Bitmap formats. Raster and vector graphics. How to change image formats

There are two types graphic files, it is raster and vector, which have different formats.

  1. the raster graphic file corresponds to the formats * .bmp, * .tif, * psd, * .gif, * .png, * .jpg;
  2. vector graphic file corresponds to the formats * .wmf, * .eps, * .cdr, * .ai

Knowledge of file formats is the basis for working with digital photographs. they determine how information is stored in a file (raster or vector), as well as the form of information storage (compression algorithm used). Compression is used for raster graphic files, since they are usually quite large. Compressing graphic files differs from archiving them using archiving programs (zip, arj, etc.) in that the compression algorithm is included in the graphic file format.

The main graphic file formats

RAW

Translated from English - raw. The format used in the processing of photographs contains raw information coming directly from the camera matrix and not having a clear specification. These files are not processed by the camera's processor (unlike JPG) and contain the original shooting information. RAW can be compressed without loss of quality. Unlike JPG, which was processed in the camera and already saved with data compression, RAW provides the broadest possibilities for photo processing and retains the maximum quality.

In other words, the RAW format means data received directly from the matrix without processing.

Different camera manufacturers use different algorithms to create RAW in their cameras. Each manufacturer comes up with their own resolution for their RAW file - NEF, NRW - Nikon; CRW, CR2 - Canon.

JPEG (or JPG)

This is the most common graphics file format. JPEG has earned its popularity for its flexible data compression capabilities. If necessary, the image can be saved with maximum quality. Or compress it to the minimum file size for transmission over the network. When saving a JPEG file, you can specify the quality level, and hence the compression ratio, which is usually set in some arbitrary units, for example, from 1 to 100 or from 1 to 10. The higher the number corresponds to the better quality, but the file size increases. Usually, the difference in quality between 90 and 100 is practically not perceived by the eye.

JPEG uses a lossy compression algorithm. What does it give us? A clear disadvantage of such a system is the loss of image quality every time a file is saved. On the other hand, compressing the image 10 times simplifies data transfer. In practice, saving a photograph with a minimum compression ratio does not result in any visible degradation in image quality. That is why JPG is the most widespread and popular format for storing graphic files.

TIFF (Tagged Image File Format)

TIFF format is a storage format for bitmap graphic images. It was originally developed by Aldus in collaboration with Microsoft for use with PostScript. It allows you to save photos in different color spaces (RBG, CMYK, YCbCr, CIE Lab, etc.) and with a large color depth (8, 16, 32 and 64 bit). TIFF is used in scanning, faxing, OCR, printing, widely supported graphics applications... It is possible to save an image in a compressed and uncompressed TIFF file. Compression ratios depend on the characteristics of the saved image itself, as well as on the used algorithm. Unlike JPG, a TIFF image will not lose quality after each file save. But, unfortunately, it is because of this that TIFF files weigh many times more than JPG.

PSD (Photoshop Document)

Photoshop Document (PSD) is an original raster format for storing graphic information using lossless compression, created specifically for Adobe Photoshop and supporting all its capabilities. It allows you to save a bitmap with many layers, any color depth and in any color space. Most often, the format is used to save intermediate or final results of complex processing with the ability to change individual elements. PSD also supports lossless compression. But the abundance of information that a PSD file can contain greatly increases its weight.

BMP (Bit MaP image)

Bit MaP image (BMP) is a universal raster image file format used in the Windows operating system. This format is supported by many graphics editors, including Paint. Recommended for storing and exchanging data with other applications. BMP format is one of the first graphic formats. It is recognized by any program that works with graphics. BMP stores data with a color depth in this format from 1 to 48 bits per pixel, the maximum image size is 65535 × 65535 pixels. At the moment, the BMP format is practically not used either on the Internet (JPG weighs several times less), or in printing (TIFF copes with this task better).

GIF (Graphics Interchange Format)

storage format for bitmap graphic images. GIF format is capable of storing lossless compressed data in up to 256 colors. Includes a lossless compression algorithm that allows you to reduce the file size by several times. The GIF image is stored line by line, only the format with an indexed color palette is supported. Recommended for storage; images created by software (diagrams, graphs, etc.) and drawings (such as applications) with a limited number of colors (up to 256). Used for placing graphic images on Web pages on the Internet.

PNG (Portable network graphics)

A raster format for storing graphic information using lossless compression. PNG was created to both enhance and replace GIF with a license-free graphics format. Unlike GIF, PNG has alpha channel support and the ability to store an unlimited number of colors. PNG compresses data losslessly, which makes it very convenient for storing intermediate versions of image processing. Used for placing graphic images on Web pages on the Internet.

JPEG 2000 (or jp2)

A graphic format that, instead of the discrete cosine transform typical for JPEG, uses a wavelet transform technology based on the representation of a signal in the form of a superposition of some basic functions - wave packets. As a result of such compression, the image is smoother and sharper, and the file size compared to JPEG with the same quality is reduced by another 30%. Speaking simple language, for the same quality, JPEG 2000 file size is 30% smaller than JPG. When compressed strongly, JPEG 2000 does not split the image into the squares typical of the JPEG format. Unfortunately, at the moment this format is not widely used and is only supported by Safari and Mozilla / Firerox browsers (via Quicktime).

WMF (Windows MetaFile)

Universal format of vector graphic files for Windows applications. Used to store a collection of Microsoft Clip Gallery graphics.

CDR (CorelDRaw files)

The original vector graphics file format used in the CorelDraw vector graphics processing system.

AI (AdobeIllustrator files)

The original vector graphics file format used in the Adobe Illustrator vector graphics processing system.

EPS (Encapsulated PostScript)

The vector graphic file format is supported by programs for various operating systems.

Here are almost all the most common graphic file formats which a respectable photographer and designer should know.

Let's start getting to know raster computer graphics... Its software toolkit is the most developed and easy to learn. The way of performing the image allows you to imitate the usual work using graphic tools such as a pencil, charcoal, sanguine, eraser, brush and many others, and also allows you to convey the texture of paper or canvas, fabric or metal. With the help of raster graphics, you can perform educational and creative assignments for composition and drawing. In addition, the wide graphic, color and coloristic capabilities of the bitmap graphics software toolkit make it easy to change color and tonal relationships, which is valuable for solving painterly tasks.

Raster graphics - you already know that raster images resemble a sheet of checkered paper or a checkerboard, on which any cell is painted over with a certain color, forming a picture in the aggregate. Pixel- the main element of raster images, it is one cell. It is from a collection of pixels that a raster image consists.

Bitmaps have many characteristics that must be captured by a computer. Dimensions (edit) images and location The pixels in it are the two main characteristics that a bitmap file must store in order to create a picture. Another one - Colour... For example, an image is described by the specific location and color of each grid point, which creates an image similar to a mosaic.

Raster graphics depend on permissions because the information describing the image is attached to a grid of a certain size. Resolution is the number of pixels per unit of length, most commonly per inch - dpi, moreover, the higher the resolution, the more pixels fit in an inch and the better the image. Color depth determines the number of shades in the range of which a point can change its color.

Depth encoded 24 bit per point is approximately 16 500 000 flowers. This mode is called "True color"... Coding in 16 bit per point allows you to distinguish 65 536 shades of color. This mode is called "Quality color"... Coding in 8 bit per point allows you to distinguish everything 256 shades of color. This mode is known as "Fixed colors"... These concepts are directly related to the second group of concepts "Color Formats", which we will talk about in the next lessons.

When editing raster graphics, the quality of its representation can change, because the pixels themselves change. In particular, resizing bitmap graphics can cause the edges of the image to appear “fluffy” as pixels are redistributed on the grid. Unfortunately, scaling such pictures in any direction also usually degrades the quality. With a decrease in the number of points, small details are lost and the inscriptions are deformed (although this may not be so noticeable when the visual size of the picture itself is reduced - that is, the resolution is preserved).

