James Clayton

Graphics Report
File Formats
Raster:
Raster images are more common than Vector images due to the extra level of detail raster
images can take, they are also much easier to edit and are openable by pretty much any
piece of software unlike with Vectors which are only supported by certain types of special
software. The majority of free image editing software which you can download are only able
to create and open raster images which is another reason why they are more popular. One
of the downsides of raster images over vector ones is that they produce much larger file
sizes due to the extra information they have to hold, this is because the file has to
remember where each individual pixel is saved and what colour that pixel is. Another
downside to raster graphics is they dont cope well when being
resized. This image on the right shows a resized raster graphic next
to a vector graphic. You can see that the raster image is not as
clear and has become pixilated, this is because the image was
resized which lowers the image quality from the original.
Raster graphics are also used in computer animation. Raster animations are more common
than Vector animations due to the extra level of colour detail the animator can add to the
characters or background, raster animations also allow for amazing lighting detail due to the
thousands of different colour shades it allows for. Unlike Vector animations, Raster
animations dont require a special piece of software to create they can simply be made on a
normal piece of animation software such as Flash. One of the downsides of raster
animations over vector ones is that they produce much larger file sizes due to the extra
information they have to hold, this is mostly all the different colours and colour shades used
on animations. Another downside to raster animations is that if theyre resized they will lose
quality and become pixilated.

Vector:
Vector images arent made out of pixels so can be enlarged or shrunk
down without losing any image quality, unlike with raster images which
become pixilated. Because raster images require a piece of software
designed to create them due to the different file types which they get
saved as they arent as common as raster graphics since there are very few free graphic
software which can create vector graphics . One of the downsides to vector images is that
cant be shaded very well as theres no pixels to individually change. Due to their properties
vector graphics are mostly used for industrial use such as for company logos, and huge
graphics that get printed off such as those big billboards. The reason vector graphics are
used in these situations is they can be enlarged without become pixilated meaning a smaller

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version of the graphic can be created and saved which would reduce the file size. Then
when it needs to be printed at the final size it can be enlarged on the programme.
Vector graphics can also be used in the production of vector animations. This means that
they arent made out of pixels so can be enlarged or shrunk down without losing any image
quality, unlike with raster images which become pixilated. Like raster images raster
animations require a piece of software designed to create them. Theyre mostly used for
simpler animations where high levels of details such as shading arent used.
On this horse you can see its made from Vectors because of the sharp
defined edges it has and the minimal amount of colours used to create it.

Metafiles:
Metafiles are files containing information that describes or specifies another file.
Microsoft uses these files under the name WMF (Windows metafile). A WMF file
contains a sequence of graphical-device-interface (GDI) function calls that results
in the presentation of a graphic image. Some of the function calls are equivalent
to vector graphics statements and others identify stored bitmaps. Using WMF files rather
than already-built bitmaps saves space when many bitmaps are used repeatedly by different
components of the operating system or of an application. The WMF file assumes that the
operating system it is being run on is only 16 bit, but since there are now very few operating
systems that are 16 bit Microsoft has an enhanced metafile format for its 32-bit operating
systems. New-- The advantages of using a WMF over another format is they can be resized
without any loss of definition as the file can contain both bitmap and vector components,
this makes WMF behave like vector graphics which is useful when the image needs to be
scaled up dramatically from its original size. The only disadvantage to using a WMF is that
they only work on windows devices, if you were to use other metafile types though and the
operating system supports them then they will work fine.

File extensions:
There are lots of different files extensions that exist which all serve their own individual
purpose, some of these extensions are only designed to work with specific programmes
whilst others are designed to work with almost any programme. The different files are able
to hold specific information which makes them more useful in certain situations but they
also have different levels of compression which can be one of the main reason people use a
certain type of file. The most common graphical file type used are PNG or JPEG. These are
the most popular due to their compatibility and compression as it means the image can be
used on a webpage, in a work document, or even in another graphic if its opened in some
image editing software.

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Bmp:
The BMP file format sometimes referred to as a bitmap image file or simply a
bitmap, is a raster graphics image file format used to store bitmap digital images.
BMP a mostly outdated image file format for computers which can only be used
with Windows. The format was developed by Microsoft for storing bitmap files in a device-
independent bitmap (DIB) format that would allow Windows to display the bitmap on any
type of display device. BMP files always contain RGB data which can range from 1 bit to 24
bit. 1-bit: 2 colours (monochrome), 4-bit: 16 colours, 8-bit: 256 colours, 24-b it: 16,777,216
colours, mixes 256 tints of Red with 256 tints of Green and Blue

Png:
A PNG file format stands for Portable Network Graphics. This type of file was
designed in the mid 1990s as a way around patent issues with the GIF format. It
was designed to include benefits from both Gifs and JPEGs making it an excellent
all-round file format. PNG-8 files are very similar GIFs in that they can only display 256
colours and only allow for 1-bit transparency. They are even smaller than GIF files. PNG-24
files allow 24-bit colour which is similar to a JPEG, this means they can include over 16
million colours which makes them great for vibrant images. PNG files use alpha-channels,
this means they allow transparency to be set on a scale between opaque and completely
transparent, this means they are excellent when creating a faded or translucent look. PNG
files are best used for web images such as logos as they allow for transparency and fading
affects which some logos may contain. Theyre also great for complex images like
photographs if the file size isnt as important as the image quality.

Gif:
GIF file format stands for Graphics Interchange Format, it was created in 1987 by
compuserve with the purpose of transferring images quickly across slow
connections. It can only display 256 separate colours but can be interlaced with
progressive loading which means it shows a low quality version of the image first and then
adds more detail as It loads. It allows for single-bit transparency which means one colour
can be chosen to be transparent. GIF images can be animated which makes them great for
simple animations which dont have much movement. The best uses for GIF images include
web graphics where few colours are going to be used (A mouse cursor for example). Small
icons which may also be used on websites. Animations where not much movement or
colour is needed. Simple images such as line drawings with single-colour borders (Basic
blueprints).

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Tiff:
TIFF (Tagged Image File Format) is a file format that is strictly only used to store
bitmap data. TIFF files dont contain text or vector data like other formats such as
PNGs, even though the file format would allow for it too. The TIFF format is still
quite popular today even though it was one of the first image formats to be created. One of
the benefits of the TIFF format is that its recognized be the majority of image editing
software meaning they can be opened and saved, they also work across lots of different
operating softwares such as Windows and Mac.

Jpg:
A jpeg file stands for Join Photographic Experts Group, this file format was
designed in 1986. Jpeg images can display millions of colours in a 16-bit data
format, they are also the standard file format for most digital cameras. Jpegs
uses a very complex compression algorithm to reduce the file size by 60%-75%, this makes
them very useful In situations where a small file size is more important than the maximum
image quality. This format of file is compatible across many platfo rms such as PCs and Macs
which makes it a great choose due to its ease of use. Its also compatible on other programs
such as web browsers and images editors. The best uses for jpegs are for still images, real-
world images such as photos, complex colouring and the shading of light and dark.

Psd:
The PSD (Photoshop Document) file is a layered image file only used in Adobe
PhotoShop as its the default format that Photoshop uses for saving data. A PSD is a
proprietary file that allows the user to work with the images individual layers even
after the file has been saved and re-opened again. When an image is complete, Photoshop
allows the user to flatten the layers and convert the flat image into a .JPG, .GIF, .TIFF. Once a
PSD image has been flatten by conversion however, it cannot be converted back to PSD
meaning the individual layers are lost.

New--
WMF:
WMF files are most commonly associated with Windows metafiles. These files are
stored in a graphic file format and contain a series of drawing operations that are
used to create vector images and raster graphics. The WMF file format was created
in the 1990's and has been widely replaced by more recent and versatile image file formats,
including the JPG and GIF file formats. The advantages of using a WMF over another format
is they can be resized without any loss of definition as the file can contain both bitmap and

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vector components, this makes WMF behave like vector graphics which is useful when the
image needs to be scaled up dramatically from its original size. The only disadvantage to
using a WMF is that they only work on windows devices, if you were to use other metafile
types though and the operating system supports them then they will work fine.

