This document discusses different types of digital graphics file formats including raster graphics like JPEG, TIFF, GIF and BMP files which use bitmaps made of pixels and vector graphics like PSD, AI, FLA and WMF files which use vectors. It describes how each format is used, advantages and disadvantages. It also covers topics like image capture methods, file compression, optimizing images for web, file size management, naming conventions and organizing assets in folders.

1. Digital Graphics
File Formats
Your name here

2. Raster Graphics
• Raster graphics are images made up of bitmaps
• Bitmaps are made up of tiny cells called pixels.
• A Bitmap graphic is usually made up of pixels/bits of different colour
information. Because the images are made up of many pixels the image file
size can be quite large as every single pixel needs storing to the computer
make up the image.
• Bitmap images have a fixed resolution of 300 dpi (dots per inch). A problem
with Bitmap files is that when you resize a Raster graphic it can tend to lose
quality and cause distortion.
• In photographs image sizes are talked about in megapixels, this is the number
of pixels/bits the picture is split into. 1 Mega pixel = 1,000,000 and because of
the large quantities of information (pixels) used in pictures online images
online can become pixelated because the image has been compressed into
less megapixels
• Bitmap files are used for Photographs, short digital animations and Web
formats and can be saved as JPEG files, Tiff Files, Giff Files & BMP Files.

3. Vector Graphics
• Vector graphics are made up of vectors known as paths and strokes.
• Vectors are defined by a start and end point with curves, points and
angles between them.
• This means that the path can be a line, a triangle, a square or even
a curvy shape.
• It is possible to edit each object separately, for example, change the
shape, colour, size and position.
• Even if an object in a vector graphic is quite large, it doesn't need a
lot of computer memory. Therefore the file size of a vector graphic
is often very small.
• Vector graphics are scalable - ie when you resize them, they do not
lose quality. They are perfect for images that need to be both large
and small ie Company Logo.
• Vector Graphics can be saved as PSD files, AI files, Flash Files and
WMF files.

4. Note the difference between
Vector and Raster (Bitmap)
Images when both scaled up
and scaled down.
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5. Raster Graphics

6. JPEG
Stands For Joint Photographic Experts Group
Used For/Example Photographs and Web Formats –
Used in Print industry.
Most commonly used by digital cameras
One of the most popular formats for web
designers
Advantage Easy to export and small in file size this
means more images can be stored.
Support for 24 bit colour information.
All digital cameras have this option and
JPEG is a universal file type so can be
opened almost anywhere
Disadvantage Loses quality with multiple edits due to
compression and recompression each time
it is edited so the image loses quality &
information each time it is saved.
Layers cannot saved as image is only saved
as one full image.

7. TIFF
Stands For Tagged Image File Format
Used For/Example Desktop publishing & Used In Graphic
Design.
It is accepted as a photograph file standard
in the print industry
Advantage Adobe In Design docs saved as Tiffs can
save multi page documents to a single file.
Compatable with wide range of software
applications.
Don’t lose any quality due to compression
as they have the option of Lossless
compression.
Disadvantage Large File sizes which use large amounts of
memory means that large storage device is
needed to store images.
Online websites don’t support TIFF files.

8. GIF
Stands For Graphics Interchange Format
Used For/Example Short animations on the internet and
Facebook.
Exchanging graphic files between
computers.
Advantage Can produce a series of images in a loop
which appear as a short video.
Good for storing graphics with few colours
like diagrams shapes & cartoon style
images.
Can be inserted into a power point.
Disadvantage They only animate in browsers that
support animated gifs.
Not good for detailed images as they tend
to be pixelated.
Usually very low Quality and only contain
256 colours and cannot be edited after
saving.

9. BMP
Stands For Bitmap Image File
Used For/Example Photographs, graphic images, magazines &
print media and other high quality images.
Background images & wallpapers
m/soft Paint Program
Advantage No quality loss in compression gives clear
crisp images.
Wide acceptance, simplicity and used in
PC & Mac programs.
Disadvantage Large file sizes due to large amount of
image information that cant be
compressed, they take up a lot of storage
space.