Adding pixels leads to a deterioration in the sharpness and brightness of the image, because new points have to be given shades in between two or more bordering colors. Outputting bitmap graphics to devices with a lower resolution than the resolution of the image itself will also degrade the image quality. Despite these shortcomings, only bitmap graphics effectively represent real-world images. The real world consists of billions of tiny objects, and the human eye is just adapted to perceive the huge set of discrete elements that make up objects, so raster images look real, of course, if they were obtained with high resolution.

Bitmaps have other advantages in addition to their natural appearance. Output devices such as printers use sets of dots to create images, so bitmaps can be printed very easily.

Thus, the raster representation is usually used when scanning and processing graphic images with a lot of details and shades, for example, photographs, when creating images for use in other programs, in particular for transferring to other users over the network. Internet, when creating various artistic effects that are possible thanks to special software filters. The most famous bitmap graphics programs are Adobe photoshop and Corel PHOTO-PAINT.

When is it better to use raster graphics?

First, as already mentioned, the method of performing images in this type of graphics allows you to imitate the usual work with the help of graphic tools: pencil, coal, sanguine, eraser, brush. In a raster image, you can convey the texture of paper or canvas, fabric or metal. Secondly, wide graphic, color and coloristic possibilities of bitmap graphics make it easy to change the color or tonal relationship of an image - usually when scanning and processing graphic images with a lot of details and shades. For example, photographs.

Note that this type of graphics is often used when creating images for other programs. For example, for transmission to other users over the network Internet... Thirdly, raster graphics are indispensable for creating a variety of artistic effects that are possible only thanks to special software filters. Each bitmap object is in one of the rectangular layers. A layer can be represented as a set of small square cells of the same size, in which you can form some image (raster object), consisting of mosaic elements (pixels).

A pixel is characterized not only by color, but also by transparency when elements are superimposed on each other. In the case when the raster image consists of one layer, it can be compared to a stained-glass window, consisting of small square colored glasses, or with a pattern embroidered with a cross. Bitmap file formats are intended solely for storing bitmap images. The most popular are the following: BMP, PCX, Tiff, CPT, Psd,GIF and Jpeg.

Formats CPT and Psd are used to save multilayer images, and formats GIF and Jpeg used mainly when working in Internet, (they provide acceptable image quality with small file sizes). Depending on what kind of image processing is planned to be performed, there may be a need to represent it in one form or another (raster or vector). To convert raster images into vector images and vice versa, the corresponding functions of vector graphics programs, as well as specialized tracing programs, are used. Adobe Streamline 4.0, CorelTRACE 9... The tracing operation consists in the formation of a vector image in automatic or manual mode, which is a copy of the original raster image. The generated image consists of separate vector objects, colored with certain colors and located in a certain way relative to each other. The operation of converting a vector image to a raster image is called rasterization.

