Q5Computer Graphics and Multimedia
Question
Define Shading.
Answer
Shading is the process of determining the color and intensity of surface pixels by simulating light-surface interaction in 3D graphics rendering.
Shading refers to the computation of color and illumination intensity at points on a 3D surface, simulating how light interacts with surfaces. It considers light source properties, surface material properties, and the geometric relationship between the surface, light, and viewer.
Main shading models include: Flat (Constant) Shading — entire polygon gets one color from face normal; Gouraud Shading — interpolates colors computed at vertices across the polygon; Phong Shading — interpolates surface normals and computes illumination per pixel, giving smoother and more realistic highlights.