AI:
AI files are used for vector graphics and are used in the Adobe Illustrator drawing
software which is a popular vector graphics-based drawing program. The AI
format is only openable with specific software due to the special encoding it uses
to save the Vector graphics. You can change them to JPGs though using an online file
converter. If youre working on a piece of work on Illustrator and have to save it half way
through but want to save all of the layer information you will have to save it as an AI file as
that remembers all of the layer information meaning you can open the file and continue
working on the graphic. If you were to save it as another file format then the layers would
get compressed and it would be very difficult to continue working.

Conclusion:
There are two types of digital graphics that can be made on a computer, raster and vector.
Raster images are made out of pixels so loose quality when they get resized too big or to
small but are supported by almost every programme on a computer that is able to open or
import images. Vector images on the other hand arent made out of pixels so dont lose any
quality when they get resized, the downside to using these types of images though is they
arent supported as well as raster images are.
There are lots of different files extensions that exist which all serve their own individual
purpose, some of these extensions are only designed to work with specific programmes
whilst others are designed to work with almost any programme. The different files are able
to hold specific information which makes them more useful in certain situations but they
also have different levels of compression which can be one of the main reason people use a
certain type of file.

Applications
Vector-based applications:
One of the best know and used vector applications is Adobe Illustrator. This programme has
almost all of the same feature that Photoshop does except that they work with vector
graphics instead of raster. Illustrator is mostly used in the
production of graphics which will then be printed off
in real life at a much larger scale, this is because the

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image wont lose any quality in the process of making it larger. When you go to save a piece
of work in illustrator you are only given a select amount of formats which you can save as.
This is because there arent as many vector formats as there are raster. Just like with
Photoshop you can save your work as an illustrator graphic which is identical to the
Photoshop PSD file in that it remembers all of the layer information. Its always best to save
a Ai file alongside the finished file in case you have to go back and edit the work again. An
example of how Illustrator is used in industry is in the production of graphics for vehicles
called wraps. These are first designed on the computer over a very realistic template of the
vehicle which has all of the correct, accurate measurements. The designs are then drawn
over these templates and printed off at exactly the right size for the vehicle.
New-- If a user doesnt fancy paying for a vector editing programme, then
Inkscape is the next best thing. Inkscape is a free vector graphics editor that can
be used to create and edit vector graphics such as illustrations, diagrams, line
arts, charts, logos and complex paintings. Inkscape's primary vector graphics
format is Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG), however many other formats can be imported and
exported. Inkscape can render vector shapes such as: rectangles, ellipses, polygons, arcs,
spirals, stars and 3D boxes. Along with text. These objects can filled with solid colours,
patterns, radial or linear colour gradients, just like you can in Adobe illustrator. Once youve
created a vector graphic you can also manipulate it by dragging it, resizing it and rotating it.
The only disadvantage to using a programme such as this is you dont have all of the
additional fancy features that you would get on a professional programme such as
Illustrator. It is still very useful for basic vector work though.

Raster-based applications:
Adobe Photoshop is a raster graphics editor developed and published by Adobe Systems for
macOS and Windows. It can edit and compose raster images in multiple layers and supports
masks, alpha compositing and several colour models including RGB, CMYK, CIELAB, spot
colour and duotone. Photoshop is used professionally because of the vast amount of tools
and effects that it has to offer, if you connect the programme to the creative cloud you can
also access a huge library of free images and graphics that are royalty free, saving you from
surfing through Google. Photoshop has vast support for graphic file formats but also uses its
own PSD and PSB file formats which support all the aforementioned features. In addition to
raster graphics, it has limited abilities to edit or render text, vector graphics (especially
through clipping path), 3D graphics and video.
Photoshop also contains an animation feature
where the user can produce simple animations in
the programme itself. These animations can only be
hand drawn or made using slightly edited images as
the software doesnt support computer rendered
animations.

