The course introduces the mathematical and artistic principles of digital compositing. In this course, students learn digital compositing, image based lighting, modeling and rendering, which is basically the art and science of combining CG elements with real-world imagery either in the form of still images or video. This is an essential and critical part of contemporary moviemaking.

The course will cover mathematical and artistic foundations of compositing, image based lighting, rendering and modeling. The topics include but not limited to (1) Reconstruction of camera parameters from a set of images. (2) Reconstruction of light orientation and energy of environment from a set of images. (3) Reconstruction of shapes of the objects from a set of pictures. (3) Reconstruction of transparency and specularity of an object from a set of pictures. (4) Recovery of BRDF from images. (5) Recovery of texture for material samples from images. Practical Image Based Lighting provided initial foundation for this class.

The course is taught as VIZA615, from Spring 2000, Spring 2001, Spring 2002 and Spring 2003. We had nw course number is approved in 2008. It is then taught under VIZA 665 label in Spring 2008 and Spring 2011. Unfortunately, old class websites are not available.

Figure 1. An example of Digital Compositing with Global Illumination. Note that we see the reflection of computer generated rolling pin on pot lid. To construct this compositing, we need to reconstruct shape of countertop, light positions and the shape of the lid as shown here. Images by Gary Bruins.