Digital Graphics File FormatsBy Will Wheatley

Raster Graphics

• Raster images are made of bitmaps. Bitmaps are an image that have a fixed resolution (resizing them can result in distortion).

Vector Graphics

• Vector/ path images are created by choosing where a path starts and ends using mathematics. Paths can become shapes like squares, triangles and curved shapes too.

• Vectors can be scaled big and small with no loss in definition. Perfect for logo transitions from huge billboards to small business cards

Raster Graphics

JPEGStands For Joint photographic expert group

Used For/Example Facebook photos, photos on websites.

Advantage Small file size so they are perfect for websites to save room.

Disadvantage Lose quality with multiple edits due to compression.

TIFFStands For Tagged Image File Format

Used For/Example Desktop publishing (popular with graphics design).

Advantage Adobe InDesign documents saved as Tiffs can save multiple documents to a single file.

Doesn’t lose quality from compression.

Disadvantage Large file size.

GIFStands For Graphic Interchange Format

Used For/Example Short digital animation on the internetA series of images played one after another to seem like a short video (lasts up to about ten seconds).

Advantage Easy to create.

Disadvantage Poor qualityShort

BMPStands For Bitmap Image File

Used For/Example Similar to Tiff and Jpeg

Advantage No loss in compression.

Disadvantage Large file size

Vector Graphics

PSDStands For Photoshop Document

Used For/Example Used for image manipulation and editing. Used in front covers of magazines.

Advantage Saves layers.Page formatSupports transparency

Disadvantage Very large file sizeCan only be used in Photoshop unless converted.

AIStands For Adobe Illustration Art

Used For/Example Logos creation

Advantage Can be scaled big and small as they have no loss in definition.

Represent company logo.

Disadvantage

FLAStands For Flash file

Used For/Example Used to create animation and games

Advantage Can produce high quality files with small file sizes.Can include sound and video

Disadvantage

WMFStands For Windows Meta file

Used For/Example Similar to AI filesUsed for logos

Advantage Can be scaled big and small no loss in definition.Can use both vector and bitmap

Disadvantage

File Format Capture and Optimising

CompressionDefinition Lossy compression is the way in which file

sizes are reduced by reducing the amount of information saved.

Advantage Can save room on a hard drive.

Disadvantage Can result in loss of image quality as they become more pixelated when compressed as they save smaller amounts.

Image CaptureMethod Scanner

How is it used for image capture of graphics

You can digitize physical images that are drawn, sketched or paintings or photos and put them on the computer or copy them.

Method CameraHow is it used for image capture of

graphicsA camera is a portable device used for capturing moments in time so they can be viewed.

Method Graphics TabletHow is it used for image capture of

graphicsA piece of technology that allows you to control the mouse with your finger.

OptimisingWhy would you optimise? Optimizing ensures easy viewing on the

web.

How can you optimise? You have the ability to save images as different types of images. You can also change the resolution of images to make file sizes smaller

Advantage to optimising Because images that are uploaded to the web when they’re not optimized have a large file size, causing downloads to take longer. Optimizing makes images quicker to upload and download.

Disadvantage to optimising Images should not be more than 500 pixels wide.