Raster formats: GIF, BMP, WBMP, PCX, PCD, PSD, FLM, IFF, PXR, PNG, SCT / PICT, PCT, RAW, TIF / TIFF, BMP, JPEG, TGA, FPX, GIF, PhotoCD, MNG, ICO , FLA / SWF GIF In 1987, specialists from CompuServe pulled themselves up and showed the world a new format for storing images in indexed color mode. GIF (Graphics Interchange Format) was created by the largest online service CompuServe (now a division of AOL, America OnLine) specifically for the transmission of raster images on global networks. In 1989, the format was modified and its new version was named gif89a. Gif is primarily focused on storing images in indexed color mode (no more than 256), it also supports lossless LZW compression. But the main juicer for gifs is, after all, reducing them to fewer colors. It goes without saying that this will pass without consequences only in pictures with initially a small number of colors: hand-drawn graphics, design elements, small inscriptions (by the way, for good smoothing of the inscription in a classic font on a uniform background, 7 to 11 colors are enough, depending on the size). It is used only for its original purpose - on the Internet, since it only supports indexed images. Does not support additional channels, clipping paths, color profiles. GIF 89a allows multiple indexed images to be saved in one file. Browsers are able to display all of these images in turn, resulting in uncomplicated animations. The animation file stores not only animation frames, but also the parameters of its demonstration. GIF animation, due to its simplicity, is the most common on the Internet. In addition, one of the colors in the palette of the indexed image can be declared transparent. In the browser, the background of the page will be visible through sections of this color. A customizable palette (no more than 256 colors), set the transparency of one of the colors, the ability to save with alternating lines (when viewing, every 8th is displayed first, then every 4th, etc. - this allows you to judge the image until it is fully loaded ). Able to contain several frames in one file, followed by a sequential demonstration (the so-called "animated GIF"). Reducing the file size is achieved by removing unused colors from the description of the palette and compressing data line-by-line (the number of dots of a horizontal repeating color is recorded, and not each dot indicating its color). This algorithm gives the best results for images with horizontally extended monochrome objects. Unfortunately, since 1995, GIF developer Compuserve has paid for any use of GIF in software (except freeware). This leads to the gradual ousting of this popular format from the Internet. We can say that only the ability to contain animation keeps it on the surface. It is used to create banner ads. JPEG The Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) format was the first to implement a new principle of lossy compression. It is based on removing from the image that part of the information that is poorly perceived by the human eye. The image deprived of redundant information takes up much less space than the original one. The compression ratio, and hence the amount of information to be deleted, is smoothly adjustable. Low compression ratios produce better image quality, while high compression ratios can significantly degrade image quality. The most widely used JPEG is to create images for electronic distribution on CDs or the Internet. The compactness of JPEG files makes this format indispensable in cases where file size is critical, for example, when transferring them over communication channels. It is not recommended to use it in printing, although the format allows storage of color profiles and clipping paths. JPEG supports grayscale and full color images in RGB and CMYK models. Additional color alpha channels are not supported. Use the JPEG format only for storing photographic images. in pictures with clear boundaries and large fill areas, compression defects are strongly manifested. Dirt appears especially around dark lines against a light background and visible square areas. The last defect is related to the fact that the compression algorithm processes images in square blocks with a side of 8 pixels. Millions of colors and shades, customizable palette, designed to represent complex photographic images. A variation of progressive JPEG allows you to save images with output in a specified number of steps (from 3 to 5 in Photoshop "e) - first with a low resolution (poor quality), at the next stages the original image is redrawn with an increasingly high-quality picture. Animation or transparent color is not supported by the format Reducing the file size is achieved by a complex mathematical algorithm for removing information - the ordered quality is lower - the compression ratio is higher, the file is smaller. The main thing is to choose the maximum compression with the minimum loss of quality. In addition to the compression ratio, you still have to choose between the types of format - standard, optimized or progressive. The most suitable format for posting full color images on the Internet. Lossless image compression is likely to remain the leading format for presenting photographs on the Web until powerful compression algorithms are available. The bad thing is that quality is lost with each subsequent save. There are three jpg subformats: normal, optimized (the files are slightly smaller, but not supported by older programs) and Progressive (interlaced display, analogous to interlaced in gif). Some applications allow you to store an image in jpg in CMYK mode and even include clipping paths in the file. However, it is strongly discouraged to use jpg for printing needs because of the interaction of the regular structure of 8x8 pixel blocks resulting from compression with the equally regular structure of the typographic raster, which ultimately leads to the formation of moiré. There are two things that can be learned from the long-term use of this undeniably useful format. Firstly, you should not save everything that is horrible in it, but only large photographs with a large number of smooth color transitions. And, secondly, in no case should you save the same image in jpg more than once: destructive changes in the image from repeated use of compression are too noticeable. BMP The BMP (BitMap) bitmap format created by Microsoft is intended for use in the windows operating system. It is used to represent bitmaps in program resources. Only RGB images up to 24-bit are supported. Additional color and alpha channels, clipping paths, color management are not supported. In principle, the format assumes the use of the simplest compression algorithm (Run Length Encoding, RLE) without information loss, but this option is rarely used due to potential incompatibility problems. WBMP The latest version of Photoshop 7 in the Save for Web module can save images in the Wireless Bitmap (WBMP) format, specially optimized for cell phones, smartphones, PDAs and other mobile devices. A description of this format, along with the Wireless Markup Language (WML), is included in the Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) specification. In addition to Photoshop, Macromedia Fireworks 4 and higher is also capable of creating WBMP images. The format only supports two colors, but you can simulate more with dithering. In theory, WBMP files can contain animation. Compression is not supported, which is very surprising, since in practice the image file for WAP cannot be larger than 1461 bytes (this limitation is due to the small amount of cell phone memory). Due to the modest display resolution of mobile devices, the safe file size is limited to 90x24 pixels. In addition to the above disadvantages, WBMP is still rather damp: only a few devices are capable of displaying graphics in this format. PCX The PCX (PC eXchange) format is one of the first bitmap formats created by ZSoft for the PC Paintbrush program. Supports monochrome, indexed and full color RGB images. Additional color and alpha channels, clipping paths, color management are not supported. The format assumes the use of the simplest compression algorithm (Run Length Encoding, RLE) without information loss. Nowadays it has a predominantly historical significance. The pcx format once nurtured its primitivism primitivism: it is almost as simple inside as bmp. This format has the same capabilities as bmp, only there is no OS / 2 support. But pcx can be viewed by most DOS programs, including the Norton Commander internal viewer. PCD The PCD (Photo CD) format was developed by Kodak for storing scanned photographic images. Scanning is performed on special equipment (workstations Kodak, PIW), and its result is recorded on a special format CD, Kodak Photo CD. It can be viewed with industrial video players and game consoles on a regular TV. In practice, Photo CDs are more often used in publishing technologies as a source of images. Most photo library manufacturers use this format on their CDs. The PCD format has a number of useful features that make this its dominant field of application. A PCD file contains an image in several fixed resolutions at once. Base (Base) resolution, 512x768 pixels, used for viewing on TVs NTSC and PAL. Besides it there are lower resolutions Base4, Base16 and higher resolutions 4Base, 16Base and 64Base. The latest resolution, 64Base, equal to 4096x6144 pixels, is available only on Pro Master discs. It is curious that the presence of six variants of one image in one file does not increase its size. The point is that copies high resolution presented as differences with the baseline. In this way, duplication of graphic information is avoided. The images on the Photo CD are presented in a special YCC color model developed by Kodak specialists and in many respects similar to the Lab model. YCC also has three basic components, luminance and two chromatic. Since the eye is more sensitive to luminance than to color, half of the color information is discarded during scanning: there is only one chromatic component value for every two pixels. This reduces the amount of graphics data and the size of the PCD file. The usual lossless LZW compression scheme is used to further reduce file sizes. There are several Photo CD formats. The Master Photo CD format contains images scanned from regular 35mm film. The maximum resolution for this type is 16 Base. Professional photographers are directed to the Master Pro Photo CD format, which uses larger format film (120 mm and 4x5 inches). The Print Photo CD format is intended for printing applications. The original is scanned by professional scanners (Crosfield, Linotype, Scitex) and saved at uncompressed 64 Base resolution. The Catalog Photo CD format allows you to place up to 4500 images at base resolution on one disc. Finally, the Portfolio PhotoCD format is focused on multimedia applications. A CD of this