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New-- Paint.NET is free image and photo editing software for windows. It features
an intuitive and innovative user interface with support for layers, unlimited undo,
special effects, and a wide variety of useful and powerful tools that youd find on
programme such as Photoshop. Despite the programme being free it still gets updated
regularly to help improve its performance and to add new features. One of the main
advantages of using a programme like Paint.net is it has a huge modding audience that
follows it and produces lots of extensions that further improve the programme. Once you
get used to the basic tools on the programme you can simply download one of the
extension packages which contain hundreds of new tools, effects and fonts. The only
disadvantage to using Paint.net is that it isnt as refined and well made as Photoshop but
thats expected since its free and only survives off donations from its fans. I think Paint.net
is the best free raster graphics editing software you can get simply because it has so many
features similar to Photoshops, and that you can add even more by downloading these free
extensions for the programme.

Use in different media forms (Print, moving image, interactive:

Depending on what type of printing Is being done will alter if a vector
or raster file type is used. For the printing of a newspapers raster
graphics are used as newspapers arent that large so the images wont
become pixilated. Vector graphics also wouldnt work well in this
situation as newspapers contain detailed images alongside the articles and you cant print
detailed images as vectors because they arent made up of pixels. For other printing
situations such as the graphics you find on DVD covers, the printing of magazines and just
normal printing which everyone does these all use raster formats too because of the detail
it allows the user to create. Vector graphics are used for larger more industrial printing jobs
such as when they print out large billboards and vehicle wraps. Vectors are used in these
situations as they dont lose quality when they get resized which comes in useful when you
are printing graphics that are meters wide. If you were to
create these graphics as raster on the computer you would
have to create an enormous file to match the printing size so
they wouldnt lose quality, this is very inefficient which is why
vectors are used instead.

Moving image animations also make use of both graphical formats.

Raster animations are more common than Vector animations due to the
extra level of colour detail the animator can add to the characters or
background, raster animations also allow for amazing lighting detail due
to the thousands of different colour shades it allows for. Unlike Vector animations, Raster
animations dont require a special piece of software to create they can simply be made on a

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normal piece of animation software such as Flash. One of the downsides of raster
animations over vector ones is that they produce much larger file sizes due to the extra
information they have to hold, this is mostly all the different colours and colour shades used
on animations. Another downside to raster animations is that if theyre resized they will lose
quality and become pixilated.
Vector graphics can also be used in the production of vector animations. This means that
they arent made out of pixels so can be enlarged or shrunk down without losing any image
quality, unlike with raster images which become pixilated. Like raster images raster
animations require a piece of software designed to create them. Theyre mostly used for
simpler animations where high levels of details such as shading arent used.
On this horse you can see its made from Vectors because of the sharp
defined edges it has and the minimal amount of colours used to create it.

DVDs are a great way to interact with the user as they can be used in
DVD players which have a remote allowing the user to easily control
the DVDs content, theyre also much cheaper than a computer
meaning a wider range of people can use them. If the DVD is a guide
on how to do a certain task with step by step videos it will need lots of interaction from the
user to go through the menus and find which specific video they need. This is why lots of
DVDs with videos have a scene selection page which is where the user can choose what part
of a movie or section of a help guide they want to start watching from as it allows the user
to easily come back to the DVD at a later date. You always find lots of
graphics on these interactive menus especially if the DVD is of a kids
movie, this is because images are more interesting to look at that lots of
text on a plain background. If these graphics are on a DVD then they will
be a raster file format, this also applies to images used on interactive
kiosks which you find in towns and shopping centres that are designed as information
centres. These kiosks also contain images, sometimes of certain buildings In a town which
helps the person using the kiosk as they can use the image to see what the building looks
like so it can be easily spotted.

Conclusion:
There are two types of digital graphics that can be made on a computer, raster and vector.
Raster images are made out of pixels so loose quality when they get resized too big or to
small but are supported by almost every programme on a computer that is able to open or
import images. Vector images on the other hand arent made out of pixels so dont lose any
quality when they get resized, the downside to using these types of images though is they
arent supported as well as raster images are. Both of these formats are used in different
situations which make the best use of their pros and cons, for example with the printing of
large graphics vs smaller detailed ones.