Recreational computer graphics

Computer graphics isn't just a bunch of algorithms and programs: it's a gymnasium for the visual imagination, and a tool for investigating the world around us. Graphics can help us understand nature, invent new kinds of patterns and shapes, build up the clarity of our own mind's eye, and experiment with construction tools that would inspire even the most classical sculptors and painters. Going beyond tools and technique, this course invites attendees to think about using computer graphics in new and creative ways.From 1996 to 2005 Andrew Glassner wrote a regular column for IEEE Computer Graphics & Applications. The column used graphics as a springboard for looking at dozens of different topics. In this course, Andrew will present a diverse collection of his favorite subjects from those columns.We'll begin with a beautiful natural phenomenon: how light passes through ice crystals to make the "sun dogs" we see on a crisp winter's day. We'll then look shapes: the surprising properties of soap bubbles, and how all polygonal shapes are just combinations of a few simple shapes. We'll talk about imaging, and the beautiful and surprising patterns made by moving objects as they're photographed. We'll then turn to textures by creating 2D and 3D Celtic knotwork, and replicating simple patterns to develop rich textures. We'll wrap up with a hands-on geometric origami exercise where we'll strengthen the link between our visual imaginations and the real world by creating a 3D shape simply by folding paper.