Synonyms creating graphics; graphics for branding; teaching graphics; graphics applications Definition

Computer Graphics Classes in General

Classes on computer graphics at high schools and community colleges usually emphasize how to make computer graphics, while four-year and graduate programs tend to include or even focus on the theory of how computer graphics software programs work. Most of the computer graphics classes at the university level are offered from a computer science department and require a background in computer programming. University classes tend to include these topics in 2D and 3D graphics, as well as the mathematics behind some of these areas^2,3,4,5:

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  history of computer graphics
  
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  transformations
  
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  clipping
  
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  rastorizations
  
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  aliasing and anti-aliasing
  
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  projections
  
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  light, color, shading
  
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  texturing
  
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  ray tracing
  
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  animation
  

Assignments in the classes range from mathematical problems within the graphics concepts to developing computer graphics products, usually from existing graphics tools. The tools most commonly used include Open GL and the Adobe Creative Suite of tools such as Photoshop, Illustrator and Flash.

The following example class includes many of these topics and shows how they might be organized in a class, however the focus is on producing graphics for an overall purpose of branding and marketing an organization or person, culminating in the graphics products used with a website that students create.

Computer Graphics Class Example Details

The computer graphics class is often taught in a hybrid format where the class meets physically together 4 times in the semester. The first meeting is at the very start to do an overview, review assignments, and define the expectations of the class. Small assignments are due each week during the first month or so. In the middle of the semester, the students show some of their products to the class. The last two classes are toward the end of the semester and have graduate students present their research and everyone to show their final product, a website with all the previous products included in it. The rest of the presentations, tutorials and materials are on the Blackboard course management system, separated into weekly sections of articles, presentations, and links to review.

The class covers the following topics and encourages that students learn the tools given that are part of the Adobe Creative Suite tools:

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  History of computer graphics
  
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  What a brand is
  
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  Design principles
  
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  Making graphics
  
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    2 dimensional (Microsoft Paint; Adobe Photoshop/Gimp)
    

transformations, clipping, aliasing/anti-aliasing

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  Animation (Adobe Flash/Blender)
  
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  Web development (Adobe Dreamweaver/Weebly)
  
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  3 dimensional [optional graphic product]
  

(Cinema 4D/Maya/3D Studio Max/Lightwave 3D)
light, color, shading, texturing, ray tracing

Beyond the assignments of sending an email each week with things like what brands to evaluate and what topic to research, the students turn in the following assignments that are typically worth between 100 and 200 points:

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  evaluate and write about 3 existing brands,
  
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  create and write up their own brand about an organization or company,
  
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  make a logo in MS Paint,
  
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  develop a suite of logos (in a better tool),
  
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  post their brand idea and logo in a discuss,
  
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  comment on each other’s brand and logo,
  
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  create, print and present a business card, stationary and a brochure about their brand,
  
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  make an animation with their logo about their brand,
  
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  create and present a website about their organization or company using the graphics that they have made, and
  
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  research and present a topic (100 points), for graduate students only.
  

Students often do research in the following areas: anti-aliasing, computational geometry, finite element methods in graphics, fractals, graphics in virtual environments, modeling natural phenomena, modeling non-rigid objects, molecular graphics, morphing, particle systems, radiosity, ray tracing, rendering, shadows, surface and light interactions, texture mapping, turbulence, and visualization.

One of the assignments that makes this hybrid class unique and different is the posting of their brand and putting a comment on every other student’s brand and logo. In class, there would not be time for all students to make comments and students might not make comments in the classroom.