format can accommodate up to 800 images, as well as sound, interactive scripts, etc. images. The exceptional flexibility of the format made it truly versatile. TIFF is one of the most ancient formats in the world of microcomputers; today it is the most flexible, versatile and actively developing. It can store graphics in any mode: from bit and indexed colors to Lab, CMYK and RGB (except for duplexes and multichannel documents). Although it has been a long time since its inception, TIFF is still the main format used to store scanned images and place them in publishing and illustration programs. Versions of the format exist on all computer platforms, making it extremely convenient for transferring bitmap images between them. TIFF supports monochrome, indexed, grayscale, and full color images in RGB and CMYK models with 8- and 16-bit channels. It allows you to store clipping paths, calibration information, print parameters. Any number of additional alpha channels is allowed. Additional color channels are not supported. The big advantage of the format is support for almost any compression algorithm. The most common is lossless compression using the LZW (Lempel Ziv Welch) algorithm, which provides a very high compression ratio. By the way, this same algorithm is used by numerous general purpose compression programs that support the ZIP format. PSD The PSD (PhotoShop Document) format is a native format of Adobe Photoshop. The only format that supports all the features of the program. It is preferable for storing intermediate results of image editing, as it preserves their layer-by-layer structure. All recent versions of Adobe Systems products support this format and allow you to import Photoshop files directly. The disadvantages of the PSD format include lack of compatibility with other common applications and the lack of compression capabilities. All color models and any color depth from white-black to true color are supported, lossless compression. Beginning with version 3.0, Adobe added support for layers and paths, so the format version 2.5 and earlier is separated into a separate sub-format. For compatibility with it in later versions of Photoshop, it is possible to enable the mode of adding one base layer to the file, in which all layers are merged. Such files are freely readable by most popular viewers, imported into other graphic editors and 3D modeling programs. FLM FLM (Filmstrip) is a proprietary Adobe Premier format, video editing and presentation software. IFF The IFF (Amiga Interchange File Format) is used on Commodore Amiga computers with Video Toaster hardware and software. It focuses on the creation and processing of high quality video footage in real time. Also supported by some Windows-based paint programs, such as Electronic Arts' Deluxe Paint. IFF format supports all types of images except multichannel and full color CMYK. Clipping paths, color profiles, and alpha channels are not supported. PXR PXR (Pixar) format is intended for exchange with specialized graphic stations Pixar, focused on three-dimensional modeling and animation. Only RGB grayscale and full color images with a single alpha channel are supported. PNG Today, the most advanced graphics format for the Web is png (Portable Network Graphics, reads "ping"). This ray of light and a unique solution to a heap of headaches, it allows you to create "zones of transparency" like.gif, but in addition it can be translucent (the background can shine through it), was, in fact, an attack by independent groups and consortia towards the immensely insolent company Ulead, which in 1995 "grabbed" the popular lossless compression algorithm LZW. Instead of the latter in png format, the Deflate algorithm is used, which, by the way, gives slightly better results than LZW. Originally intended to replace obsolete gifs on artificial web landscapes, png offers a whole range of new features, the lack of which in gif has made it the target of powerless swearing more than once. This is a fairly young format for Web graphics, competing with GIF. All recent browser versions support it without special plug-ins. The format supports grayscale and full color RGB images with a single alpha channel, as well as indexed and monochrome images without alpha channels. The alpha channel serves as a transparency mask. Thus, PNG is the only format widespread on the Internet that allows you to obtain full-color images with a transparent background. The PNG format uses a powerful lossless compression algorithm based on the popular LZW compression. Being Web-oriented, PNG does not support multichannel images, color profiles, or clipping paths. There are two sub-formats, PNG8 and PNG24, the numbers indicate the maximum color depth possible in the sub-format. PNG24 finally supports 256 levels of transparency with an additional 256-level alpha channel. With this feature, for example, a translucent logo can look the same on absolutely any background. In addition, png is packed with such useful features as two-dimensional interlacing (i.e. the image appears gradually not only in rows, but also in columns) and built-in gamma correction, which allows you to save images whose brightness is the same both on a PC and on Mac, Sun and Silicon Graphics computers. Are they on fire? Me too. Let's cool off together. None of the useful features are supported by any of the existing browsers. PNG8 - not widely used due to weak advertising, was created specifically for the Internet as a replacement for the first two formats and, thanks to Compuserve's patent policy, is gradually replacing GIF. Allows you to select the preservation palette - grayscale, 256 colors, true color (true colors). Depending on the properties of the image, it is indeed sometimes preferable to GIF-a. Allows to use "transparent" color, but, unlike GIF-a, there can be up to 256 such colors. Unlike GIF, compression without loss of quality is performed both horizontally and vertically (the algorithm is own, the parameters are also non-configurable). Doesn't support animation. Why has such a wonderful and convenient format not spread? The fact is that our "most beloved" company Microsoft considered this format unpromising on the grounds that it was not developed by them. SCT The SCT (Scitex Continuous Tone) format is used by Scitex scanners, photosetters and graphic stations to produce high quality printing products. A special format is used by the proprietary Scitex rasterizer. It supports grayscale and full color images in RGB and CMYK models without alpha channels. Clipping paths and color profiles are not supported. Scitex is used exclusively for rasterizing a mixture of vector and raster data into a single bitmap for high-end Scitex phototypesetting machines - it is saved in this format. You can not trust the rasterization of the file to the service bureau, but save the layout yourself in the Scitex format. It does not support any compression algorithms. PCT / PICT Pict (Macintosh QuickDraw Picture Format) is an internal format of the Mac operating system, analogous to bmp. It is capable of carrying raster and vector information, text and even sound. This amazing format flexibility is a testament to how efficient your Mac is when it comes to multimedia. The image can be stored in both RGB and CMYK, and the color depth ranges from indexed colors to true color; RLE lossless compression algorithm implemented. The pict format can be opened by all applications developed for Mac (QuickTime, Photoshop, etc.) RAW A remarkable contrast to the previous format is the raw format. It doesn't support anything. That is, absolutely. Even data on the number of channels, color depth and resolution is not stored, so during opening you will have to enter these parameters manually, from memory. The image is stored simply as a stream of pixels with a fixed header, where you can later put any text information. By the way, you will also have to specify the size of this header in bytes when opening a picture in this format. Archaism? No! Just a claim to be fully multiplatform and compatible with all programs. The claim, by the way, is unfortunate: not every graphic editor or viewer supports raw. Simplicity, driven in the pursuit of compatibility to complete insanity. TGA Pretty old format TGA (Targa) is specially designed to work with the TrueVision graphics accelerator. This accelerator is widely used by DOS-based applications. The format supports 24-bit and 32-bit RGB images with one alpha channel, as well as grayscale, indexed and 16-bit RGB images without alpha channels. Clipping paths and color profiles are not supported. The targa (Truevision Targa Image File) format is also respected among DOS programs. It supports color depths from 8 to 32 bits per pixel and uses the RLE lossless compression algorithm. Targa files were often used by the DOS version of 3DStudio Max for storing textures. FPX Another format that has not become popular due to poor marketing support is FlashPix. It was developed by Kodak, known for the PhotoCD format, for their attempts to fit multiple copies of the same image with different resolutions into one file. FlashPix is ​​no exception to the proprietary rule and also supports multiple copies with different resolutions in one file. A web designer who has never encountered print-quality files might ask why this wasted disk space is worth it. He is there. The fact is that in the printing industry they often work with images that occupy tens or even hundreds of megabytes. Converting them to the correct size takes much more time than just reading a copy at the correct resolution, and file size does not play a role in prepress. FlashPix also has a built-in watermarking system for protecting images. The format is quite rare, and few programs know how to work with it. PXR For the average user, Pixar is just a museum rarity. This is understandable: it is used exclusively by Pixar's high-end graphics workstations dedicated to professional 3D animation. Its capabilities are small: no compression, only support for RGB and grayscale and one alpha channel. ICO ICO is a format of small pictures (icons) on the WWW. Images are used by browsers to tag Web projects in the URL bar and favorites. Supported and used by programs for creating icons like IconXP. FLA FLA is an internal program format for creating interactive animation Flash SWF SWF is a Flash publication format for display on different platforms. MNG - under development ... Vector formats: WMF, EMF, CGM, EPS, WPG, AutoCAD, DXF, DWG, CDR, AI, PCT, FLA / SWF EPS (Encapsulated PostScript) Due to its reliability, compatibility with many programs and platforms and With a bunch of customizable options, eps (Encapsulated PostScript) is the choice of most printing professionals. It is intended purely for transferring ready-made images into layout programs, supports color models CMYK, RGB, duplexes and contains ready-made commands