In recent years, the generation of realistic images by computer has become a very important topic of research and development. To synthesise realistic images of three-dimensional scenes, a number of factors must be taken into account. These include the geometry and position of illumination sources, the medium through which the light passes, the material properties of the objects in the scene, and the interaction between objects.

This thesis presents a flexible testbed for investigating illumination models and rendering techniques. It allows the user to specify and control many parameters involved in the rendering process. The system has a modular structure, and can incorporate a variety of other illumination models and rendering techniques, to provide a general-purpose platform for experimentation and education. The initial version of the system includes an implementation of the Phong illumination model and hidden surface removal by Z-Buffer.