Computer graphics is a sub-field of computer science which studies methods for digitally synthesizing and manipulating visual content. Although the term often refers to the study of three-dimensional computer graphics, it also encompasses two-dimensional graphics and image processing.
The history of computer graphics is intertwined with the history of computers. The first computer graphics were created in the 1950s and 1960s. These were simple, two-dimensional images, but they laid the groundwork for the more sophisticated graphics that would follow. The 1970s and 1980s saw the rise of the arcade game and the home video game console, which brought computer graphics to a mass audience. The 1990s and 2000s were the era of the CD-ROM and the internet, which allowed for more complex and immersive graphics. Today, computer graphics are used in a wide variety of applications, from movies and video games to medical imaging and scientific visualization.
Computer graphics is a massive industry, with a global market worth over $150 billion. The industry employs hundreds of thousands of people, from programmers and artists to designers and writers. The industry is constantly evolving, with new technologies and platforms emerging all the time. The rise of virtual reality and augmented reality is opening up new possibilities for computer graphics, and the future of the field looks brighter than ever.