for the output device. In eps, you can store information about trapping, typographic bitmap, embedded fonts, and clipping paths. Data is stored in three ways: ASCII (slowest but most compatible), Binary (fast and compact), JPEG (fast but lossy and poor compatibility). When saving in eps, you can specify the format and color depth of the sketch, which, to speed up the work, will be displayed in the layout programs instead of the large original. PCT Pict (Macintosh QuickDraw Picture Format) is an internal format of the Mac operating system, analogous to bmp. It is capable of carrying raster and vector information, text and even sound. This amazing format flexibility is a testament to how efficient your Mac is when it comes to multimedia. The image can be stored in both RGB and CMYK, and the color depth ranges from indexed colors to true color; RLE lossless compression algorithm implemented. The pict format is opened by all applications developed for Mac (QuickTime, Photoshop, etc.) FLA FLA is an internal program format for creating interactive Flash animations SWF SWF is a Flash publishing format for display on different platforms. File formats for printing: TIFF, EPS Graphic file formats for web design: PNG, GIF, SWF, JPG Vector graphics and animation editors: Macromedia Freehand, Macromedia Flash, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Streamline, CorelDRAW, Corel Xara, etc. Raster editors graphics and animations: Adobe Photoshop, Adobe ImageReady, PaintShop Pro, Animation Shop, PhotoPaint, Painter, Image 2000, LViev Pro, Microsoft PhotoDRAW, Microsoft Photo Editor, Microsoft Paint, etc. 3D graphics and animation editors: 3D Studio MAX, Xara 3D , CorelDream 3D, trueSpace, Bryce, World Construction Set, Piasma, 3D VIZ, Organica, Maya, etc. 6 Vector graphics editor Adobe Illustrator Adobe Illustrator CS4 Adobe Illustrator is a vector graphics editor developed and distributed by Adobe Systems. The latest version of the program is Adobe Illustrator CS4. The Illustrator program is actually the world standard in the field of working with vector graphics for printing purposes, most professionals work with this program. The advantage of this program is that, bundled with Adobe Photoshop and PageMaker, they form a set of applications that provide extensive opportunities for developing complex documents and making layout. Since these programs use similar interfaces, contain a similar set of tools and are made in the same style - they allow you to easily switch from using one program to another and accurately export and import objects between programs. Also an important advantage of Adobe Illustrator is its integration with other Adobe design applications: Adobe InDesign, Adobe Acrobat, Adobe Flash, Adobe Dreamweaver, Adobe Fireworks, Adobe Flex, Adobe After Effects, Adobe Premiere. All the tools you need to create a high-quality design and prepress it lie “on the surface” of the interface. It should also be taken into account that the program belongs to the Adobe company, which is the creator of the PostScript language, which predetermines the maximum possible compatibility of the program with this standard. One of the main features of Adobe Illustrator is its correctness in working with vectors. The program is also known for the quality of its work with colors, and gives the highest probability of correct output on a phototypesetting machine. However, the rendering speed is slow: significantly inferior to the speed of Xara Xtreme or FreeHand. This is probably why cartographers and other professionals who work with 3D images, rich in details and containing up to 200 layers, prefer other editors. Features of Adobe Illustrator CS4 Adobe Illustrator CS4 has new features such as:
  • Using multiple artboards - allows you to save, export and print artboards together or work only with separate areas;
  • The Blob Brush tool lets you create single, crisp vector shapes;
  • Direct work with gradients, as well as transparency in gradients;
  • Separation previews prevent color output issues;
  • A workspace for color blind users. Allows you to validate the generated artwork to ensure that the selected colors correctly convey information to color blind users. Illustrator CS4 supports checking for both types of red-green color blindness - protanopia and deuteranopia;
  • Bleed Support — Allows you to customize the bleed for artboards using the new Bleed document attribute.
  • Editing the design from the palette and much more.
Applications Initially, Adobe Illustrator was created as a vector graphics editor, but designers use it for a variety of purposes. The program allows you to perform work related to the creation and processing of vector graphics, which can be further used for printing, and for multimedia applications, and for the World Wide Web. It is very handy for quickly laying out a page with a logo and graphics — a simple one-page document with no text.
  • The main specialists for whom this program is intended are graphic designers;
  • The program is also handy for technical book illustrators;
  • Images created in Adobe Illustrator are easily integrated into multimedia programs (for example, Adobe Premiere, Adobe After Effects, etc.), so it is convenient for use by specialists in the production of multimedia products;
  • Web designers can also successfully use the program to develop illustrative material, including the ability to create image maps for Web pages;
  • For a prepress printer, the program will provide color separation, control of screening parameters and obtaining color separation stripes;
  • for Mac OS owners.
7 Common elements of the user interface The user interface (Fig. 2.7) includes a title, the main command menu, working windows for displaying documents, as well as a set of various palettes, including a palette of tools, with the help of which images are created and edited. <="" img="" height="570" width="513">Rice. 2.7. General form of the user interface of the program Adobe Illustrator 10 Title of the program window The uppermost dark blue strip - the title bar - displays the name and icon of the program, in this case Adobe Illustrator, and also contains three buttons that allow you to control the size and location of the program window. Clicking on the program icon on the left side of the strip displays the window menu (Fig. 2.8). The commands of this menu are not owned by the program, but by the Windows 98/2000 operating system, so if a localized version of the operating system is installed (as in this case), the commands of this menu are also displayed in Russian, even if the original Adobe Illustrator program is used. The list of commands may vary depending on the specific application. Most often, the menu contains commands for working with the program window. They allow you to restore, move the window, resize it, close it, and also switch to another currently loaded program. The left of the three buttons located on the right side of the strip minimizes the program window, leaving only the button in the taskbar of the Windows 98/2000 interface, after which the program goes into a passive state, freeing up some resources (in particular, RAM) for others programs. Clicking on a button in the taskbar returns the window to the active state. The right of the three buttons closes the window (the program stops working). If at the same time there are open, not saved documents, a dialog box with a request to save will be displayed for each of them. The appearance of the middle button depends on the state of the window. If the window occupies a part of the screen (in this case, the window can be moved and resized), then by clicking on the middle button you can enlarge it ("maximize the window") to fit the entire screen. If the window occupies the entire screen, you can use the middle button to restore its size to the size it had before "maximizing". Main Command Menu Below the title bar is the Main Command Bar, which offers the following groups of commands: File, Edit, Object, Type, Select, Filter ), Effect, View, Window, Help. Each group is a collection of commands that perform functionally related actions. For example, the Filter menu includes a significant number of built-in and additional commands that act as filters for images, while the Object menu offers commands for working with selected objects, etc. e. A menu item can be opened in two ways:
  • position the mouse pointer over the name of the menu item (for example, File) and press the left mouse button. As a result, a list of commands for the corresponding menu item will open;
  • press the key and, without releasing it, press the letter key that is underlined in the menu name (for example, for the File item - the key ). The result will be the same as when working with a mouse: a list of commands for the corresponding menu item will open.
The execution of a specific command can also be specified in several ways:
  • it is necessary to position the mouse pointer on the line with the command name and click the left mouse button;
  • in the list of menu commands, you can move the highlighted area using the cursor keys. When the desired command is reached, press the key ;
  • after opening the list of commands, you can press the key on the keyboard corresponding to the underlined letter in the command name, for example, the Latin key<О>to execute the Open command.
Nota Bene. Note that there are three dots in the name of the Open command. This means that additional information is required to run this command, which must be supplied by the user. This is how the user 's dialogue with the program is carried out. If the command name line contains a triangular arrow, it means that this command has a nested menu (submenu) - a list of commands, each of which is an independent command (Fig. 2.10). <="" img="" height="503" width="299">Rice. 2.10. Example of a submenu (submenu) <="" img="" height="200" width="270">Rice. 2.11. Displaying the name of the active tool in the status bar Screen image scale The value of the current image scale on the screen is located in the lower left corner of the working window of each document. The range of image enlargement or reduction is huge: from 3.13% to 6400%. For more details on how to scale the image on the screen, see Chapter 3. Status bar At the bottom of the working screen, there is a Status Bar, which is designed to display service information, for example, the name of the active instrument (Fig. 2.11). When you press the arrow on the right side of the status bar, a list of modes is displayed on the screen (Fig. 2.12). Status bar modes:
  • Current Tool- the name of the active instrument;
  • Date and Time - current date and time;
  • Free Memory - the amount of free RAM and virtual (disk) memory;
  • Number of Undos The number of available undo and redo operations performed.
  • Document Color Profile - the color profile of the document.

