Render

Render is a term used in Computer Graphics and Digital Media to describe the process of generating an image from a model or models in what collectively could be called a scene file. This file contains geometry, viewpoint, texture, lighting, and shading information describing the virtual scene. The data contained in the scene file is then passed to a Rendering Engine to be processed and output to a digital image or raster graphics image file. The term "rendering" may be by analogy with an "artist's rendering" of a scene.

Overview

Rendering is one of the major sub-topics of 3D Computer Graphics, and in practice, it is always connected to the others. In the graphics pipeline, it is the last major step, giving the final appearance to the models and animation. With the increasing sophistication of computer graphics since the 1970s, it has become a more distinct subject.

Rendering has uses in Architecture, Video Games, Simulators, Movie or TV special effects, and design visualization, each employing a different balance of features and techniques. As a product, a wide array of Renderers are available. Some are integrated into larger modeling and animation packages, some are stand-alone, and some are free open-source projects. On the inside, a renderer is a carefully engineered program, based on a selective mixture of disciplines related to: Light Physics, Visual Perception, Mathematics, and Software Development.

Rendering Methods

There are a multitude of different methods for rendering. These range from the distinctly non-realistic Wireframe Rendering through Polygon-based Rendering, to more advanced techniques such as Scanline Rendering, Ray Tracing, or Radiosity. Rendering may take from fractions of a second to days for a single image/frame. In real-time rendering, the goal is to show as much information as possible as the eye can process in a 1/24th of a second (a frame, in this context, refers to a still image). The primary goal is to achieve an as high as possible degree of photorealism. In fact, this is not always the goal for real-time rendering. One may instead prefer a more artistic rendition of the scene.

See Also

• 3D Modeling
• Computer Animation
• Graphics Pipeline
• Texture Mapping
• Shading