses concentrate on
approximate solutions to the problem of rendering, such as
pinhole cameras and local illumination models.
This course goes farther, and covers techniques for making
realistic, complex and beautiful images. Among the topics
presented are:
- Radiometry
- Mathematical formulations of how light is generated and
transported
- Optics
- The physics of light reflection and refraction, and their
application to lenses
- Cameras
- Realistic camera models, including depth of field, motion
blur and exposure
- Reflection
- Reflection functions (BRDF's), anisotropy and microscopic
surface models
- Ray Tracing
- Ray-object intersections, CSG, acceleration
techniques
- Global Illumination
- Rendering equation, radiosity equation, form factors,
radiosity solvers
- Textures
- Adding surface detail, bump maps, displacement maps
- Sampling
- Filtering, sampling patterns, discrepancy