<="" img="" height="112" width="392">Rice. 2.12. List of status bar modes <="" img="" height="132" width="255">Rice. 2.13. An example of a palette context menu Context menus In addition to the main menu items and menu items offered by various palettes, Adobe Illustrator provides context menus that are invoked by pressing right button mice. The content of these menus depends on the currently active tool, the type of the selected object or the open palette (Fig. 2.13). All context menu commands duplicate commands on the main menu or palette menu, but the advantage of using it lies in the speed of access to these commands and - best of all - in their relevance to the current situation. Tool palette By default, the tool palette is located in the left part of the working window (Fig. 2.14), which contains all the tools with which you can create, select, edit and move graphic objects. A dark "title" bar is located at the top of the palette. Below it is the program's decorative emblem, clicking on the emblem displays the Adobe Online dialog box (Figure 2.15). This dialog box allows you to update the program if you have an Internet connection. This window can also be invoked by the Adobe Online command on the File menu. Using the Adobe Online dialog box, you can go directly to the Adobe Illustrator pages on the company's Web site (Figure 2.16). When working with certain tools, the cursor takes a corresponding shape, for example, this is how the tools of the Pen group, Pencil group, Paintbrush tools, Eyedropper, Knife, Paint Bucket "behave" , Hand and Zoom.
<="" img="" height="429" width="499">Rice. 2.14. General view of the tool palette with separated tool groups If these tools require a cross-hair cursor (<="" img="" height="9" width="13">), which allows you to more accurately position it on the screen, just press the key when the tool is turned on. ... To change the appearance of all cursors at the same time, you must select the Use Precise Cursors check box, which is located in the General section of the Preferences dialog box, invoked by the Preferences command on the Edit menu. If necessary, the tool palette can be positioned anywhere on the screen. To move the tool palette, grab the palette title bar and move it to a convenient location. The tool palette can be removed from the screen altogether. To do this, in the Window menu there is a Tools command, the execution of which removes the palette and the checkmark icon. Repeated execution of the command returns the tool palette to the screen. Some instruments are grouped. Such groups can be separated from the tool palette into an independent palette (see Fig. 2.14). To do this, press the tool button and, without releasing the mouse button, drag it to the triangular arrow on the right. When you release the mouse button, the toolset's palette can "travel" autonomously. By default, when you move the cursor over a tool button, a shortcut (for example, the Knife Tool in Fig. 2.11) with the name of the tool and the keyboard equivalent (if the latter exists) is displayed. This feature can be disabled by clearing the Show Tool Tips check box in the General section of the aforementioned Preferences dialog box. For individual tools, see details in chapters 4, 7 and 8. Displaying the working screen At the bottom of the tool palette there are three buttons (Fig. 2.17) that determine the display modes of the working screen of the program.<="" img="" height="433" width="97">Rice. 2.17. Buttons that determine the display modes of the working screen Palettes The Adobe Illustrator program, in addition to the tool palette, has many palettes that serve for the convenience of performing certain functions, for example, choosing a color and other stroke and fill parameters, performing various transformations, etc. on the screen of any palette in the Window menu there are commands that match the name of the palette. If the palette is on the screen, its name is marked with a check mark. Palettes take up a significant amount of screen space. In order to drag them from place to place, you need to grab the title of the palette and move it to the desired location. Using the key<Таb>you can temporarily delete all open palettes, including the tool palette. Pressing the same key again returns everything to its place. Shortcut keys +closes all open palettes except the tool palette. Pressing these keys again returns all closed palettes to the screen. Palettes are grouped by default and displayed in one window (Fig. 2.18). As part of such a group, you can switch palettes by clicking on the corresponding tab. <="" img="" height="110" width="210">Rice. 2.18. A group of palettes, switching between them is carried out by clicking on the corresponding tab <="" img="" height="36" width="211">Rice. 2.19. Group of palettes in collapsed view In order to separate any palette from the group, you need to grab the tab of this palette and drag the conditional rectangle showing the dimensions of the palette outside the group. In order to include a palette in a group, you must also grab the palette tab and drag it within the palette or group of palettes to which this palette is attached. Double-clicking on a palette tab collapses it, leaving only the tabs (Fig. 2.19). This is another way to fight for screen space: the palette is present on the screen, it is available at any time, but takes up minimal space. At the same time, access to the palette menu is preserved. To expand the desired palette, you must double-click on its tab. When exiting the program, the parameters of the palettes (their arrangement and grouping) are saved. However, after all the changes, it is possible, firstly, to load the program with the default palette settings, and secondly, to restore the original parameters at any time while the program is running. Each palette also has its own menu of commands that provide a huge number of all kinds of additional functions. To open the palette menu, press the triangular arrow<="" img="" height="16" width="15">) to the right of the tabs at the top of the palette (Fig. 2.20).
<="" img="" height="211" width="400">Rice. 2.20 An example of a palette with open menu teams <="" img="" height="209" width="212">Rice. 2.21. An example of a group of palettes with free access to each individually When you combine palettes into a group, they can be displayed on the screen in two ways:
  • overlap each other, leaving only tabs available at the same time (tabbed mode) (see Fig. 2.18);
  • be located in such a way as to provide free access to all fields (docked mode) (Fig. 2.21).
In order to dock the palettes in the second way, it is necessary to move the tab of the desired palette to the bottom of the other palette (a gray bar will appear, indicating the correct position of the palettes and the possibility of combining them). In order to move a block of docked palettes, grab and move the general block header. Info palette The Info palette (Info) (Fig. 2.22) is a kind of panel that reflects a wide variety of numerical information. Depending on the active tool, the palette contains coordinates, dimensions, distances, angles and some other parameters. The Info palette is displayed on the screen by the Window menu command of the same name. <="" img="" height="135" width="212">Rice. 2.22. Info palette With the Selection tool (<="" img="" height="17" width="17">) the coordinates of the cursor movement (X and Y) appear in the palette. When you select an object using the Selection tool, the palette displays the coordinates of the object's origin (X and Y), as well as the object's length (W) and height (H), or its overall dimensions. If the active tool is the Zoom tool (<="" img="" height="19" width="20">), then the palette will display the image scale in percent. When moving objects, or when the Pen tools are on (<="" img="" height="20" width="17">) or Gradient (<="" img="" height="16" width="20">) the palette displays the coordinates of the starting point (X and Y), horizontal (W) and vertical (H) dimensions, distance (D) and tilt angle (<="" img="" height="15" width="14">). When the Scale tool is on (<="" img="" height="15" width="14">) and the amount of skew (<="" img="" height="15" width="14">). Finally, when working with the Paintbrush tool (<="" img="" height="18" width="22">) displays the cursor coordinates and brush options. At the bottom of the palette there may be an additional field, which is displayed on the screen by the Show Options command of the palette menu. This field contains information about the fill color (left field) and stroke (right field) of the selected object, hexadecimal color codes, and the names of decorative and gradient fills. Nota Bene. If several objects are selected, the palette displays only information common to all. Correction of mistakes Only the one who does nothing is not mistaken. In real practice, even the most attentive and thoughtful user will face inevitable and annoying mistakes. The primary means of dealing with this are the Undo and Redo commands on the Edit menu, which allow you to undo or redo one or more previous operations. Adobe Illustrator allows up to 200 such undo (redo), and the program has an interesting property: you can undo after the Save command, if you do not close the file. Such amazing capabilities, however, may be limited by the amount of available RAM. If this happens, a corresponding message is displayed on the screen. By default, the minimum number of failures is assumed to be 4. This value can be changed in the Undo field (Fig. 2.23) of the Units & Undo section of the Preferences dialog box, which is invoked by the Preferences command. the Edit menu.
<="" img="" height="248" width="400">Rice. 2.23. The Undo field in the Units & Undo section of the Preferences dialog box Restoring a Previous Version of a Document One radical way to fix errors is to revert to the last saved version of the document. A smart strategy to consistently save intermediate stages of work allows you to reduce possible "rework" to a minimum. To restore a previous version of a document, use the Revert command on the File menu. Nota Bene Note, however, that this command cannot be canceled, which means that it will no longer be possible to call the rescue command Undo. Using Plug-ins Plug-ins are special subroutines developed by Adobe Systems or other companies to enhance the capabilities of the main program. When installing the program, a set of supplied additional modules is automatically included in the Plug-ins folder. If you change the plug-in folder, you must install it in the Plug-ins Folder field of the Plug-ins & Scratch Disk section of the Preferences dialog, which is invoked by the Preferences command of the Edit menu. (Edit). If a user has a need or a need to create an add-on module for Adobe Illustrator on his own, he should visit the Web site at http://www.adobe.com/supportservice/devrelations/main.html or the Adobe ADA Developers Association (Adobe Developers Association) by email [email protected] Creating, opening and closing documents A new document can be created at any time, as well as at any time to open any of the existing documents. <="" img="" height="254" width="382">Rice. 2.24. New Document Dialog Box To create a new document, execute the New command on the File menu. The New Document dialog box (Fig.2.24) is displayed on the screen, in which you can define the following parameters:
  • arbitrary name of the document in the field Name (Name), by default the name Untitled - with a sequential number is offered. The user has the right to accept this name or enter any other;
  • Color model: The Color Mode field offers switches for CMYK Color and RGB Color. For information on working with color, see Chapter 7;
  • document page size: in the Artboard Setup field, you can define its width (Width field) and height (Height field), or select from the Size list. In the Orientation field, two buttons allow you to visually define the page layout: portrait or landscape.
The Units list contains the following options:
  • Points
  • Millimeters
  • Picas
  • Centimeters
  • Inches
  • Pixels
Nota Bene. To create a new document without calling this dialog box, press the key combination ++... To open an existing document, use the Open command on the File menu. A dialog box of the same name will be displayed on the screen, which does not differ in any way from a regular window of the Windows operating environment, with the exception of the viewport located at the bottom of the dialog box. The viewport displays a page of the document, which is saved with the document as a small pixelated image. Since Adobe Illustrator allows you to open several documents at the same time, it is possible to close (delete from RAM) unnecessary documents at the moment. The Close command on the File menu closes the active document. If you hold down the key while executing the command , then all documents will be closed. If changes have been made to any documents, you will be prompted to save them. Saving Documents There are several ways to save a document in Adobe Illustrator.
  • The Save command on the File menu saves the current document under the same name, in the same folder and in the same format, in other words, the new information is saved over the one that was previously saved.
  • The Save As command allows you to save the current document under a different name, in a different folder, and even in a different format. When you save a new document or execute this command, the Save As dialog box is displayed, which allows you to assign any name to the document, select the desired folder and set one of the available formats.
  • The Save a Copy command on the File menu saves a copy of the current document by adding the word Soru to the file name. For more information on saving documents in different formats, see Chapter 13.
Nota Bene. To save all open documents, hold down the key while executing the Save command. ... Saving default settings General settings By default, Adobe Illustrator (display and color separation parameters, units of measurement, data export parameters, etc.) are saved to a special AIPrefs file when the program is closed, which is located in the Windows \ Application Data \ Adobe \ Adobe Illustrator 10 folder. file takes time, so Adobe Illustrator does not close instantly. Most of the preferences saved in this file are defined in the Preferences dialog box, which is invoked by the General command on the Edit / Preferences menu. The named dialog box contains the following sections.
  • The General section defines settings for tools and many other general parameters.
  • The Type & Auto Tracing section controls the font and auto tracing options.
  • The Units & Undo section "sets the units of measure for the rulers and for the font, as well as the maximum number of undoing of executed commands.
  • The Guides & Grid section defines the options for guide lines and grids.
  • The Smart Guides & Slices section provides options for dynamic guides for aligning objects and slices for placement on Web pages.
  • The Hyphenation section defines the hyphenation dictionary and generates a list of exceptions.
  • The Plug-ins & Scratch Disk section specifies the scratch disks for storing temporary information and the location of the plug-ins.
  • The Files & Clipboard section sets the methods for updating files and transferring vector paths through the Clipboard.
  • The Workgroup section defines the conditions for joint work with the documents of the working group, in particular, the conditions for opening documents.
Exiting the program To exit the program, you have the following options:
  • the File menu contains the Exit command, which closes the program. If there are unsaved documents, the screen displays a request for each document separately;
  • you can use the keyboard equivalent of the Exit command - the keyboard shortcut +;
  • using the keyboard shortcut +you can close any active program running in the Windows operating environment, including Adobe Illustrator.

