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From: wheelan@quiche.cs.mcgill.ca (Bill HEELAN)
Newsgroups: comp.graphics
Subject: Re: Books on graphics
Message-ID: <5033@quiche.cs.mcgill.ca>
Date: 26 Sep 90 05:55:56 GMT
References: <cavw=Xy00WAz00nlMs@andrew.cmu.edu>
Organization: SOCS, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
Lines: 57

ah2e+@andrew.cmu.edu (Aaron Noel Hughes):
> Can anybody recommend several books on graphics to an beginner? Any and
> all replies welcome.

   I've found the following to be a pretty good introduction:

      "Fundamentals of Three-Dimensional Computer Graphics"
         by Alan Watt
      Copyright 1989 by Addison-Wesley
      ~430 pages, ISBN 0-201-15442-0

   The chapters are:

      1 - Basic three-dimensional theory
      2 - A basic reflection model
      3 - A more advanced reflection model
      4 - Incremental shading techniques
      5 - The rendering process
      6 - Parametric representation of three-dimensional objects
      7 - Ray tracing
      8 - Advanced ray tracing
      9 - Diffuse illumination and the development of the radiosity method
      10 - Further realism: shadows, texture and environment mapping
      11 - Functionally based modelling
      12 - Anti-aliasing techniques
      13 - Three-dimensional animation
      14 - Colour science and computer graphics

      Appendix A - Viewing transformation for a simple four-parameter
                   viewing system
      Appendix B - A wireframe system
      Appendix C - An implementation of a renderer
      Appendix D - The Utah teapot [gives the data]
      Appendix E - Some theoretical concepts
      Appendix F - Highlight detection - the H test

   This concentrates mainly on rendering and the like (as opposed to
   constructing curves and surfaces, etc.).

   If you're interested in curves and surfaces, the following book is
   devoted to two and three-dimensional transformations, plane and space
   curves and "surface description and generation":

      "Mathematical Elements for Computer Graphics", 2nd edition
         by David F. Rogers and J. Alan Adams
      Copyright 1990, 1976 by McGraw-Hill
      ~600 pages, ISBN 0-07-053529-9
      (apparently also available in soft-cover)

   If the subject matter is what you're interested in, and you like examples
   this book may be for you.  It contains many numerical examples -- more
   than I've seen in most texts.

   Have fun!

                                                  - Bill
                                                  (wheelan@cs.mcgill.ca)