What is Computer Graphics?

Computer graphics is the process of creating, altering, storing, and presenting images on a computer. Computer graphics has made life easier and more exciting.

Presentation and user interface rely heavily on computer graphics. Old, time-consuming command line interfaces have given way to new, exciting Graphical User Interfaces (GUI). GUI provides program users with a quick and simple interface.

Why graphics is so important?

Computers have long been an integral aspect of efficient and cost-effective image production and processing. Graphics processing has become more efficient and cost-effective as computer technology has advanced.

Today, the definition of computer graphics extends beyond the types of scenes that may be exhibited or the types of images that can be generated with the aid of a computer. In general, computer graphics has impacted practically every field, including education, animation, entertainment, film industry, fine arts, gaming, engineering, training, advertisement, medicine, statistical representation, and many more.

Multiple users may easily control concurrent applications such as text editors, code editors, entertainment tools, and so on, thanks to the GUI. Computer graphics began with the display of data on hard copy display devices such as plotters, printers, and subsequently Cathode Ray Tubes (CRT). Computer graphics applications have now been expanded to display technologies such as Light Emitting Diodes (LED), Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), electroluminescent display, flat CRTs, and so on.

State the motivating factors to computer graphics.

Instead of plain dull textual data, people prefer to analyze monthly or annual statistics in the form of graphs, tables, or charts.

Prior to a couple of decades, computer graphics application areas were limited due to inefficient and expensive technology. However, as digital systems and personal computers evolve, there is a flood of low-cost graphics-based applications and devices.

To create a realistic environment, computer graphics executes different operations on objects such as translation, rotation, scaling, reflection, shearing, hidden surface removal, texture mapping, shading, and so on.

List the categories into which computer graphics operations can be subdivided.

Computer graphics operations are classed as follows:

• Geometry: How to draw and depict a scene
• Animation: Adding dynamic stuff to the scene
• Rendering: How to add realistic lighting to your scene
• Imaging: Image acquisition and editing

List the fundamental two types of computer graphics

Computer graphics can be divided into two groups based on human interaction and control:

• Passive computer graphics
• Active computer graphics

What exactly do you mean when you say Active Computer Graphics? 

It is also known as interactive computer graphics or on-line computer graphics.

It is dynamic and allows for two-way communication. Input devices such as a mouse or a keyboard are used to control displays. The graphics react to what the user interacts with them. It may change the color of the area clicked by the user, or it may do some processing on selected data, and so on.

Playing games is a type of interactive computer graphics.

What is passive computer graphics? 

It is also known as non-interactive computer graphics or offline computer graphics.

The user has no control over the exhibited scene in passive computer graphics. It signifies that the user is unable to change the scene displayed on the screen. Passive computer graphics include the content of a static web site and the logo broadcast on a television channel.

This sort of graphics only allows for one-way communication. When the user tries to interact with the graphic, nothing happens

Additional Reading: Read article on Computer vision for interactive computer graphics