Traditionally, to render is to purify animal fats. For that
topic, see rendering. In computer graphics, rendering is the
process of drawing a bitmap image based upon more abstract image
information, such as vector graphics or 3D computer graphics
information (typically consiting of geometry, viewpoint, texture
and lighting information). In the case of 3D graphics, rendering
is a slow, computationally intensive process (typically for
movie creation) or supported by realtime 3D hardware
accelerators in graphic cards (typically for 3D computer games).
The term is by analogy with an "artist's rendering" of a scene.
When the pre-image (a wireframe sketch usually) is complete,
rendering is used, which adds in textures, lights, bump mapping,
and relative position to other objects. The result is a
completed image the consumer or intended viewer sees. For movie
animations, several images (frames) must be rendered, and
stitched together in a program capable of making an animation of
this sort. Most 3-D image editing pr