Computer Graphics

Courses

CG 102: 2D Raster Graphics for Designers

Credits 3
This course introduces the software and basic interface customization options and strategies in 2D raster graphics. Interface organization strategies, system components, bit depth, resolution, memory management, and output strategies are covered. The course also explores techniques and critical thinking skills for digital painting.

CG 125: Introduction to 3D Production for Designers

Credits 3
This course introduces game designers to the 3D production process. The course begins with the basics of interface organization strategies, equipment options, and production elements. The class also introduces techniques for texture mapping, modeling, rigging, lighting, cameras, and animation.

CG 130: 3D Computer Animation Production I

Credits 3
This course introduces students to the basic theories and techniques of 3D computer animation. The curriculum emphasizes standard 3D modeling techniques, including polygonal and spline modeling, texture map creation and application, keyframing, and animating through forward kinematics and inverse kinematics.

CG 201: Introduction to 2D Computer Graphics

Credits 3
This course introduces 2D computer graphics software and practices for digital painting and production. Topics include transition from traditional to digital art, photo editing and manipulation, material studies, critical thinking skills and techniques, conceptualization, and illustration.

CG 225: Introduction to 3D Computer Graphics

Credits 3
This course introduces students to 3D software and practices for production. Topics include organization strategies, modeling, unwrapping, texture mapping, rigging, lighting, and cameras.

CG 275: Introduction to 3D Animation

Credits 3
This course explores and exercises the concepts and techniques of 3D animation through a series of assignments applied to characters. The course emphasizes character development in the expression of personality, mood, thought, and attitude through motion and posing.

CG 300: 3D Environment and Level Design

Credits 3
This course introduces students to the principles of 3D environment design. Theatrical sets, architectural simulations, and level design are considered. In order to provide students with a broader skill set, this course also presents the mechanics of how to use other 3D animation software, with an emphasis on the unique strengths of the package. Students explore the comparative strengths of different software packages and the impact that this has on workflow. The course emphasizes critical thinking skills and strategies for tool selection.

CG 303: Hard Surface Modeling and Texturing

Credits 3
Building on the knowledge and skills for modeling taught in CG 275, this course focuses on the process for optimized modeling and texturing of non-organic scene elements including architecture, props, and vehicles. Students are also introduced to digital sculpting for hard surface models.

CG 305: Digital Sculpture

Credits 3
This course introduces an array of digital modeling, sculpting, and painting techniques with a set of industry-standard 3D and 2D tools. After a series of exercises, students learn the tools and work flow of digital sculpting and enhance their knowledge of anatomy. As part of this class, students create a highly finished 3D character that is fully designed, modeled, posed, sculpted, and textured. They also demonstrate knowledge of environmental sculpting.

CG 315: Texturing for 3D

Credits 3
This class focuses on how to generate efficient and accurate texture maps. Students explore techniques for generating landscape, architectural, objects, and character-based textures. Topics include: clamped textures, tileable textures, advanced methods for generating normal maps, z-depth, displacement, and emissive type textures. Students will explore UV mapping, unwrapping, multi-layered shaders, animated texturing methods, use of photo reference, manipulation, compositing and other techniques to create complex textures.

CG 330: Hair and Cloth Simulation

Credits 3
This course focuses on concepts and tools for the construction and simulation of hair and clothing models in 3D animation. Students explore techniques for generating models suitable for simulation, and the complexities inherent in simulating their behavior in the context of animation. Topics may include: evaluating and interpreting reference material, using a simulator, using parameters to control behavior, UV parameter assignment and texturing, detailing a model, fixing simulation problems, and shading and lighting as it pertains to their models.

CG 360: Lighting and Rendering

Credits 3
The course focuses on the fundamental skills, technical understanding, and common approaches used by digital lighting artists. Topics include materials, shaders, lighting, and rendering.

CG 375: Character Rigging

Credits 3
This course exposes students to rigging techniques. All students will share models and texture sets and work on learning industry best practices for professional grade character rigs.

CG 399: Special Topics in Computer Graphics

Credits 3
The content of this course may change each time it is offered. n It is for the purpose of offering a new or specialized course of interest to the faculty or students that is not covered by the courses in the current catalog.

CG 403: Advanced Environment Creation

Credits 3
This course focuses on the building techniques and theories behind 3D environment creation, including environment design, lighting, texturing, shading, and rendering.

CG 405: Advanced Character Creation

Credits 3
This course focuses on the building techniques and theories behind 3D biped or quadruped character creation, including anatomy, design, lighting, shading, and rendering.

