3-D computer graphics

3-D computer graphics is a field within computer graphics focused on creating and displaying three-dimensional images. It involves modeling objects as sets of polygons, smoothing edges, and applying textures to achieve realism. Key computational tasks include rendering (creating the image), modeling (defining the 3-D objects), animation (making objects move), and visualization (interpreting data visually).12

Early methods used vector graphics to draw lines, but raster graphics, representing images as pixels, became more common. For 3-D, objects are often represented by polygons, and techniques like Bezier curves and B-splines are used for smoother shapes. Rendering involves complex processes like hidden surface elimination, shading, and texturing to simulate how light interacts with surfaces. Advanced techniques like ray tracing and radiosity further enhance realism but are computationally intensive. Machine learning is now used to improve rendering efficiency.1