Digital Graphics File FormatsMillie Casemore

Raster GraphicsRaster graphics are essentially an image

created/made up by bitmaps. Bitmaps are made up of pixels which store a colour corresponding to the

image it makes up. They have a set resolution, for example 300dpi. Therefore, a disadvantage is when

being resized they can become distorted because the pixel are being stretched (less pixels per inch).

However an advantage of Raster graphics is that they can create complex, high quality images if they are

not resized.

Vector GraphicsVector graphics are images made up by paths and

strokes through mathematical formulas. They are made up of set start and end points and are connected by

lines (straight of curved). The lines can have different thicknesses and colour. An example of Vector graphics

is clipart, which are simple images created through vector graphics. An advantage of this is when being

resized, no image quality is lost. Also they have a small file size. However they are not good for creating

detailed images.

ResizingRASTER GRAPHICS

VECTOR GRAPHICS

The image here, after being resized, has clearly lost quality

and is not as clear as the image on the left.

Whereas here the image, after being resized, has

lost no quality and is still as clear as the image on

the left.

Raster Graphics

JPEGStands For Joint Photographic Expert Group

Used For/Example JPEG is a file format commonly used for images often posted online or to be saved to a computer. Eg. Facebook uploads.

Advantage/s JPEGs have a small file size so they take up less space on your hardrive and are quicker to load/download. Compared to some file types, JPEGs have a large colour depth of 8 bits (256 colours per channel). So the images are higher quality. Universally compatible with many programs, more people and programs can use them/open them.

Disadvantage/s Uses a lossy compression algorithm meaning when it is compressed data is deleted from the image to reduce data size for storage. This is irreversible. In comparison to RAW files, they have a small colour depth (8 bits compared to 10/12 bit) meaning the amount of colours available for the image is less and means the image will be lower quality.

TIFFStands For Tag File Image Format

Used For/Example Commonly used in the publishing/printing industry.

Advantage TIFF gives uses the option of lossless compression algorithm meaning they loose no data upon compression, so no quality loss. Can store high quality images without data being lost. Suitable to store the working project/store layers without data or quality being lost.

Disadvantage However they have a large file size due to lossless compression and the high quality image. They are not suitable to store the ‘finished product’ because of the large file size and because they’re not universally as acceptable/compatible as JPEG.

GIFStands For Graphic Interchange Format

Used For/Example Commonly used for short clips of animations.

Advantage GIFs are suitable for logos and images with few different colours. Also are good for short animations. Use lossless compression which is good because no image quality is lost. Have transparent backgrounds which looks professional on websites and they have small file sizes.

Disadvantage However GIFs produce a low quality animation if a lot of colours are in/used in the clip. This is due to the colour depth of 8 bits (256 colours per channel) and leads to blocky/lower quality images.

BMPStands For Bitmap Image File

Used For/Example Used to store images (bitmap files) and is very similar to JPEG and TIFF. Often used for printable images.

Advantage Some advantages of BMP files is that they use lossless compression. This means no image quality or data is lost so that they can produce high quality images.

Disadvantage However they have a large file size (takes up a lot of space on hardrive) due to the fact that they cannot be compressed because they use lossless compression; particularly if there is a lot of colours. Resizing the image also causes issues and usually results in a distorted image due to the bitmap/raster graphic file format.

Same quality even after

resizing

Vector Graphics

PSDStands For Photoshop Document

Used For/Example Used by magazine creators and publicists to create front covers, logos and to manipulate photos

Advantage With PSD files you can save multiple layers and page formatting information which means they are good for working products. They use lossless compression so no image quality is lost. Finally they supports transparent images/backgrounds

Disadvantage However they are not suitable for final product due to a large file size. Also they are only compatible with Adobe file formats/programs meaning not many programs will open PSD files.

AIStands For Adobe Illustrator Art

Used For/Example Commonly used by digital artists to create for example logos

Advantage AI files use vector so images can be scaled to be either large or small and no image quality will be lost. Again, it uses lossy compression so no data or image quality is lost.

Disadvantage They are not as widely compatible because it’s a very specialist software and will only, really, work with like adobe products.

FLAStands For Flash File

Used For/Example Used to create basic games and animations, for example mini clip flash games

Advantage FLA files allow for high quality images/animations can be created. They are ideal for the web due to small file size and they can support video and sound.

Disadvantage However they are difficult to create and execute because of complex commands. They need a high level of knowledge on the software to execute. So this means they require specialist software.

WMFStands For Windows Metafile

Used For/Example Used to create company logos by digital artists and companies. Similar to AI files

Advantage WMF can contain both bitmap and vector images which means users have a choice on which one they want to use. If they use vectors, they will be able to scale images up or down and no definition will be lost.