In order to conduct a discussion about graphics programs, you first need to understand the concepts and differences between the two main types of 2D graphics: raster and vector images. This is a very important lesson, especially if you intend to work with graphics.

Bitmap concept

Bitmaps are images, which are made up of tiny rectangular dots of individual color - pixels that are combined together. Each pixel has its own specific location in the picture and its own individual color value.

Each image has a fixed number of pixels. You can see them on the monitor screen, most of which display about 70 to 100 pixels per inch (the actual number depends on your monitor and the setting of the screen itself).

To illustrate this, let's take a look at a typical desktop icon - My Computer, which is typically 32 pixels wide by 32 pixels high. In other words, there are 32 dots of color in each direction that combine to form such an icon.

When you enlarge this picture, as in the example, you can clearly see each individual square of a specific color. Note that the white areas in the background are also separate pixels, although they represent a single solid color.

Image size and resolution

Bitmaps are resolution dependent. Image resolution is the number of pixels in an image per unit of length. It is a measure of the sharpness of the detail in a bitmap and is usually referred to as dpi (dots per inch) or ppi (pixels per inch). These terms are in some sense synonymous, only ppi refers to images, and dpi refers to output devices. That is why you can find dpi in the description of monitors, digital cameras, etc.

The higher the resolution, the smaller the pixel size and the more of them per 1 inch, and, accordingly, the better quality Pictures.

The resolution is selected for each image individually and depends on where you plan to use it:

  • if you plan to use it for posting on the Internet, then the resolution is chosen at 72 ppi, since the main criterion for the Internet is the download speed of images, and not their amazing quality, which is why the appropriate file formats are chosen, where quality is far from the first place.
  • if you want to print an image, the resolution must be much more than 72 ppi. So, in order to print an image in good quality, its resolution should be in the range of 150-300 ppi. This is a basic requirement for photo printers that print magazines, catalogs and small-format products (booklets, flyers, leaflets).

As mentioned above, bitmaps are highly resolution dependent. That is why when scaling, due to their pixel nature, such images always lose quality. However, if you nevertheless decide to increase the image size, then it is best to use the interpolation method, with which you can achieve very good results. We will talk about this method in the next lesson.

Bitmap image size is the physical size of the file that stores the image. It is proportional to the size of the image in pixels.

Photoshop shows the relationship between image size and resolution. This can be viewed by opening the Image Size dialog box found in the Image menu. When making changes to one of these values, all the others will automatically be brought in accordance with the changed one.

Summing up, we can say that the main characteristics of raster images are:

  • image size in pixels
  • bit depth
  • color space
  • image resolution

An example of a raster image is any photograph or picture created by scanning, photographing, or drawing in a raster editor, or created by converting a vector image to a raster image.

Bitmap formats

The most common bitmap formats are:

  • JPEG, JPG

Converting between raster image formats is very easy, using the "Save As ..." command, in the menu of which, after the file name, you select the format in which you want to save the image.

Several formats, namely GIF and PNG, support background transparency. At the same time, do not forget that the transparent background will not be so if you resave a GIF or PNG image to any other format or copy and paste it into another image.

Raster graphics programs

The most popular programs for working with raster graphics:

  • Adobe photoshop
  • Adobe fireworks
  • Corel Photo-Paint
  • Corel Paint Shop Pro
  • Corel painter
  • Paint

As for me, the Adobe Photoshop editor is the best of the programs.

Compared to this type of graphics, vector graphics also have many advantages. Let's take a look at them.

What are vector images

Vector images are consisting of many separate, scalable objects (lines and curves) that are defined using mathematical equations.

Objects can be composed of lines, curves, and shapes. At the same time, changing the attributes of a vector object does not affect the object itself, i.e. You can freely change any number of object attributes without destroying the main object.

In vector graphics, image quality is independent of resolution. This is all due to the fact that vector objects are described by mathematical equations, therefore, when scaling, they are recalculated and, accordingly, do not lose quality. Based on this, you can increase or decrease the size to any extent, and your image will remain the same clear and sharp, it will be visible both on the monitor screen and when printing. Therefore, vectors are the best choice for multi-media illustrations that need to be resized frequently, such as logos.

Another advantage of images is that they are not limited to rectangular shapes like bitmaps. Such objects can be placed on other objects (placement in the foreground or background is chosen by you personally).

For clarity, I have provided a drawing on which a circle is drawn in vector and a circle in raster format. Both are placed on white backgrounds. But, when you place the raster circle on top of another similar circle, you will see that this circle has a rectangular frame, which, as you can see in the picture, is not present in the vector.

Today, vector images are becoming more and more photorealistic, this is due to the constant development and implementation of various tools into programs, for example, such as a gradient mesh.

Vector images are usually created using special programs. You cannot scan an image and save it as a vector file without using tracing transformations in Adobe Illustrator.

On the other hand, a vector image can be converted to a bitmap quite easily. This process is called rasterization. Also, when converting, you can specify any resolution of the future bitmap.

Vector formats

The most common vector formats are:

  • AI (Adobe Illustrator);
  • CDR (CorelDRAW);
  • CMX (Corel Currency);
  • SVG (scalable vector graphics);
  • CGM Computer Graphics Metafile;
  • DXF AutoCAD.

