Raster graphics are made up of bitmaps and require large file sizes to store pixel information, though compression methods help reduce file size. Raster graphics can be scaled down without quality loss but lose quality when enlarged. Vector graphics use vectors defined by start and end points, allowing them to be scaled without quality loss. Common file formats include JPEG for photos, TIFF for publishing, GIF for animations, and BMP/PSD for images with layers. Vector formats include AI for logos and WMF for Windows. Compression reduces file sizes but also risks quality loss from repeated editing. Images can be captured with scanners, cameras, or graphics tablets. Optimizing reduces file sizes through resizing, compression, and other editing to

1. Digital Graphics
File Formats
Jamie Ellis

2. Raster Graphics
Raster Graphics are made up of bitmaps. The larger the
image, the more disk space the image file will take up.
Raster graphics need to store a lot of information as, large
bitmaps require large file sizes. However, there are many
image compression methods that have been developed
to help reduce file sizes. The most common compressed
image formats are JPEG and GIF images, however there
are quite a few available other than these formats.
Raster graphics can be scaled down with no loss of
quality, but a bitmap image can lose quality when
enlarged as the resolution is fixed.

3. Vector Graphics
Vector Graphics are made up of vectors (paths and
strokes) and are defined by a start and an end point,
with curves, points and also angles between them. The
path can become a line, square, triangle or a curvy
shape.
Unlike Raster Graphics, Vectors can be scaled big and
small as they have no loss in definition, which means
that they are perfect for company logos.

4. Raster Graphics

5. JPEG
Stands For Joint Photographic Experts Group
Used For/Example Photographs and web formats.
Advantage The JPEG format can handle a lot of
colours as well as keep the file size small.
Disadvantage The more times an image is edited, the
more it will lose quality due to
compression and recompression.

6. TIFF
Stands For Tagged Image File Format
Used For/Example Usually used for desktop publishing
Advantage TIFF files can save multi-page documents
to a single file.
They have the advantage of being able to
choose lossless compression- so that the
image doesn’t lose image quality through
compression.
Disadvantage Due to the ability of saving multi-page
documents and such, TIFF files can be very
large.
They do not open on all devices.

7. GIF
Stands For Graphics Interchange Format
Used For/Example Digital animations, often on the internet.
Advantage GIF files are a series of images placed
together to create a digital animation,
which is a lot like a short video.
Disadvantage GIF files are often only a few seconds long,
so cannot be used to make minutes of
animation.

8. BMP
Stands For Bitmap Image File
Used For/Example A BMP file can be used for any Bitmap
images. It is used to store digital images,
Advantage When using a BMP file format, there is no
loss of quality when compression of an
image takes place.
They also support all versions of Windows.
Disadvantage It has the largest file size compared to
other formats.
Quality of the picture obtained is often
lost.

9. Vector Graphics

10. PSD
Stands For Photoshop Document
Used For/Example Used for image manipulation, often for
front cover images on magazines etc.
Advantage Photoshop documents have the ability to
save layers and formatting information.
They also support transparency.
Disadvantage PSD files tend to be extremely large, since
these lossless images use no compression.
PSD files can only be opened on a device
which has photoshop.

11. AI
Stands For Adobe Illustrator Art
Used For/Example Usually used to create graphics which
represent a company, such as logos.
Advantage AI files can be scaled large and small as
they have no loss in definition.
They can be saved as PDF files to make it
easier to print the files.
Disadvantage In order to open an AI file, you need a
copy of Adobe Illustrator installed on your
computer

12. FLA
Stands For Flash File
Used For/Example Used to create animations and games.
Advantage They can produce high quality files which
have a small file size.
They also have the ability to include sound
and video.
Disadvantage Files are not always easy to preview and
can be difficult to download.

13. WMF
Stands For Windows Metafile
Used For/Example Used to create Logos.
Advantage Can be scaled large as well as small
without loss of quality in images.
This file format is small in comparison to
the amount of information it holds, which
means it can be used on websites without
dramatically increasing load time.
Disadvantage Not compatible with many Non- Windows
platforms.

14. File Format Capture
and Optimising

15. Compression
Definition The way in which file sizes are reduced,
by reducing the amount of information
that is saved.
Advantage File sizes are smaller, making them easier
to upload, and view on the internet, as
well as storing or downloading them.
Disadvantage The more compressed an image, the more
it can lose its quality and become very
pixelated.

16. Image Capture
Method Scanner
How is it used for image capture of graphics An image scanner is able to scan and capture text,
imagery and objects and then turn them into a
digital image.
Method Camera
How is it used for image capture of graphics A digital camera is a camera that takes video
or/and photographs digitally by recording images
by using an electronic image sensor.
Method Graphics Tablet
How is it used for image capture of graphics A graphics tablet is a device that you plug into the
computer which enables you to hand draw images
as you would on paper. It can also be used to trace
images from paper. It is different to the other
methods of image capture, because with a graphics
tablet it's you personally creating something and
being transferred to the PC, instead of doing most
of the work for you.

17. Optimising
Why would you optimise? To easily view images on the web.
How can you optimise? You can optimise images by reducing the
image size, bit depth and resolution, or by
compressing images. This can be done in
Photoshop.
Advantage to optimising Easily viewing images on the web.
Disadvantage to optimising