10. Vector Graphics

11. PSD
Stands For Photoshop Document
Used For/Example Image manipulation, magazine cover
design, photo editing in Adobe Photoshop
and other Adobe products.
Used by Graphic Designers &
Web Designer
Advantage Supports most imaging options including
layers with transparency, masks, text,
actions, filters and swatches, page
formatting information and Swatches etc.
Disadvantage PSD files tend to be extremely large
making them difficult to email or transfer
Purely for editing also needs large
amounts of storage space.
PSD files only compatible with Adobe
products.

12. AI
Stands For Adobe Illustrator Art
Used For/Example Logo Creation and images that need to be
scalable.
Used by Graphic Designers to design
scalable images like cartoons, logos and
illustrations
Advantage The images are scalable so can be made
big or small with no loss of quality
Images do not become pixelated on resize.
Disadvantage To create images some amount of skill or
training is require to master it.
Need specialist software to open files

13. FLA
Stands For Flash File
Used For/Example Used to create very high quality
animations and games.
Games & Film industry
Advantage Can produce high quality files with a small
file size.
Can include sound and video but because
of the small file size can be used on web
sites without slowing down too much.
Disadvantage Compatibility problem viewing the
animations on certain devices and files can
be complex.
Only limited software can run these files

14. WMF
Stands For Windows Metafile
Used For/Example Used for logos and storing vector and
bitmap information can also be used when
creating cliparts
Graphic Designer use these
Advantage Can be scaled big and small as vectors
have no loss in definition.
Can contain BOTH vector and bitmap
components
Disadvantage Few applications support direct editing of
metafiles and WMF files are only available
on Windows platforms

15. File Format Capture
and Optimising

16. Compression
Definition Compression is the way in which a files
size is reduced. By compressing files you
can the way data is coded and as a result
you can create more memory space.
Advantage The advantage of compressing a file size is
that is smaller in size this means its takes
up less memory and is easier to export and
receive
Disadvantage Images become more pixelated as they are
compressed as they save smaller amounts
of pixels each time. This means the quality
of the file is reduced.

17. Image Capture
Method Scanner
How is it used for image capture of
graphics
You can digitise physical images like hand
drawn sketches, documents, photographs
and mixed media images.
Method Camera
How is it used for image capture of
graphics
Taking pictures using a camera
Method Graphics Tablet
How is it used for image capture of
graphics
This is is a piece of technology that
controls the mouse like a pen allowing
enhanced control of drawing, selection &
digital handwriting.

18. Optimising
Why would you optimise? To ensure easier viewing on the web.
Images load quicker when optimised as
their file sizes are reduced this means the
website can run faster.
How can you optimise? You can optimise an image by Reducing its
image size, bit depth (colour of individual
pixels) & resolution (amount of pixels
within image).
You can also optimise for the web buy
changing “image size” in photoshop.
Advantage to optimising Smaller file sizemeans its faster to upload
And images are easier to view online.
Disadvantage to optimising Images can not be more than 500 pixels
wide. If you optimise an image pixels are
lost and you cannot retrieve that
information once lost

19. Storage

20. File Size
What could affect a Working Scale
(Photoshop) document file size?
The size of the image and the detail
within it such as colour information and
layers.
How could you reduce the file size of a
Working Scale document without
affecting quality?
I would reduce the file size of the image
using a lossless format.
What is an advantage of scaling up images
before exporting?
The advantage of scaling up images before
exporting is that when they receive the
image and scale it down it will be less
pixelated.
What is a disadvantage of scaling up
images before exporting?
Large file size makes the image harder to
sending.

21. File Naming Conventions
What naming conventions could you use
when creating your video game assets?
• Name each file for each individual part
of the game/character also set up
separate files for separate sections.
• Add a date to help track when it was
created and if it’s the most up to date
version or searching for an original
version when showing progress.
Why is it a good idea to accurately name
your assets?
It is good to name files accurately and in
an ordered so they can be re found with
ease when needed and also filed correctly
for future use of yourself and others.

22. Asset Management
Why would you use folders when storing
your assets?
I would use files when storing assets to
make assets fast and easy to find and
organised.
What folders would you create and what
would you save within them
I would create files for each large project
then I would then divide these files into
each section of the project ie research,
development & final product these files
would eventually be uploaded when
submitting my work .
I would also create files for music,
characters and scenes, these files would
be for my personal development purposes
within a Folder named with the project
title.