The most popular vector software : Adobe Illustrator, CorelDRAW and Inkscape.

So what is the difference between vector and bitmap images?

Summing up the article about raster and vector images, we can say with confidence that vector images have a lot of advantages over raster ones, namely.

Computer graphics imperceptibly, but firmly entered our everyday life. It has long ceased to be the lot of the elite. Every time you transfer photos from a digital camera to your computer or simply click on the "save" button to add a picture you like to the collection, you are working with computer graphics.

Is it worth wasting time on theory?

Knowing the basics of how the imaging method works will serve you well. The extensions after the file name will no longer be a kind of magic gibberish for you, but will start to supply important information... You will be able to consciously decide which images are better to compress so as not to clog up hard disk space, and wisely choose which way to do this.

Editing your own photographs will also go from being a scientific poke method to a whole new level. And for some, innocent fun with images on the screen gradually turned into a fairly profitable job.

Difference between raster and vector graphics

At the moment, vector and raster graphics are mainly used in the computer environment. They are fundamentally different from each other in the way information is encoded.

It's no secret that all data in a computer is written using a binary code. Thus, any information, be it text, picture or sound, is encrypted in a certain way. In order to save a vector image, it is divided into elementary geometric shapes, which, in turn, are described by the simplest mathematical formulas. Thus, for example, the letter "and" for a graphical editor will be described by two parallel segments of a given length, which are connected by a line at an angle of 45 degrees.

The bitmap, on the other hand, is split according to a different principle. The computer splits the picture into many dots, called pixels, and remembers the color and location of each pixel.

Advantages and disadvantages

If you are working with vector drawing, then in theory you can increase it to infinity. Moreover, this will not in any way affect the image quality. Since the parameters are given in the form of geometric formulas, the computer simply processes them and fills all the voids with the desired colors. As a result, you have a clear image.

The disadvantages of raster graphics lie precisely in the fact that compression (which in the overwhelming majority of cases takes place when saving a file) can significantly affect the quality. The so-called grain appears. However, it is raster graphics that are used in complex images. In vector drawings, you can only create very simple pictures. Therefore, we will now focus on where bitmap graphics are applied.

Areas of use

Bitmap images perfectly convey the content of scanned objects. With their help, you can work with halftones and smooth color transitions. Photos taken with a digital camera also use only bitmap images. Also, this format serves as an indispensable tool in the field of web design.

Raster Graphics Formats

Recall that the information about the image in our case is encoded using dots. The unit of measurement in this encoding is the pixel. This is the smallest point that cannot be divided either in terms of size or in terms of color.

The number of these points per given unit of area is called the resolution. In an image with a high resolution (a large number of individual dots), we will see a clear picture and smooth color transitions. However, in the case when the resolution is low, the image quality can suffer greatly (after all, the computer simply displays the number of points in its memory on the screen and stretches them to the requested size).

It can be roughly compared to language. In order to convey the same information in different languages, you will need a different number of letters, sounds and words. Also, in most cases, the grammatical structure will differ. And the "translators" from these "languages" in our computers are specialized programs that either "read" it, or convert it into the required format.

The main difference between the formats is the way the information is saved. Let's consider the most common ones.

BMP

This is one of the pioneers. When it was being developed, raster graphics were, one might say, at the very beginning of their existence. The creators did not bother too much and programmed BMP to sequentially memorize each pixel. In fact, this is just a copy, but with some loss of color, since the BMP format has only 256 colors at its disposal.

Tiff

Quite cumbersome on the scale of digital storage, but simply irreplaceable when printing information. Unlike BMP, it supports information capability. Moreover, for this you can use not one, but several different algorithms. However, if you don't work in the printing industry or at least some publishing house, you won't really need the serious power of this format.

GIF

This is already a format closer to real use (for non-specialists). He is especially famous for his ability to use animation sequences. Computer graphics made in this format can also create translucent images. However, you will not be able to convey smooth color transitions. The most common use of bitmap graphics in GIF format can be seen in web design. It is compatible with all platforms and, moreover, compresses information in a compact manner, which is an important factor in the speed of opening Internet pages.

Jpeg

Most popular format. And it is well deserved. Any graphic editors of raster graphics without a doubt support this format. It was designed with the specific goal of getting rid of the limitations of GIF compression. in this format reaches a coefficient of 100 units. This is a great indicator. However, such compression still has its drawbacks - some data loss occurs, and it is possible that the saved image will become somewhat blurry. Since this format simply discards information that it considers insignificant, there is always a risk of distortion of some details.

JPEG 2000

An improved version of the earlier version. The image information is compressed even more compactly, and the quality loss is significantly less. Most often, this format is used to store photos on the hard drive of a computer and on the Internet. However, keep in mind that if you save the same image in JPEG or JPEG 2000 formats repeatedly, it will lose bits of information every time, and you end up with a significantly distorted picture compared to the original.

PNG image

A significantly improved cousin of the GIF format. Having preserved literally all the advantages of its predecessor, it is devoid of its shortcomings. Used both for and in the design of web pages. In addition, PNG, unlike GIF, is officially freely available.

Psd

Raster graphics in PSD format are processed exclusively in Adobe Photoshop. This is the internal package of this program. It supports working with layers of the edited image.

CDR

It is also an internal package for a raster graphics program. Typically, this program is used by graphic designers to create images from scratch. But the editing function is indisputably supported as well.

Raster graphics editors

And now a little about programs that work with image editing.

The most popular among users at the moment is the Adobe Photoshop program, in the common people simply called "Photoshop". This development, in fact, monopolized the work with bitmaps among the design professionals. However, this program is paid and it costs not so little. Therefore, developments of other companies began to appear. Some of them are already widely used.

As for Photoshop itself, this did not affect its popularity in any way. the program is quite simple, and there is no shortage of a variety of video courses and tutorials.

In "Photoshop" you can not only make a collage of photos or add built-in effects to the image. The simplest functions of this program can be mastered very quickly, and this will open the door to an unrestrained flight of imagination. You will be able to correct imperfections in appearance, adjust the color scheme, change the background and much, much more.

GIMP graphics editor

As for free software, then we can safely recommend GIMP. This graphic editor can easily squeeze the promoted "Photoshop". It does an excellent job of all the tasks required for bitmap editing, and has some basic functionality for working with vector graphics.

The GIMP program allows you to make photos more saturated and lively, it easily removes unnecessary elements from the image and can be used to prepare professional design projects. The computer graphics created with this program look natural and fit organically into the overall picture.

Corel DRAW graphics editor

It would be wrong to ignore Corel products. In Corel DRAW, you can easily work with both raster and vector images. The capabilities of this tool are so numerous that Corel DRAW is a must-have for college graphic designers.

This program is also paid, and the arsenal of its products is replenished with enviable regularity. But, despite the widest possibilities that this graphic editor provides to the user, its intuitive interface makes the workflow a pleasure.

Free graphic editors

And just a few more words about alternative image editing programs. In most cases, they perfectly cope with the requests of the average user, and take up much less space and resources on your computer. Yes, and by and large it is easier to work with them, since you will not be overwhelmed by the need to choose among all kinds of functions, the purpose of which remains unclear.

If you like unusual and mostly comic photos, try using the Funny Photo Maker program. There you will find many original frames and fun visuals.

For more serious work, Picasa is suitable. This editor is tailored for use in computer networks. Its new features make it even easier for you to design your social media pages. And the built-in editing effects will not disappoint even the experienced professional.

Another interesting program is Paint.NET. It is very similar in its functions and capabilities to Adobe Photoshop. And the tools used in Paint.NET can seriously compete with the mentioned commercial analogue.

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