What are my options for making graphics in C++

- Preferably I'm looking for something very simple, a libary that allows full screen usage and only has simple commands like drawing pixels, lines, general polygons, and allows you to capture and put certain areas of the screen - basically something like QBasics graphics capabilitys only in C++
- I'm not looking for a 3D graphics libary, like OpenGl or DirectX (DirectX is some form of graphics libary, right?)
- If no such C++ (or C) libary exists, what are alternatives in other languages?

I was going to suggest some other simpler language but I thought that it's probably not what you are looking for.

SDL (http://www.libsdl.org) is a very simple open-source graphic library used to do multi-platform graphic programs. The bad thing: it's in fact too simple and it doesn't include all the functionnalities you are looking for, but if you look in the "Libraries" section of LibSDL.org download page, you may find some usefull stuff.

SDL also has interface for many languages (SML being one!).

I suggest you have a look at:

http://sdl-draw.sourceforge.net/

Learn OGL

DirectX is a collection of librarys, Direct3D is the 3D graphics package, DirectSound is for sound etc etc.

You could look at DirectDraw, although it's a cumbersome way to do graphics - no built-in functions for anything but blitting, clipping and drawing pixels (i.e. no line drawing, no poly's ...). I think MS even decided to discontinue DirectDraw (starting with DirectX 8).

If you're using visual C++. Check out www.talula.demon.co.uk/allegro/

Allegro is a libray for graphics, sound and whatnot. It's very easy to use.