Wednesday 19 June 2013

Geometric Theory


3. Geometric Theory


Geometry

3D computer graphics employ the same principles found in 2D vector artwork, but use a further axis. When creating 2D vector artwork, the computer draws the image by plotting points on X and Y axes (creating coordinates) and joining these points with paths (lines). The subsequent shapes can be filled with colour and the lines stroked with colour and thickness if required.

Cartesian Coordinates System


3D programs operate on a grid of 3D co-ordinates. 3D co-ordinates are pretty much the same as 2D co-ordinates except there’s a third axis known as the Z or ‘depth’ axis.






Geometric Theory and Polygons
The basic object used in mesh modeling is a vertex, a point in three dimensional space. Two vertices connected by a straight line become an edge. Three vertices, connected to each other by three edges, define a triangle, which is the simplest polygon in Euclidean space. More complex polygons can be created out of multiple triangles, or as a single object with more than 3 vertices. Four sided polygons (generally referred to as quads) and triangles are the most common shapes used in polygonal modeling. A group of polygons, connected to each other by shared vertices, is generally referred to as an element. Each of the polygons making up an element is called a face.

In Euclidean geometry, any three non-collinear points determine a plane. For this reason, triangles always inhabit a single plane. This is not necessarily true of more complex polygons, however. The flat nature of triangles makes it simple to determine their surface normal, a three-dimensional vector perpendicular to the triangle's surface. Surface normals are useful for determining light transport in ray tracing.

A group of polygons which are connected by shared vertices is referred to as a mesh, often ferred to as a wireframe model. 





In order for a mesh to appear attractive when rendered, it is desirable that it be non-self-intersecting, meaning that no edge passes through a polygon. Another way of looking at this is that the mesh cannot pierce itself. It is also desirable that the mesh not contain any errors such as doubled vertices, edges, or faces. For some purposes it is important that the mesh be a manifold – that is, that it does not contain holes or singularities (locations where two distinct sections of the mesh are connected by a single vertex).




Primitives
In 3D applications, pre-made objects can be used to make models out of various shapes, the most basic of this shapes are the Standard Primitive Objects, or the Common Primitives, these shapes vary from the basic cube or box to spheres, cylinders, pyramids (both triangular and square based) and cones. They are used as the starting point for modelling. They can be edited once created.



http://www.webreference.com/3d/cararra/3.html

Surfaces
Polygons can be defined as specific surfaces and then have colour, texture or photographic maps added to them to create the desired look. The example below shows how a map is displayed as if the object has been unwrapped.



 



__________________________________________________________________________


1 comment: