Digital Graphics File Formats

Ruby Hooper

Raster Graphics

Raster graphics are made up of bitmaps and pixels. Bitmapped images have a fixed resolution so when resized, the image becomes pixelated and loses detail and definition. The most common raster image is a photograph. Programs like Adobe Photoshop use raster photographs to create an image.

Vector Graphics

Vector graphics are made out of paths, dots and strokes. They have a start point and an end point with curves between them. You can scale a vector to your desired size without losing definition and detail. Programs like Adobe Illustrator use Vector Images because then can change and warp the image.

Raster Graphics

JPEGStands For Joint Photographic Experts Group

Used For/Example Often used on digital cameras or for saving photographs and in web formats.

Advantage JPEG files are able to keep a high amount of colours in the image or document while also keeping the file size small. Making it easier to view or download these file types.

Disadvantage JPEG documents lose quality with multiple edits, this is due to the file being compressed and then recompressed each time it is edited.

TIFFStands For Tagged Image File Format

Used For/Example This particular format is used by many graphic designers, both professional and amateur. It is also used by photographers and people involved with publishing. TIFF format is often used for image manipulation

Advantage TIFF has the option to compress the file and TIFF files don’t lose quality from compression like many other formats do.

Disadvantage Most things wont open TIFF files and if they do they tend to take a long time to view due to the file type being so big.

GIFStands For Graphics Interchange Format

Used For/Example GIF file types are used for short digital animations. They are a series of images that give the illusion of a video. Social media sites use this regularly and so do business sites for companies.

Advantage GIF files have a small file size so they can be used online and they load quickly. They can also support translucent backgrounds so can look professional.

Disadvantage They have a colour palette of 256 colours so the quality can often look poorer than some images, some GIF files have ‘blocky’ colours causing the file to look pixelatedand distorted.

BMPStands For Bitmap Image File

Used For/Example BMP files are similar to TIFF and JPEG files. BMP files support bitmap digital images.

Advantage These files are easy to open and edit, they also do not lose quality when repeatedly edited.

Disadvantage As all the other raster graphics, BMP files are difficult to resize without loss of detail. BMP files are also very large files so take a long time to open and work on.

Vector Graphics

PSDStands For PhotoShop Document

Used For/Example Allows the user to work on a piece layer by layer instead of working on the image as a whole. PSD files are popular for creations like front covers of magazines.

Advantage PSD files support transparency, coloursand text, layers are also easy to manipulate. This file type in particular is good for designers as they can save the document into separate pieces.

Disadvantage Very few softwares will open a PSD file and once the file has been saved as anything but a PSD the image is compressed into one single layer so you can no longer revistthe piece and edit layers.

AIStands For Adobe Illustrator

Used For/Example Often used by companies to create logos in both print and digital form. AI is also used to create cartoons of real photographs, charts, graphs and also diagrams.

Advantage The pieces created using AI can be sized to any size required and it does not lose definition.

Disadvantage Adobe Illustrator is difficult to use at first and takes a lot of practise. This file type also rarely opens in any other software that is not Adobe.

FLAStands For Flash File

Used For/Example Used to create animation and games, FLA files can combine video, images and sound into one to create an aesthetically pleasing piece of work.

Advantage Flash files produce a high quality piece of work that have a small file size so they are quick to view and fast to download. Flash files can make a website look more professional and get a message across quickly and easily.

Disadvantage FLA files don’t work on iPhones or iPadswhich are very popular. Heavy amounts of flash files embedded in a website causes it to run very slowly.

WMFStands For Windows Metafile

Used For/Example WMF files are similar to AI files, they are used to create logos, cartoons, diagramsetc. Windows Metafile can contain both vector and bitmap components.

Advantage WMF files can be scaled to the size desired and they can also be compressed and revisited without losing any quality.

Disadvantage Many applications will not allowingviewing or downloading of WMF files other than Microsoft, when saving WMF files suggested options to allow viewing are shown and they are to save it as a TIFF, JPEG, GIF and a couple of others.

File Format Capture and Optimising

CompressionDefinition Lossy compression is the way a file is

sized and how they are reduced by lowering the amount of information that is saved. The more an image is compressed the more pixelated it becomes.

Advantage Compression makes data smaller so itopens quickly and it is easy to move and email from one place to another because there is less data to transfer.

Disadvantage Many data types are not compressible, this includes images, videos, songs or any data that has already been compressed.

Image CaptureMethod Scanner

How is it used for image capture of graphics

You can digitalise a physical image like sketches of a photograph.

Method Camera

How is it used for image capture of graphics

You can accurately and successfully create a memorable image of what is in front of you.

Method Graphics Tablet

How is it used for image capture of graphics

You can control the mouse like you would a pen, allowing the user total freedom in their work.

OptimisingWhy would you optimise? People optimise a file because it makes

the file size smaller which therefore means it is quicker and easier to view.

How can you optimise? You can optimise by reducing the file size or reducing the bit depth (which is changing the amount of pixels used in the image)

Advantage to optimising Optimising a file allows easier viewing and transferring. Optimised images also take less time to download.

Disadvantage to optimising A downfall to optimising is the image may not be as good quality as it would be if it had not been optimised.