This document discusses different file formats for digital graphics including raster graphics like JPEG, TIFF, GIF, and BMP, as well as vector graphics like AI, FLA, and WMF. It describes what each file format stands for, common uses, advantages, and disadvantages. Methods for capturing and optimizing graphics are also covered, such as using scanners, cameras, graphics tablets, and optimizing files by reducing size, resolution, and bit depth to make downloads faster.

1. Digital Graphics
File Formats
Jess Stanton

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 of a grid of pixels which are
usually known as bitmap. The larger the image the more
space it will take up due to raster graphics needing to store so
much information the large bitmaps require large file sizes.
However there are compression formats that reduce file 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 and 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 businesses
cards or big billboards as they have no loss in definition when
changed.

4. Raster Graphics

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 effect loss
in quality.
• Adobe InDesign documents saved as
TIFFs and can save multi page
documents to a single TIFF file
Disadvantage • Large files 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 files sizes and they can
be used easily online as the can load
quicker
• Can be of anything so appeal to anyone
Disadvantage • Poor quality
• Can have a lack of quality due to only
having a maximum palette of 256
colours

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

9. Vector Graphics

10. 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 at first

11. 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

12. 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 a computer code can be
embedded in them

13. File Format Capture
and Optimising

14. 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/fil
e_compression
Advantage • Makes files smaller, which can make
them easier and quicker to download
over a network or the internet
Disadvantage • Images become pixelated as they are
compressed as they save smaller
amounts of coloured squares each time

15. 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 onto a bitmap)
Method Graphics Tablet
How is it used for image capture of
graphics
Lets you control the mouse like a pen
allowing enhanced control of drawing or
selection.

16. Optimising
Why would you optimise? Files that aren't optimised have a larger
file size 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 to 500 pixels
otherwise quality is lost.