Unit 54 Assignment 1-Digital Graphics for Print

In this article I will be writing about what vector and raster are as well as the several different range of vector and raster based application. I’ll be telling you which ones are used for editing purposes as well creating images and what the choices are when it comes to exporting them as there are a whole range of file extensions. These examples of file extensions aren’t all good and impressive as they have both advantages and disadvantages as they have all been created for specific software so it works best for that software.

Below I have listed things under the 3 headings of Print Media Products, Moving image media products and Print file format. When it comes to Print Media Products and they are to do with things such as posters, leaflets, magazines, DVD and CD covers. The aim of Print Media Products is to catch people’s eyes which are done by colour, graphics and illustrations presented on these particular objects. This is done for the product to sell well. A file format which is used for printing is a .TIFF. The reason why .TIFF is one of the most commonly used is because of the lossless compression and doesn’t affect the quality of the detailed image; this kind of format is a raster file format. When using interactive media for things like the internet, computer games and CD roms there are certain file formats that work best for digital graphics. On websites the file format PNG is used for interaction as this file format are Network graphics which is a raster file format as well.

Moving Image media products can be used for things like adverts which feature on the TV. Movement is a great way to attract and catch people’s attention. Adverts would use a type of digital graphic also. Digital graphics would be used in opening sequences which is specifically used for moving images is a type of Pixar file format. PIXARs are used when creating something which is a high-end graphic and is used for animation and three dimensional images so in animated movies.

Print file format

TIFF PNG JPEG PDF GIF

Moving image media products

Animation Websites Dimensional images

Print Media Products

Posters Magazine Newspapers Leaflets CD/ DVD covers.

Raster imagesThis is a print screen displaying all the different file formats which can be uploaded on Raster images. The most popular file formats I would say are file formats such as .EPS which is a file format which is specially created for images which have been edited using the editing software Photoshop. I wouldn’t say this file format is most popular when it comes to uploading to the web but is popular when editing in Photoshop. JPEG is seemed to be the overall popular file format as it has a low file size but saves as much quality as possible compared to other file formats.

Raster images are used on print media products industry; these are things like posters and magazines. Raster images assign each pixel one colour; this is viewable on either a computer screen or on a piece of paper.

When it comes to comes to compression there are 2 different ways to compress a file.There are two ways of compressing files; they both squeeze large images down so that they can be fitted into smaller spaces. However one way doesn’t lose any of the picture quality, this is lossless compression, the other way of compressing can lose some of the picture quality, and this is lossy compression. Lossy gives a bigger space when saving but this does mean loss in the image detail, lossless squeezes the large image into a smaller space but doesn’t lose detail in the image. Some common file formats are BMP and JPEG. Raster images are created in Photoshop; this means that there are several file formats that the file can be saved as. Different file formats allow have pros and cons, for example some are lossy and others are lossless. Some save with a large file and others compress the image into a very small file size.

Raster Based Applications

There are a range of applications which are used specifically for raster graphics but there are four main ones. Coral Painter, Photoshop would be seen as the top 2 most used application which making digital graphics used raster applications. But also are 2 well heard applications which are GIMP, MS Paint but due to updates and new tools these 2 applications are not as recommended to use anymore.

Coral Painter

Coral Painter is a type of software which is used for digital art which is done under raster-based application. Coral Painter isn’t a type of software for beginners as it’s used for the purpose of art being as accurate as can be. This is due to the facilities offered from this software as it’s designed especially for traditional media associated with drawing, painting, and printmaking. So people who have a profession within this subject matter it’s seen as common software for them to use. The current up to date version of Coral Painter is called Painter 12 which was updated in 2011.

Photoshop

Photoshop is editing software which was produced by the well-known company, Adobe Systems Incorporated. Photoshop is graphic imaging software which is used to create raster images. Photoshop is one out of only of a couple applications which can read both raster files and vector files. Photoshop reads lots of file formats for example .EPS, .PNG, .GIF, and .JPEG. These are raster file formats only. Photoshop’s main strength is that it is a pixel based image editor.