CG 501: 3D Concepts and Production

Credits 3
Students are introduced to the computer graphics production pipeline with emphasis on latest industry practices and techniques. Project work includes planning, tasking, concept art, production, and output. Professional portfolio practices are emphasized.

CG 525: Digital Painting: Composition and Color

Credits 3
This course covers the principles of composition and color theory in developing atmosphere, narrative, and information presentation in digital media. The limitations of digital color production, organization of the third dimension in digital environments, and issues of lighting and texture are explored.

CG 570: Digital Painting: Matte and Background

Credits 3
This course examines the methods required to combine 2D and 3D art for cinematic, computer animation and gaming environments. Issues of scale, perspective, palette and color matching, atmospheric perspective and lighting, parallax, horizon and eye level are addressed in a series of exercises designed to create convincing interaction of 2D and 3D art in interior scenes, cityscapes, and landscapes in a variety of media.

CG 599: Special Topics in Computer Graphics

Credits 3
The content of this course may change each time it is offered. n It is for the purpose of offering a new or specialized course of interest to the faculty or students that is not covered by the courses in the current catalog.

CG 605: Digital Sculpture

Credits 3
This course introduces an array of digital modeling, sculpting, and painting techniques for use with a set of 3D and 2D tools. Sculpting, modeling, posing, anatomy, texturing, and workflow are practiced.

CG 615: Texturing for 3D

Credits 3
This course focuses on how to generate efficient and accurate texture maps. The course also explores techniques for generating landscape-, architectural-, objects-, and character-based textures.

CG 620: Lighting and Rendering

Credits 3
This course introduces advanced lighting techniques in a 3D scene. A variety of output formats are presented and exposed for solutions in various media projects. Topics include shadow types, reflection, global illumination, material types, three point lighting, composition, values, and rendering.

CG 661: Advanced Character Creation

Credits 3
This course focuses on the building techniques and theories behind 3D biped or quadruped character creation, including anatomy, design, lighting, shading, and rendering.

CG 675: Character Rigging

Credits 3
This course focuses on how to effectively rig characters for games or films. Multiple rigging methods are explored such as: building a hierarchy of joints, creating flexible controls for characters, forward kinematics and inverse kinematics.

CG 2000: 2D Digital Art

Credits 3
This course introduces 2D digital art. Topics include digital drawing, painting, material studies, conceptualization, and illustration.

CG 2001: 3D Digital Art

Credits 3
This course introduces 3D digital art with a focus in modeling and texturing. Topics include modeling, UV unwrapping, texturing, materials, lighting, and rendering.

CG 2002: 3D Digital Art Pipeline

Credits 3
This course introduces 3D digital art pipelines and software workflows with a focus in digital sculpting and modeling, texture painting, and managing digital art assets through various software. Topics include digital sculpting techniques, modeling, UV unwrapping, 3D texturing and painting, materials, and digital art pipeline.

CG 3101: Character Creation I

Credits 3
This course introduces digital sculpting for character creation, including building techniques and pipeline processes. Topics include digital sculpting, poly painting, texturing, lighting, rendering, and level of details.

CG 3102: Character Creation II

Credits 3
This course focuses on advanced digital sculpting for character creation, including high level details and pipeline processes. Topics include digital painting, lighting, and rendering of hair and clothing.

CG 3103: Character Creation III

Credits 3
This course focuses on character creation and implementation in real-time rendering engines. Topics include re-topologizing, hair optimization, texturing, lighting, and rendering.

CG 3201: Environment Creation I

Credits 3
This course focuses on the design of 3D environments and techniques for environment creation. Topics include environment layout, 3D modeling, lighting, texturing, materials, and rendering.

CG 3202: Environment Creation II

Credits 3
This course focuses on advanced techniques and theories of environmental hard surface modeling for 3D real-time engines. Topics include environment research and design, 3D modeling, lighting, texturing, material creation, and rendering.

CG 3203: Environment Creation III

Credits 3
This course focuses on advanced techniques and theories of organic environment creation for 3D real-time engines. Topics include environment research and design, 3D modeling, digital sculpting, lighting, texturing, material creation, and rendering.

CG 3250: Hard Surface Modeling and Texturing

Credits 3
This course focuses on modeling hard surface objects with complex textures and materials. Emphasis is placed on lighting and rendering to showcase the models. Topics include theory and practice of modeling hard surfaces.

