Abstract: Method and apparatus are provided for rotating a displayed object, the displayed object appearing on a screen of a display device of a three dimensional computer graphics system. When displayed object object appears on the display screen, a user input device (e.g., mouse) prompts the additional display of an object movement reference frame on the display screen. The object movement reference frame preferably takes the form of a spherical contour line and various "handles" which provide a user-friendly three dimensional spherical depiction. The object movement reference frame is preferably superimposed with respect to the displayed object. The "handles" of the object movement reference frame include a plurality of object image handles which are generally classified as planar handles and knob handles. A "handle set" is comprised of paired or connected object image handles, such as a knob handle connected by a radial connector to a planar handle.