GIMP

GIMP is free software which is specifically for editing raster graphics. It’s mainly used as an image retouching and editing tool and is available in versions made for most popular operating systems including Microsoft Windows, Apple Mac OS X, and Linux. GIMP has the tools to edit the image in different editing tasks such as resizing, editing, and cropping photos, photomontages.

Photomontage is a tool which involves combining ranges images and converting between different image formats.

What is a file format?

A file format is used for computers which help hold information in a basic way. The knowledge of what each file formats know is the exact amount of bits which have been used to encode information in digital storage. File Formats don’t usually cost anything but can be proprietary. Once file formats are created they can be unpublished or open.

What are some examples of file formats?

Not all file formats are the same, usually different file formats have been created for a specific job. For example one file format is a PNG file. The purpose of PNG files is to store bitmapped images which are using lossless data compression. But most of the time file formats can hold up a lot more storage types.

The file format called The Ogg which has the classic icon of an orange cone is used as a format which has been created to hold different types of multimedia. This means it can store data of different combinations of audio and video, with or without text and metadata.

Interactive extensions

PNG

PNG which stands for Portable Network Graphics is a bitmapped image format that employs lossless compression. PNG was created to improve upon and replace GIF as an image file format. PNG supports palette-based images, grayscale images and RGB images. PNG was designed for transferring images on the Internet, not for professional-quality print graphics, and therefore does not support non RGB color spaces such as CMYK.

BMP

Bitmap is a uncompressed raster image comprised of a rectangular grid of pixels which contains a file header e.g. bitmap identifier, file size, width, height, colour options, and bitmap data starting point. As well as bitmap pixels,

this is each with different colours. BMP is able to store 2D colour of images which have random width, height and resolution. BMP is most commonly found on Windows. . BMP format supports RGB, Indexed Colour, Grayscale, and Bitmap colour modes.

Moving Image File Extensions

PIXAR

The PIXAR format has been created for the purpose of editing and swapping with PIXAR image computers. This file format is featured in the editing software Photoshop. This file format isn’t commonly used as it’s only used really for high-ended graphics. This file format is great when creating things for rendering three-dimensional images and animation. Pixar format supports RGB and grayscale images with a single alpha channel and has no format options associated with the PIXAR file format

Targa- TGA

The TGA format file is a well know file format file which is used in costly paint programs and ray tracing packages. It can have images which feature with up to sixteen million unique colours. This format file isn’t widely supported from PCX or TIFF formats. The TGA format was designed for colour use on systems for example MS-DOS colour applications.

TGA files can be saved either being compressed or not compressed. Windows don’t recognize 16 & 32 bits per pixel so for some applications it would change by treating them if they were 24 bits per pixel. 16 bits per pixel image will be up-graded to 24 bits per pixel, and 32 bits per pixel image will be down-graded to 24 bits per pixel image. This doesn’t affect the quality or procedure of the image as its only 8 extra bits of a TGA 32 bits per pixel file which are used to store Alpha or transparency information.

Typical Tools and features used to create Graphics.

Paint

This is a print screen of the tools and features that I have used using the editing software paint. Paint is a basic graphics painting program which has been around since 1985. Paintbrush is a Microsoft Windows version. Paint open and saves files such as Win Windows bitmap, JPEG, GIF, PNG and TIFF. The program can be in colour mode or two-color black-and-white, but there is no grayscale mode. For its simplicity, it rapidly became one of the most used applications in the early versions of Windows—introducing many to painting on a computer for the first time—and still has strong associations with the immediate usability of the old Windows workspace.

The program comes with the following options in its Tool Box (from left to right in image):

Free-Form Select Select Eraser/Color Eraser Fill With Color Pick Color Magnifier Pencil Brush Airbrush Text Line Curve Rectangle Polygon Ellipse Rounded Rectangle

Photoshop

When it comes to Photoshop the facilities and tools you get compared to Paint it has a ton more range of tools when

using Photoshop. Paint is software which has basic tools but Photoshop have more specific tools which allows you to extend your skills and ability when trying to create. Some of the tools that Photoshop feature are things like:

Rectangular Marguee Tools Move Tool Polygon Lasso Tool Magic Wand Tool Crop Tool Slice Tool Healing Brush Tool Brush Tool Clone Stamp Tool History Brush Tool Eraser Tool Gradient Tool Blur Tool Dodge Tool Path Selection Tool Horizontal Type Tool Pen Tool Rectangle Tool Notes Tool Eyedropper Tool Hand Tool Zoom Tool

Vector Images

• .EPS

Stands for Encapsulated PostScript and is a graphics file format. EPS files are mostly self-contained. PostScript documents that are an image or drawing and can be used with another PostScript document. These file formats are used for graphics, images and text. They are used so you can have an embedded

preview can be used on Bitmap. This is the most popular file format for Vector images.

• .FLA

Is a file format which used on flash and that is used to add animation, video, and interactivity to Web pages. Flash is frequently used for advertisements and games. They are compressed file formats which are viewable on the web with Flash. It’s a file which can be edited and converted into .SWF for professional use.

Vector images can be created by points of connected lines, control points and by curves. Vector images are a group of individual objects rather than picture elements. But Vector images do have some disadvantages for example Vector images are images which doesn’t look realistic and an advantage is that you can resize them and they won’t lose any quality from them.

Lines are a line segment comes between two anchor points. A main image is made up of lots of smaller, individual lines. They are what make up a Vector image. Curves and shapes are used the image can add colour in order to fill the image in or just simply outline the shape.

Changing the size or shape of the image will not affect the way that the image looks like. Vector allows artists to change the properties of the image and have more manual control over the image. Vector images are able to increase and decrease the size of the image as much as you like and won’t make any difference to the image whereas Raster images pixelate.

Vector images will stay the same when being moved and won’t have an automatic background like you would have on Raster images and makes cropping images and changing the shape on a Vector image much easier unlike Raster images.

Polygons allow any paths which are on the image which are closed allowed to create from three or more adjoining line segments. A curve can be calculated and drawn by knowing the position of two end points and control points. A point that is shown when it's at the start and end of the path including parts which the path changes direction.

Raster Animation

Data compression is when techniques are basically for reducing the file size of images so it allows it to be stored for example onto a disk. The quality of the image is reduced so some of the information is lost and makes the file size smaller.

This shows a Lossy compression. The high resolution can't be scaled on Raster images because it leads into the disadvantage of the image losing quality in the picture. Whereas Lossless is where it can be undone and can result in the picture being in a high resolution and is used for Vector graphics because whatever size it will be there quality is still the same quality. Raster images are used in paint programmes such as photo shop, coral draw etc. A raster image or in other words called a bitmap is a type of way to show digital images. Raster images takes a wide range of formats here are some examples:

• .gif

This stands for Graphics Interchange Format. A format for a file that contains a graphic or picture and is widely used over the internet and used for things such as advertisement banners

• .jpg

Stands for Joint Photographic Experts Group and can store more colours than a gif but usually results in loss of quality. JPEG are often used for images for the web.

• .bmp

This stands for Best Management Practices which is an image file format which is used to store bitmap digital images for example on Microsoft Windows and OS/2 operating systems.

• .tiff

This stands for Tagged Image Format. This is a format for storing grey-scale data. It is the standard format for scanned images and for exporting grey-scale and colour images to other programs

• psd

Is a Photoshop image file and is used on Photoshop which is a graphics editing program. The file formats are made up from layers which are joined together.

Raster images show information which turn into pixels on the screen. The pixels make a final finish image. When raster images are viewed the images are smooth and sharp for a photograph or a drawing. When stretched the pixels do become quite obvious which isn't too good. The smaller the resolution, the smaller the digital image files.

Compression

Compression is a method which is used when you want to save free data by making large files of pictures lower in size. Compression doesn’t change your image what so ever so the image will be appeared to look the exact change as the only thing we are changing is the size of the file so we reduce it considerably.

The quality of the image might be a tad effected but not to an extent. It has been compressed so of course when the large file has been reduced too much there is going to be a noticeable change. The reason being is that the default size of the picture which has a small compression isn’t too obvious only when the image has been zoomed in on and the detail in the picture has been reduced. You know when the picture has been compressed because pixels start to show which shows the reduced amount of detail in the picture so less different shades of colour are being used.

