Page 199 - DCAP504_Computer Graphics

Computer Graphics

Did you know? Uneven or bump mapping is a technique in computer graphics developed by Jim
Blinn.

Texture can be defined as the property that is held by the surface of any object and whose external
surface can be felt by the sense of touch. Sometimes, texture is also termed as a pattern where the
individual elements are non-distinguishable.
In music, you can find a musical texture. In painting, texture is supposed to be the feeling of an
individual about the painting and the application method employed to paint the surface.
In computer graphics, a texture is a bitmap image used to apply a design onto the surface of a 3-D
computer model.
The texturing method is used to handle the variations of reflectance and involves storing of reflectance
as a pixel image or function and mapping reflectance onto the required surface. This image or function
is known as texture map and the process is called texture mapping. Therefore, texture is the image used
to modify the appearance of an object.

The flight simulators are the famous systems known for performing texturing at interactive rates.
Texturing can also be simulated with the help of many small triangles with interpolated shading effects
between the vertices.

Flight simulation is an artificial re-creation of a flight with the various aspects of the
flight environment. The different equations governing how aircrafts fly, how aircrafts
react to controls of the flight system and the external environment like turbulence,
cloud and air density are taken into consideration.

Texture can either be two-dimensional or three-dimensional and is distinguished by visual and physical
textures.
1. Physical Texture: Physical texture is known as actual texture or tactile texture. It depicts the
variations on a particular surface. Physical texture can be felt by touch. Fur, wood, grains, statues,
sand, glass, and so on can be included in this type of texture.

192 LOVELY PROFESSIONAL UNIVERSITY