Raster graphics are made up of pixels arranged in a grid, while vector graphics use mathematical equations to define paths, points and curves. Common file formats for raster images include JPEG, TIFF, GIF and BMP, with JPEG best for photos and web due to lossy compression, and TIFF used for graphic design with lossless compression. Vector formats include AI, used for logos, and FLA for animations. Optimizing images makes them lighter and faster to download by reducing file size through lowering resolution, compression or trimming pixels, though this can degrade quality with excessive optimization.

1. Digital Graphics
File Formats
Alex Walker

2. Raster Graphics
• Raster graphics are made up of Bitmaps or Pixels.
• Bitmaps have a fixed resolution, so resizing these
images can resort in distortion.
• Each pixel records colour information.
• Megapixels make a better picture because there
are more pixels.
• 14 megapixels=14,000,000 pixels.
• Raster images are saved in varying formats.

3. Vector Graphics
• Vector graphics are made of vectors or paths.
• It is a mathematical calculation, so this makes
the image more precise.
• Vectors are defined by start and end points
with curves, points and angles between.
• From this information means that they can
become a line or a curvy shape.
• Vectors can be scaled easier so make good
company logos.

4. Raster Graphics

5. JPEG
Stands For Joint Photographic Experts Group
Used For/Example Photos and Web formats.
Advantage • Jpegs can be compressed so take up
less space than other files.
• Jpegs will work for most devices
because the makers made it decided on
the best format to avoid confusion.
Disadvantage • With each compression, the image
loses quality.

6. TIFF
Stands For Tagged Image File Format
Used For/Example Graphic Design
Advantage • Can save multi-page documents in one
tiff file.
• They have lossless compression which
means that it doesn’t lose quality from
compression.
Disadvantage • These files use lots of money.
• They are very specialised file types.

7. GIF
Stands For Graphic Interchange Format
Used For/Example Its used for short digital animations and on
the internet.
Advantage • Its easier than making an animation.
• Its low quality so its smaller.
Disadvantage • Its low quality.

8. BMP
Stands For Bitmap
Used For/Example Image file, similar to a tiff and jpeg.
Advantage • No loss in compression.
Disadvantage • Large file size.

9. Vector Graphics

10. PSD
Stands For Photoshop Document
Used For/Example Its used for image manipulation. E.g. Front
cover images for a magazine.
Advantage • You can edit and apply edits to just one
layer.
• Supports transparency.
• It can create shapes.
Disadvantage • Very few things will open or preview
this type of file. This means you have to
save it to another format.
• It is a huge file size.

11. AI
Stands For Adobe Illustrator
Used For/Example It is used for logo creation.
Advantage • It can be scaled without loss of
definition.
Disadvantage • It takes specialist software to open and
close this type of file.

12. FLA
Stands For Flash file
Used For/Example Its used for animations and games.
Advantage • The file sizes are small but of a high
quality.
• These files can include sound and
video.
Disadvantage • It takes time to gain the skill to use the
software as it is specialist.

13. WMF
Stands For Windows Metafile
Used For/Example They are very similar to AL files in the way
they are high quality but small files. They
are used for logos.
Advantage • They can be scaled multiple times and
with no loss of definition.
• Use both vector and bitmap
components.
Disadvantage • Clip art- doesn’t look professional and
the quality is sometimes bad due to the
use of bitmaps.

14. File Format Capture
and Optimising

15. Compression
Definition “Lossy compression” is the way files are
reduced in size by reducing the amount of
information saved into the file.
Advantage This means that when the file sizes are
reduced, there is more memory space
because it isn’t taking up as much room as
it would if it wasn’t reduced in size.
Disadvantage The effect of this however, is that the
more times it is saved/compressed, the
more pixelated it will become as it will
have lost information or bitmaps/pixels.

16. Image Capture
Method Scanner
How is it used for image capture of
graphics
Digitised physical images like sketches,
physical
Method Digital Camera
How is it used for image capture of
graphics
By taking photos from real life and being
able to have them instantly and digitally to
edit.
Method Graphics Tablet
How is it used for image capture of
graphics
There is a more enhanced control over
drawing.

17. Optimising
Why would you optimise? You would optimise to make sure there
was easy viewing on the internet after you
loaded the image up there. If they aren’t
then the image takes longer to download
due to the file size being too large.
How can you optimise? • Reducing size.
• Reducing the amount of pixels or bit
depth.
• Reducing the resolution.
• Compressing the image.
Advantage to optimising • Easier viewing on the internet.
• Smaller file size.
• Faster to download.
Disadvantage to optimising • Its harder to find an earlier published
post.
• It is complicated to do unless you know
what you’re doing.