CSc 472 / I0500
Computer Graphics

Course description

This course is an intensive introduction to computer graphics intended for advanced undergraduates and graduate students. This subject forms the basis of high-quality rendering as used in scientific visualization, simulation, and entertainment applications. You will learn about well-known computer graphics topics, including

OpenGL graphics library:

Legacy OpenGL (<3.1), Shader-Based OpenGL (3.1+), GLSL

Qt user interface library:

Cross-platform software for implementing modern user interfaces for your homework projects

Geometric objects and transformations:

3D primitives, coordinate systems, 2D/3D transformations

3D viewing:

projections, affine transformations, perspective transformations, hidden surface removal

Shading:

light sources, flat shading, Gouraud shading, Phong shading, texture mapping

Curves and surfaces:

Hermite curves, Bezier curves, cubic B-splines

Course goals

Understand the legacy and modern (shader-based) versions of OpenGL
Understand the design and implementation of GUIs using Qt
Understand geometric objects and their 2D/3D transformations
Understand lighting, shading models, and texture mapping
Understand specification and rendering of curves and surfaces
Use programming assignments to reinforce the material covered in class.

Piazza

This term we will be using Piazza for class discussion.
The system is highly catered to getting you help fast and efficiently from classmates, the TA, and myself.
Rather than emailing questions to the teaching staff, I encourage you to post your questions on Piazza.
If you have any problems or feedback for the developers, email team@piazza.com.
Find our class page here

Sample code

Click here for code examples useful for homework and implementation details of algorithms discussed in lectures.

Homework submission

Please follow the instructions here for turning in homework solutions.

Syllabus

LECTURE	LECTURE TOPICS	HOMEWORK	SLIDES
1: 8/26/25	Introduction, history		CSc472-01-Introduction.pdf
2: 8/28/25	Image Formation, graphics pipeline		CSc472-02-OpenGLAPI.pdf
3: 9/2/25	API background, evolution of OpenGL	Homework 1 is due on 9/25/25	CSc472-03-OpenGLPipeline.pdf
4: 9/4/25	Programming with Qt	Qt information for homeworks	CSc472-04-Qt.pdf
5: 9/9/25	Programming with Legacy OpenGL		CSc472-05-LegacyOpenGL.pdf
6: 9/11/25	Programming with Legacy OpenGL (contd)
7: 9/16/25	Shaders and GLSL		CSc472-06-ShadersGLSL.pdf
8: 9/18/25	Shaders and GLSL (contd)	Homework 2 is due on 10/16/25
10: 9/25/25	Geometry		CSc472-07-Geometry.pdf
11: 9/30/25	Geometry (contd)
12: 10/9/25	Transformations	Homework 1 grades	CSc472-08-Transformations.pdf transformations.pdf
13: 10/16/25	Transformations (contd)
14: 10/21/25	Computer Viewing		CSc472-09-Viewing.pdf
15: 10/23/25	Managing 3D Graphics Data	Homework 3 is due on 11/13/25	CSc472-10-DataManagement.pdf
16: 10/28/25	Midterm review
17: 10/30/25	Midterm
18: 11/4/25	Texture Mapping		CSc472-11-TextureMapping.pdf
19: 11/6/25	3D Models	Homework 2 grades	CSc472-12-3DModels.pdf
20: 11/11/25	Illumination and Shading	Midterm grades	CSc472-13-Shading.pdf shading.pdf
21: 11/13/25	Shading in OpenGL	Homework 4 is due on 12/11/25	CSc472-14-ShadingOpenGL.pdf
22: 11/18/25	Midterm Solution Review	Homework 3 grades
23: 11/20/25	Shadows		CSc472-15-Shadows.pdf
24: 11/25/25	Curves and Surfaces		CSc472-16-CurvesSurfaces.pdf
25: 12/2/25	Cubic Curves		CSc472-17-CubicCurves.pdf
26: 12/4/25	Cubic Curves (contd)		curves.pdf
27: 12/9/25	Interpolating Cubic Splines	Homework 4 grades	splines.pdf
28: 12/11/25	Final Review

Instructor

Professor George Wolberg
Office Hours: Tuesday, 1:00pm-2:00pm, Room NAC 8/202G
wolberg@ccny.cuny.edu

Teaching Assistant

Siavash Zokai
Office Hours: By appointment, online
ccny.cs472@gmail.com

Lectures

CSc 472: Tuesday/Thursday, 3:30pm-4:45pm, Room: TBA

Required Textbook

V. Scott Gordon and John Clevenger, Computer Graphics Programming in OpenGL with C++, 2nd Edition, Mercury Learning and Information, 2021.

Supplemental Notes

Click here for supplemental notes.

Supplemental Videos

Watch the brilliant linear algebra video series by 3Blue1Brown on Youtube. Here is the link.
The videos provide an intuitive and animated deep-dive into topics such as linear transformations and matrices, matrix multiplication, coordinate transformations, and change of basis, which are all relevant to computer graphics and are explained by the creator of the video series.
You are strongly recommended to watch all 16 episodes if you are interested in getting an in-depth look at linear algebra, which will give you an intuitive insight into computer graphics.
The core set to watch for computer graphics is episodes 1-4 (3 being the most important) as well as episode 13. Play it at 1.25 speed for optimal playback.
3Blue1Brown created his own visualization software to animate his lessons, which extend beyond the linear algebra sessions mentioned above. He has videos on a wide variety of topics in math, which impacts graphics, image processing, neural networks for machine learning, and more. Definitely check them out!

Grading

Your final grade is computed as a weighted sum of the programming projects, a midterm exam, and a final exam.

4 programming projects (50%)
Midterm exam (25%)
Final exam (25%)
Good class participation is a bonus

CSc 472 / I0500 Computer Graphics