Raster graphics are made up of grids of pixels and require large file sizes that can be reduced with compression formats like JPEG and GIF. Vector graphics are made up of paths and shapes defined by points, lines, and curves and can be resized without quality loss. Common file formats include JPEG for photos and web, TIFF for desktop publishing, GIF for online animations, BMP for basic images, PSD for image editing, AI for vector graphics like logos, FLA for animations and games, and WMF for Microsoft clipart. Files can be captured through scanners, cameras, or graphics tablets and optimized by reducing size, resolution, and bit depth to improve download speeds without excessive quality loss.
2. Raster Graphics
Most images used on a computer are raster graphics such as ones found on
the internet and pictures imported from cameras. They are made up or a
grid of pixels which are usually known as bitmap. The larger the image is the
more space it will take up and due to raster graphics needing to store so
much information the large bitmaps require large file sizes. However there
are compression formats that reduce files sizes such as JPEG and GIFs.
3. Vector Graphics
Vector graphics are made up of vectors, more commonly known as paths and
strokes. They have a specific start and end point with curves and angles in
between which make them more flexible and can become a line, a square, a
triangle or a curvy shape. When they are resized there isn't much pixilation
due to the ratio of the parts to other parts being changed not stretched. They
are useful for business cards or big billboards as they have no loss in
definition when changed.
5. JPEG
Stands For Joint Photographic Experts Group
Used For/Example • Photographic and Web formats
Advantage • JPEGs are universal - every device that
shows pictures uses / shows them in
the JPEG format
• Made up of thousands or millions of
colours
• Small file size
Disadvantage • Low quality
• They loose quality due to the
compression and recompression each
time they are edited and downloaded.
6. TIFF
Stands For Tagged Image File Format
Used For/Example • Desktop Publishing
• Used popularly by graphic designers
Advantage • Have the option of lossless
compression which doesn’t loose
quality.
• Adobe InDesign documents saved as
TIFFs and can save multi page
documents to a single TIFF file.
Disadvantage • Large file sizes due to no compression
• Wont open in as many devices
• More specialist software involved so
can be complex to use.
7. GIF
Stands For Graphic Interchange Format
Used For/Example • Short digital animations often on the
internet.
Advantage • They are small file sizes and they can
be used easily online as they can load
quicker
• Can be of anything and so appel to
anyone
Disadvantage • Can have a lack of quality due to only
having a maximum palette of 256
colours
• Poor quality
8. BMP
Stands For Bitmap Image File
Used For/Example • Digital Image
Advantage • Can be sent to people and they can still
open them
• Quality stays up due to no loss when
compressed
Disadvantage • Does not support compression, which
means very large files.
• BMP files are not supported by Web
browsers.
10. PSD
Stands For Photoshop Document
Used For/Example • Image Manipulation e.g. front covers of
magazines
Advantage • Can use text in this program
• Support transparency and so can
improve overall appearance of areas
such as websites
• Saves layers, page formatting
information, swatches etc..
Disadvantage • Doesn’t have spell check and so means
you have to check through work to
make sure it is faultless
• Can only see image if device has
Photoshop program too
• Big files sizes if there is lots of
information e.g. lots of layers
11. AI
Stands For Adobe Illustrator
Used For/Example • Logo creation
• Graphics to represent a company
Advantage • Can be scaled to big or small as vector
graphics have no loss in definition
• When image is zoomed in on, unlike
Photoshop the quality stays the same
Disadvantage • Big file sizes
• Can only be opened if the device has AI
• Complicated to learn how to use it
12. FLA
Stands For Flash file
Used For/Example • Creation of animation and games
Advantage • Can produce high quality files with a
small file size
• Can include sound and videos
• Can be used easily and watched easily
online
Disadvantage • Text has to be shortened as content
capacity is limited
• Flash files are hard to update
• Flash files don’t work on certain phones
and tablets which are highly popular
13. WMF
Stands For Windows Metafile
Used For/Example • Microsoft Clipart
• Used for logo creation
Advantage • Similar to AI files
• Are often copyright free
• Can contain both vector and bitmap
components
• Can be big or small as vectors have no
loss in definition
Disadvantage • They can only display 256 colours
unlike, say a JPEG which have 16 bit
colour
• Security issues have been reported
where by computer code can be
embedded in them
15. Compression
Definition The action of reducing a file size.
“When a file or a group of files is
compressed, the resulting "archive" often
takes up 50% to 90% less disk space than
the original file”
http://www.techterms.com/definition/file
_compression
Advantage • Makes files smaller, which can make
them easier and quicker to download
over a network or thee internet
Disadvantage • Images become pixelated as they are
compressed as they save smaller
amounts or coloured squares each time
16. Image Capture
Method Scanner
How is it used for image capture of
graphics
You can digitise physical images like
sketches, physical photos or mixed media
products
Method Camera
How is it used for image capture of
graphics
Take a picture of the graphic (this will turn
a vector image into a bitmap)
Method Graphics Tablet
How is it used for image capture of
graphics
Allows you to control the mouse like a pen
allowing for enhanced control of drawing
or selection
17. Optimising
Why would you optimise? Files that aren’t optimised have larger file
sizes making downloads longer
How can you optimise? • You can optimise for web by reducing
the “Image Size” in Photoshop
• Reducing resolution
• Reducing bit depth
Advantage to optimising • Images uploaded to the internet are
optimised to ensure easy viewing on
the web.
Disadvantage to optimising • Images should only be up 500 pixels
otherwise quality is lost