Introduction

The RenderMan interface is designed to be a standard interface between modeling programs and high-quality rendering programs. As such, it has provisions for the specification of 3-D scene descriptions that include: hidden surfaces, spatial filtering, dithering, motion blur, depth of field, flat and curved surfaces, objects, constructive solid geometry, and programmable shading to express lighting conditions, shadows, and surface appearances, with sophisticated control over color, texture, and reflectivity. The design of the interface emphasizes the ability to convey, compactly and efficiently, the information required to produce rendered images that resemble actual photographs.

...