Raster graphics
Raster graphics are pictures that are made out of a grid of pixels, also known as bitmap. Raster is mainly used in colourful images as each pixel has a different colour which makes it look better when there is a lot of colour variation. The larger the image is the more hard drive space the image will take up. Raster graphics can be easily scaled down with no loss of quality however when you try scaling an image causes it to look pixelated. This is because the only way raster graphics can enlarge an image is by increasing the size of a pixel. Raster graphics are most commonly used for colourful pictures and is also commonly used in game graphics.
Vector graphics
Vector graphics are images that have been made using paths. Vector images are made out of command points which act as a start and end points along with curves and angles to show exactly where the line needs to be drawn. Vector images can be easily scaled which makes them good for making logos and
other images that have to be scaled a lot. Because vector images are made using command points it is very hard to make images with a lot of colour variation. When vector is used to draw images with lots of colour, the picture often loses quality.
Lossy compression
Lossy compression is a way of reducing the file size by removing data. Because lossy compression removes data from the original file it reduces the size of the file and takes up less space with very little noticeable effects. Lossy still has some noticeable effects when too much data is removed or when the image is viewed from close up. Lossy compression works by deleting unnecessary data. This type of file compression is often used for bit map pictures.
Lossless compression
Lossless compression works by breaking the file into a smaller form of transmission and then putting it back together when it reaches the other end. This way it can be used again without losing any data. Because lossless compression doesn't remove any data the file does not change. This type of compression is used for sending large files over the internet.
File management
Naming and file conventions
It is extremely important to have sensible naming conventions when working with images. the reason for this is ,it makes work more organised and makes it easier to understand what the image is. Naming conventions are also useful when working in groups with people as it allows them to quickly understand what the image is even If they have never seen it.
Folder structure
This is also very important when working with images. this means dividing the folders and creating sub folders. This makes things organised and makes it easier to navigate through the folders. For example you could have one folder and then inside that folder have sub folders. This is important as it makes things harder to lose
Moving files
In digital graphics it is important to stay organised so you can easily find the files you are looking for. One way to do this is by moving important files to a place where you wont lose them. Sometimes when moving files you can lose them. To prevent losing them you can create backups. This will ensure that your files will not get lost.
Deleting files
Another thing that is important is deleting files. This is important as it keeps folders clean and stops useless files from taking up memory. It is important to keep backups of important files while deleting folders because you might accidentally delete the wrong folder. If you do this you can still recover the data from the hard drive
File formats
JPEG
JPEG is a lossy compressed file format. This means when the file is saved it often loses quality . The name JPEG stands for Joint photographic experts group. This is a file format used for images . It is used a lot on the internet as it reduces the size down quite a lot making it quick easy to download. JPEG does not have alpha support. This means that the image can not be transparent. It also has no support for animation. This means it can not be used to create small animations. This image is good for graphics as it has 24 bit colour. This means it can support about 16 million colours which would make it good for photo manipulation.
PSD
PSD is an uncompressed file type. It is a layered image that is used in adobe Photoshop. PSD stands for Photoshop document. This is the file type Photoshop uses to save data. PSD file types have alpha channel support. This makes them good for photo manipulation. PSD also allows an image to be flattened into a JPG .GIF .TIFF or other file formats. Once the image has been flattened it cannot be converted back. Flattening an image is good when
Bibliography
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