3D Computer Graphics [Hardcover]

Alan Watt (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1993

This second edition of this text has all-new materials covering modelling and representation, viewing systems, parametric representation and scientific visualization. The book has been revised throughout to reflect new developments in the field.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Alan Watt's 3D Computer Graphics is an easy-to-read introduction to the subject, written by a computer graphics expert. The book does not cover animation, but instead focuses on rendering three-dimensional objects. It covers the majority of the standard approaches and techniques in the field, including the Phong reflection model, b-splines, texture mapping, and affine transformations. In the appendix, a full vertex table for the Utah Teapot--a famous example in the field of computer graphics--gives you the opportunity to experiment with your own ideas on the same test bed used by research scientists.

From the Back Cover

The third edition of this book continues to focus on the 3D aspects of computer graphics, and reflects the growing demand for real-time applications such as games and virtual reality. It also includes new material on Visualization in Scientific Computing and graphics standards such as PHIGS. It deals with the processes involved in converting a mathematical or geometric description of an object -- a computer graphics model -- into a visualization -- a two-dimensional projection -- that simulates the appearance of a real object. Alan Watt provides students with a knowledge of complex and emerging topics in the field of computer graphics, including advances in rendering and new material on animation. This is an appropriate text for a first course on computer graphics at the Junior, Senior or graduate level.

Features

• NEW! Chapter on Advanced Radiosity
• NEW! Chapter on Animation
• NEW! Chapter on Precalculation Techniques
• NEW! Material about real-time applications for high complexity, such as progressive mesh optimization, BSP tree, precalculation techniques, and photo-modeling techniques
• Enhanced coverage of advances in rendering
• Complete revision of material on animation
• Includes a CD-ROM with a 400 image study and several computer graphics programs

0201398559B04062001 --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 508 pages
• Publisher: Addison-Wesley Pub (Sd); 2nd edition (September 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0201631865
• ISBN-13: 978-0201631869
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 7.6 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,184,404 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good, not great, April 7, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: 3D Computer Graphics (3rd Edition) (Hardcover)

I suppose if you've been around the block with respect to computer graphics, you could do very well with this book. Watt covers all sorts of topics- with ray tracing and radiosity providing a very large section of the text's coverage.

Unfortunately, for the beginner it's too overwhelming. There is relatively little coverage of linear algebra and the other mathematical basics needed for understanding much of what Watt is talking about. Often times, the author will mention a technique or subject of some sort about which a novice to the field will have no idea whatsoever. It gets confusing at times.

The chapters themselves are also organized in an "unusual" fashion- for instance, spline curves are introduced right at the beginning with an in-depth coverage sure to scare off anyone new to the field. More basic ideas- such as how 3d transformations actually work- are deferred until later chapters.

And while some chapters are quite well-written, the more advanced subjects (ray-tracing and radiosity) are often plunged into in-depth without enough preparation, leaving most readers scratching their heads as to what in the world is going on.

With all that said, Watt's book should prove useful to anyone reasonably familiar with 3D graphics who might be looking to understand more advanced concepts. It's a well-written book (aside from a few typos), just not one for the uninitiated.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent second book for graphics, November 18, 2000

By 

Peter S. Shirley (Salt Lake City, UT USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: 3D Computer Graphics (3rd Edition) (Hardcover)

The other reviews are right that this is not a beginner's book. However, it is a terrific book for those that are familiar with the basics of graphics and want to learn a very modern view of modeling and rendering. There are a few rough spots, but overall the book is well-written, nicely illustrated, and extremely up-to-date. Also, the author really seems to understand the material in both rendering and modeling. That alone makes the book a real treat.

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars No Better Book to Learn From, March 29, 2001

By 

"musicalbuzz" (Atlanta, GA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: 3D Computer Graphics (3rd Edition) (Hardcover)

Contrary to what the other reviews say, I believe this is an excellent book for beginners in the 3D computer graphics world. However, that being said, you will need some basic math skills to be able to understand and apply the concepts in this book. If you are unfamilar with linear algebra, you should probably start with studying up on your math skills first. With the basic math skills, this book does a great job of introducing the basics to almost every major topic you'll see in 3D computer graphics programming. The book doesn't go into great detail at times, but the simplicity of this book is the winning ingredient that allows beginners to grasp the basics before moving on to indepth research in paticular topics of 3D graphics that interest them.