CG 3301: Procedural Modeling and Visual Effects

Credits 3
This course focuses on procedural art workflows to create complex visual effects and simulations with an emphasis on project-based learning. Topics include modeling, lighting, rendering, shaders for procedural models, programming and scripting languages, dynamic simulations, and particle systems.

CG 3302: Procedural Art and Simulations

Credits 3
This course is an exploration of connected procedural art workflows to create visual effects and simulations with an emphasis on project-based learning. Topics may include: procedural workflows, rigid body destruction, pyrotechnic effects, procedural modeling, fracturing techniques, lighting, realtime rendering, vellum, game engine integration, programming languages.

CG 3450: Texturing for 3D

Credits 3
This course focuses on the texturing of 3D models. Emphasis is placed on generating efficient textures and materials, practicing texturing techniques, and exploring texturing workflows. Topics include UV unwrapping, textures and materials creation, digital painting, lighting, and rendering.

CG 3550: Lighting and Rendering

Credits 3
This course focuses on the fundamentals of lighting a scene. Emphasis is placed on understanding common digital lighting approaches and creating a mood through lighting. Topics include materials, shaders, rendering, scene composition, and effective use of light and shadow.

CG 5000: 2D Digital Art

Credits 3
This course introduces 2D digital art. Topics include digital drawing, painting, material studies, conceptualization, and illustration.

CG 5001: 3D Digital Art

Credits 3
This course introduces 3D digital art with an emphasis on modeling, texturing, and best production practice. Topics include modeling, UV unwrapping, texturing, materials, lighting, and rendering.

CG 5002: Organic and Hard Surface Modeling

Credits 3
This course explores a variety of techniques and workflows for both organic and hard surface modeling. Topics include digital sculpting techniques, modeling, UV unwrapping, 3D texturing and painting, materials, workflows, lighting, and rendering.

CG 5301: Procedural Modeling and Visual Effects

Credits 3
This course focuses on procedural art workflows to create complex visual effects and simulations with an emphasis on project-based learning. Topics include modeling, lighting, rendering, shaders for procedural models, programming and scripting languages, dynamic simulations, and particle systems.

CG 5302: Procedural Art and Simulations

Credits 3
This course is an exploration of connected procedural art workflows to create visual effects and simulations with an emphasis on project-based learning. Topics may include: procedural workflows, rigid body destruction, pyrotechnic effects, procedural modeling, fracturing techniques, lighting, realtime rendering, vellum, game engine integration, programming languages.

CG 6101: Character Creation I

Credits 3
This course introduces digital sculpting for character creation, including building techniques and pipeline processes. Topics include digital sculpting, poly painting, texturing, lighting, rendering, and level of details.

CG 6102: Character Creation II

Credits 3
This course focuses on advanced digital sculpting for character creation, including high level details and pipeline processes. Topics include digital painting, lighting, and rendering of hair and clothing.

CG 6103: Character Creation III

Credits 3
This course focuses on character creation and implementation in real-time rendering engines. Topics include re-topologizing, hair optimization, texturing, lighting, and rendering.

CG 6201: Environment Creation I

Credits 3
This course focuses on the design of 3D environments and techniques for environment creation. Topics include environment layout, 3D modeling, lighting, texturing, materials, and rendering.

CG 6202: Environment Creation II

Credits 3
This course focuses on advanced techniques and theories of environmental hard surface modeling for 3D real-time engines. Topics include environment research and design, 3D modeling, lighting, texturing, material creation, and rendering.

CG 6203: Environment Creation III

Credits 3
This course focuses on advanced techniques and theories of organic environment creation for 3D real-time engines. Topics include environment research and design, 3D modeling, digital sculpting, lighting, texturing, material creation, and rendering.

CG 6250: Hard Surface Modeling and Texturing

Credits 3
This course focuses on modeling hard surface objects with complex textures and materials. Emphasis is placed on lighting and rendering to showcase the models. Topics include theory and practice of modeling hard surfaces.

CG 6450: Texturing for 3D

Credits 3
This course focuses on the texturing of 3D models. Emphasis is placed on generating efficient textures and materials, practicing texturing techniques, and exploring texturing workflows. Topics include UV unwrapping, textures and materials creation, digital painting, lighting, and rendering.

CG 6550: Lighting and Rendering

Credits 3
This course focuses on the fundamentals of lighting a scene. Emphasis is placed on understanding common digital lighting approaches and creating a mood through lighting. Topics include materials, shaders, rendering, scene composition, and effective use of light and shadow.