Compression

Compression is a method which is used when you want to save free data by making large files of pictures lower in size. Compression doesn’t change your image what so ever so the image will be appeared to look the exact change as the only thing we are changing is the size of the file so we reduce it considerably.

The quality of the image might be a tad effected but not to an extent. It has been compressed so of course when the large file has been reduced too much there is going to be a noticeable change. The reason being is that the default size of the picture which has a small compression isn’t too obvious only when the image has been zoomed in on and the detail in the picture has been reduced. You know when the picture has been compressed because pixels start to show which shows the reduced amount of detail in the picture so less different shades of colour are being used.

Vector Based Applications

Adobe Photoshop

In Adobe Photoshop, it’s possible to draw vector shapes and paths. Photoshop's main strength is as a pixel based image editor, unlike vector based image editors. However Photoshop also enables the creation, incorporation, and manipulation of vector graphics through its Paths, Pen tools, Shape tools, Shape Layers, Type tools, Import command and Smart object functions. These tools and commands are suitable when you want to combine pixel-based and vector-based images in one Photoshop document, because you may not have to use more than one program. However if you want to create very complex vector graphics with numerous shapes and colours, you may find it easier to use software that was created primarily for that purpose, such as Adobe Illustrator.

Adobe Fireworks

Adobe Fireworks is software which is an editor for bitmap and vector graphics. The software was first invented for the purpose of being a better Adobe by using the same tool features Adobe 2009 to use and more. This software was built for the purpose of being aimed at web designers as it has suitable tools such as: hotspots, slices, website prototypes and application interfaces. It’s designed so it can be compatible with Adobe Software such as Adobe, Dreamweaver and Flash.

Adobe Illustrator

Adobe Illustrator is software especially for vector graphics editor which is another type of Adobe software. When a file is saved on illustrator it is saved as an “.AI” file format which is Illustrators main format. This format can also be opened in Photoshop as they are both Adobe software so they have made sure it can mix well with one another which is very useful. Adobe Illustrator has a tool for curved, straight lines. When drawing a line it automatically corrects you by making the lines much smoother. This feature among others helps create high quality and attractive vector graphics for multiple media projects. Adobe Illustrator like other Adobe software has different versions and there have been 15! They always slightly improve on the software, one example is a live trace so you have a basic outline from a picture so it’s much quicker and one tool is to create 3D objects.

Adobe Flash

Adobe Flash is Adobe software which has been created for the purpose of animation, video or interactivity. Animation can be easily. Flash features such as frames, timeline etc are features which allow these creations to happen. By a timeline you can trace how long or what second of the video needs changing just by a simple drag and click. Flash is a good program for advertisements, games and flash animations for broadcast. Many worldwide for use Flash for their business. Flash is used for entertainment motoring for such TV programmes such as Disney, comedy central and nickelodeon. Flash can copy vector graphics to provide animation of text, drawings, and still images. It supports bidirectional streaming of audio and video, and it can capture user input through the mouse, the keyboard, the microphone, and through a camera. Flash contains an object-oriented language called Action Script and supports automation via the Java script Flash language.

Metafiles

A metafile is a file which holds information that describes or specifies another file of multiple data. All the file formats which can be described by metafiles are all graphic files. Metafiles can be save both raster and vector images as well as any type of data files.

Examples of file formats which use metafiles are .PDF and this file format is most useful for interaction. For example mobile devices, interactive white board etc. SVG is a metafile two-dimensional graphics that is used for interactivity and animation.

Windows Metafile (WMF)

WMF is a graphic file format which has been created specifically for the company of Microsoft windows systems. These files are used to store specifically vector and bitmap-format image data which are able to be used by portable applications. It also has a feature on the file and issued the Windows Graphic file has a range of functions that have to be issued to the Windows Graphics Device layer in order for the image to appear on the screen. In 1993, the 32-bit version of Win32/GDI introduced the enhanced metafile a newer version with additional commands. He Windows Metafile format has become a staple format for graphical applications and is supported on all platforms