2. Raster Graphics
Raster graphics are images made up of bitmaps.
Bitmaps are small pixels made up of colour, each pixel records the colour information for that part
of the image. These images have a fixed resolution and have a trouble resizing as it distorts the
image because the pixels are stretched and become more visible.
Megapixels relates to the millions of pixels that the image is separated into, for instance, a 14
megapixel image will have 14,000,000 pixels.
Bitmaps separate the image into (i.e.) 14,000,000 pixels, each one of these pixels records the
colour information, all these different colour variations create an image. When enlarged these
pixels get larger and become more and more visible. The more visible the pixels, the more
pixelated and distorted the image looks.
These graphics can be seen in JPEG images, GIF’s and PNG files.
Also, modern display screens have raster graphic displays.
3. Vector Graphics
Vector graphics are made up from vectors, or also known as paths and strokes. They are defined
by a start and end point, with curves, points and angles in between the start and end point. From
this, the path can become a line, square, triangle or curvy shape. Each path may be given a
stroke colour, shape, thickness, and fill.
Vector graphics are better quality and easier to resize. They can be resized from the label on the
bottle of a drink to the size of the logo on the side of a truck. Resizing changes the difference of
the pixels. These graphics are used for company logos because they are much easier to resize
and don’t lose definition or get distorted when being resized.
5. JPEG
Stands For Joint Photographic Experts Group
Used For/Example Photographs and web formats.
Advantage The JPEG file format is universal. The
images can also be saved as low quality to
help with quick downloading and saving.
Disadvantage JPEG files lose quality when edited
multiple times due to the compression
and recompression of the image. This is
because each time it is compressed it loses
information and the image lowers in
quality because of the loss in information.
6. TIFF
Stands For Tagged Image File Format
Used For/Example TIFF file formats are used in graphic design.
Advantage TIFF files allow the user to have multi page
documents all on one file. This is an advantage
for those who create magazines. These files are
also high quality. These files dont lose quality
due to compression.
Disadvantage It wont open on as many devices or software.
The software used creates a limited access and
requires a knowledge on the software to use it.
These files are also too large to send via email,
so another file sharing website must be used if
you wish to send them online. The high quality
files also take longer to download.
7. GIF
Stands For Graphics Interchange Format
Used For/Example Short digital animations usually on the
internet
Advantage Small file type, looks like a low quality
video in a loop. They are a series of JPEG
images that look like a video. GIF’s also
support transparent backgrounds.
Disadvantage These files are poor quality and are short,
they rarely exceed 10 second loops. They
only have a maximum colour range of
about 260 colours so they can sometimes
look poor in quality, leading to the images
having more blocky colours and looking
pixelated.
8. BMP
Stands For Bitmap image file
Used For/Example Used to store bitmap digital images
Advantage These files can display a picture
realistically. This file is similar to a TIFF and
JPEG file, it is also used in the programme
paint. This file is universal and has no loss
of information through compression.
Disadvantage Although this file may be universal, its
outdated. It has large file sizes, this makes
it difficult to send, download and save.
10. PSD
Stands For Photoshop Document
Used For/Example Image manipulation, and post production
for raster graphics.
Used for the front cover of magazines
Usefull among photographers and graphic
designers.
Advantage This file format supports layers, formatting
information, swatches, in case upon
reopening of the file adjustments to layers
etc must be made. Supports transparency.
Has a text tool.
Disadvantage The disadvantage to a PSD file is that you
need Photoshop to open the image, the file
format is not universal, and you need to
know how to use, and understand
photoshop.
11. AI
Stands For Adobe Illustrator Art
Used For/Example Logo creation
Advantage These images can be scaled large or small,
as vectors have no loss of definition.
Disadvantage This programme is complicated to learn
how to use, using large file types that can
only be opened in Adobe Illustrator. They
must be saved as a different file type if you
wish to show someone who cannot access
Adobe Illustrator.
12. FLA
Stands For Flash File
Used For/Example Used to create animations and games.
Advantage They can create high quality files with a small
file size. These files can include sound and
video and are good to use on the internet due
to the small file size. It is also possible to
create a website using Flash
Disadvantage This file type is not fully universal, and if you
were to create a website using flash, it may
need high internet speeds to load. Flash also
requires the users computer to have Flash
player installed, although most computers its
already installed. Flash files must be
converted into a different format before they
can be used on the internet
13. WMF
Stands For Windows Metafile
Used For/Example Used for logos and clip art.
Advantage These images are similar to AI files can be
scaled large and still have no loss of
definition. These files can contain both
vector and bitmap parts.
Disadvantage Not universal, and seen as JPEG is
universal, in most cases WMF is
unnecessary.
15. Compression
Definition Lossy compression is how the sizes of file
types is reduced. They are reduced by
reducing the amount of information that
is stored in the file.
Advantage The files are smaller, easier to send,
receive and download. This also allows for
more data to be stored on the computer.
Disadvantage Images can become pixelated because
they are compressed and less amounts of
information are saved. This means that
less of the coloured squares are saved
each time, creating larger blocks of colour.
16. Image Capture
Method Scanner
How is it used for image capture of
graphics
This allows you to make physical images
such as sketches, physical photographs,
collages into a digital images.
Method Camera
How is it used for image capture of
graphics
A photograph can be used to digitalise the
media products, but not in as good quality,
this however allows you to take images of
a 3d subject
Method Graphics Tablet
How is it used for image capture of
graphics
These can be used to control the mouse
like a pen, for controlled digital drawings-
good for drawing cartoons, selection and
digital handwriting.
17. Optimising
Why would you optimise? You would optimise an image that would be
uploaded to the internet to ensure that it is
easier to view on the web. Non optimised
images have large file sizes and take longer to
view or download
How can you optimise? You can optimise images by changing the images
size in Photoshop to less than 500 pixels wide.
You can optimise an image by reducing the
image size, the bit depth and image resolution.
Advantage to optimising It speeds up the web pages performance, while
the image size has decreased, the image quality
is reasonably maintained.
Disadvantage to optimising Image information is lost to make the file size
smaller. These images will struggle to be resized
properly as they have adjusted the file to say
that the image is less than 500 pixels wide.
