7.3.1 Creating Images (drawing, 3D models - simple concepts)

Computers create images in a couple of main ways:

Vector Graphics: Imagine drawing with lines, curves, and shapes that are defined by mathematical formulas. This is how vector graphics work. Instead of remembering every pixel, the computer remembers the instructions for drawing the shapes (e.g., "draw a red circle at these coordinates with this radius").
- Pros: Vector graphics can be scaled up or down to any size without losing quality or becoming pixelated. They always look perfectly smooth, no matter how big you make them. Think of logos, fonts, and illustrations.
- Cons: Not great for realistic photos.
Raster Graphics (Bitmap Graphics): This is what we discussed with pixels! A raster graphic (or bitmap) is simply a grid of colored pixels. When you take a photo with your phone, it creates a raster image.
- Pros: Excellent for realistic photos and complex images with many subtle color changes.
- Cons: They become blurry or "pixelated" if you try to make them much larger than their original size, because the computer has to guess what new pixels to add.

When it comes to making realistic scenes or characters for games and movies, artists create 3D models. These are like digital sculptures defined by points and lines in a 3D space. The computer then uses special software to "render" (draw) these 3D models into a 2D image that you see on your screen, adding lights, shadows, and textures to make them look real.

Bibliography:

Raster vs. Vector. (n.d.). Adobe.com. Retrieved July 11, 2025, from https://www.adobe.com/creativecloud/file-types/image/comparison/raster-vs-vector.html
3D rendering. (2024, January 23). Autodesk. Retrieved July 11, 2025, from https://www.autodesk.com/solutions/3d-rendering-software

Further Reading:

Introduction to Computer Graphics. (n.d.). GeeksforGeeks. Retrieved from https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/introduction-to-computer-graphics/