Graphics is one of the five key elements that comprise multimedia technology. It refers to methods for digitally synthesizing and manipulating visual content such as icons, symbols, pictures and video clips. Computer graphics is an area of computer science that studies and applies mathematical and computational techniques to produce graphics on the screen, including two dimensional and three dimensional computer images. It also studies the display and processing of graphical content in relation to human perception, optics and physics.

The first computer Main Graphics hardware appeared in the 1960s. TRW, General Electric and Sperry Rand were among the major companies who developed graphics systems for their computer terminals. Ralph Baer created a home video game in 1966, the Odyssey, that used graphics to allow players to move points of light around on the screen. This was a precursor of the pixel-based graphics used in modern PCs, but without the resolution and color depth of today’s standards.

As computers evolved, they were used for more complex and specialized graphics applications. By the 1980s, a number of personal computers were available with built-in graphics capability, allowing users to program their own games and to use them as a design tool. The popularity of the Atari, Nintendo and Sega systems brought computer graphics to a much larger audience than had previously been possible.

In the 1990s, the popularity of 3D gaming and modeling software prompted a number of advances in graphics hardware. Nvidia and AMD competed for the market with their respective cards, which are referred to as GPUs (Graphics Processing Units). Nvidia was able to develop the faster, more powerful 256 MB GeForce 2GX and then the even more advanced 400 MHz G8. AMD, on the other hand, continued to improve its processors and memory chips while increasing their efficiency, resulting in a new line of cards called ATI Radeon.

Another important development in the 1990s was the creation of a common framework for graphics programming known as OpenGL, which allowed developers to create graphical applications that worked across different platforms. This helped to speed up the time it took for programs to render graphics, and also allowed for a more consistent look.

Lines are an important part of any drawing, and in computer graphics they can be either geometric or organic. Geometric forms convey order and can seem sterile, while organic shapes feel more natural.

Shape is another key element of computer graphics. Shape can be three dimensional, which adds depth, or two dimensional, which is flat. A well-designed graphic often includes both elements.

Text is also an important aspect of graphic design. It is crucial to choose a font that can be easily understood, and it can make or break the impact of your design. In most cases, headers will call for a stylized font, while body copy is usually done in a serif or sans serif font.

Computer graphics is a vast field of study and the scope is constantly expanding. New technologies and techniques are being developed all the time to improve performance, graphics quality and user experience. Research in areas such as vector graphics, computer animation, geometric modeling, 3D rendering, shading, image processing, ray tracing, and implicit surfaces continue to push the boundaries of what can be done with a computer.