CMSC 435: Introduction to Computer Graphics

Syllabus

Place

Instructor

Alark Joshi
alark1 AT umbc.edu
Room ITE 352
(410) 455-8935
Office hours: Mon Wed 3:15-4:30 ITE 352

Teaching assistant

Josh Barczak
jbarcz1@cs.umbc.edu
Room ITE 352
(410) 455-8935
Office Hours: Tue Thu 2:30-3:30pm.

Course Description:

Introduction to graphics systems, rasterization, clipping, transformations, modeling, viewing, hidden surface removal, illumination, and shading. Emphasis on realistic, 3D image synthesis.

Prerequisites

MATH 221 (Linear Algebra), CMSC 341 (Data Structures). (Yes, we will make heavy use of both prerequisites)

Objectives

  1. Understand the foundations of computer graphics: hardware systems, math basis, light and color.
  2. Implement key components of the rendering pipeline, especially visibility, rasterization, viewing, and shading. Understand the issues involved in implementing other components.
  3. Come to appreciate the complexities of modeling realistic objects through modeling complex scenes using a high-level scene description language.
  4. Become acquainted with some advanced topics in computer graphics; these might include texturing, animation, physically-based modeling, procedural modeling, curves and surfaces, global illumination, interaction, visualization, and virtual reality.

Textbooks

The following textbook is required for the course:
Peter Shirley
Fundamentals of Computer Graphics.
AK Peters, 2002.
Errata
And the following books are recommended:
Mason Woo, Jackie Neider, Tom Davis, and Dave Shreiner
OpenGL Programming Guide
Addison Wesley, 2003.
Errata
Francis S. Hill
Computer Graphics using OpenGL
Prentice Hall, 2nd edition, 2000.
Steve Upstill
The RenderMan Companion
Addison-Wesley, 1990. On reserve in library

Grading Policy

Programming Assignments 55%
Midterm Exam 15%
Final Exam 30%

Assignments: Programming assignments require the use of the C/C++ programming language. These assignments may be time-consuming. START EARLY! A tentative list is given below:

Assignment Weight Description Due Date
Assn 1 5% Simple Scene Feb 14
Assn 2 10% Modeling Mar 2
Assn 3 10% Viewing Mar 28
Assn 4 10% Visibility Apr 18
Assn 5 10% Lighting May 2
Assn 6 10% Shading May 16

Late Policy

Assignments are to be submitted electronically by 11:59 PM of the day listed. Assignments submitted up to one week late will be penalized 20 percent of the possible score. Assignments more than one week late will receive a score of 0. Each student gets one free "late" (i.e. up to one week late without penalty, but still zero if later than one week) to apply to any of the assignments. Your free late must be claimed in writing on or before the due date.

Academic Honesty

By enrolling in this course, each student assumes the responsibilities of an active participant in UMBC's scholarly community in which everyone's academic work and behavior are held to the highest standards of honesty. Cheating, fabrication, plagiarism, and helping others to commit these acts are all forms of academic dishonesty, and they are wrong. Academic misconduct could result in disciplinary action that may include, but is not limited to, suspension or dismissal. To read the full Student Academic Conduct Policy, consult the UMBC Student Handbook, the Faculty Handbook, or the UMBC Policies section of theUMBC Directory [or for graduate courses, the Graduate School website].

All assignments and exams in the course are expected to be your INDIVIDUAL work. You may discuss assignments, but any help you receive, must be documented. With each program, you will submit a readme.txt file. At the beginning of this file, you must include a comment indicating the sources you used (excluding course staff and text) and the type of help you received from each. If you received no help, say so. Failure to include this comment at the top of your readme.txt will result in your program being returned ungraded.


Page URL: http://www.cs.umbc.edu/~alark1/syllabus.html
Page Author: Alark Joshi
Last Modified: Sunday, January 25, 2005