Disadvantage However they can result in low resolution image which will mean a poor quality image when resized as a raster graphic. Also they are limited to only Microsoft programs to load up metafiles; they are not widely compatible.

File Format Capture and Optimising

CompressionDefinition Lossy compression reduces the file size significantly

by deleting data which is irrelevant therefore compressing the image. Whereas lossless compression reconstructs the file making it smaller but not deleting redundant data.

Advantage An advantage if compressing an image is that it reduces the file size so it takes up less space on the hard drive. Also it means the image is more suitable for the web because it is uploaded and downloaded quicker.

Disadvantage However, due to data being deleted the image quality is lost because pixels have been removed/deleted. Each time the file is opened more pixels are removed and over a period of time the image begins to become pixelated; this is especially if the image is resized because the pixels are stretched.

Image CaptureMethod Scanner

How is it used for image capture of graphics

A scanner shines light on an image (photos, sketches, writing) and directing the light, using mirrors, onto a photosensitive film or material. The image is then digitised. The digitised image is then saved on the computer.

Method Camera

How is it used for image capture of graphics

Cameras are used to capture images by light entering the camera lens and the camera saves the data of each pixel using a sensor. Higher the megapixel, the higher quality image.

Method Graphics Tablet

How is it used for image capture of graphics

Graphics tablets allow users to directly draw onto the tablet or they a pen and display the image on a screen. The tablet captures this image and then it is saved as a digital image and saved onto the hard drive.

OptimisingWhy would you optimise? Images are optimised to reduce the large file size which

is often a problem when using Photoshop. Usually this is done so images can be uploaded and downloaded from websites quick; quicker loading time on web pages.

How can you optimise? Usually this is often done through lossy compression, which means to remove all the unnecessary data from the file resulting in image quality loss. Images can be optimised by changing the ‘image size’ in Photoshop. This includes changing the colour depth, resolution. Finally you can optimise also by removing white space and use file formats which have a lower colour depth.

Advantage to optimising Optimising an image results in some advantages. They will have smaller file sizes which reduces the time it takes for the image to be uploaded and downloaded. Also they use less space on your hardrive and are easier to share/send to people due to the small file size.

Disadvantage to optimising However when images are optimised image quality is lost because the resolution will be lowered and if lossy compression was used, data will have been deleted from the image.

Storage

File SizeWhat could affect a Working Scale (Photoshop) document file size?

If the document has a lot of layers then the file size could be quite large. A high image resolution means there are more pixels per inch, this also results in a larger file size. Also whether unnecessary parts of layers are cropped or not could be a dependant factor when determining the file size. Rasterising smart objects can determine how large or small the file is. Finally a larger colour depth means there will be a wider range of colours available for the image, so this will make the file bigger or smaller depending.

How could you reduce the file size of a Working Scale document without

affecting quality?

Using vector graphics so when resizing would reduce the file size without affecting the quality because vector graphics do not lose or gain quality depending on size. This is because they are a series of connecting lines and not just pixels. You could also merge layers together and delete excess data which is redundant.

What is an advantage of scaling up images before exporting?

An advantage of scaling image up are you get a larger image which means easier viewing and that the image doesn’t need to be scaled up after exporting because it is already large. This means the pixels will not be stretched, so no image quality loss. Also you get a consistent/same image quality (no quality/data lost).

What is a disadvantage of scaling up images before exporting?

A disadvantage of scaling up an image before exporting is that you get a larger file size which can affect loading time on the internet. Although no data is lost, pixels may be stretched because they’re being manipulated bigger. The outcome of this will be a lower quality, stretched image which is not attractive to look at.

File Naming ConventionsWhat naming conventions could you use when creating your video game assets?

A naming convention you could use when naming these assets is to not use overcomplicated file names and possibly abbreviate words. You could use dates when the file was created or last edited.Use hyphens to separate each detail of the file (date, content) and don’t use spaces. If there is numerous file version, number which version it is and the date is was created/modified. Also store each different asset of you video game in named folders, for example you could store all the different positions for one character in a folder called “Character [name]”.

Why is it a good idea to accurately name your assets?

It is a good idea to name your assets so you can find certain files easily and efficiently. You can do this by searching for the file name/what your need and, if named correctly, you should find the asset. Also this means you will know exactly what is in your file if it is named correctly and you will know what you’re looking for.

Asset ManagementWhy would you use folders when storing

your assets?Using folders, when sorting assets, increases efficiency when finding particular files and means your files will be organised and easier to navigate. This is because you can save files in folders and subfolders which are named appropriately. For example in your pictures folder you could have a subfolder called ‘Photoshop’ so you can easily access/find all your Photoshop files. Within that folder you could have subfolders for you individual projects. Finally, it also means you can directly search for specific files in these folders.

What folders would you create and what would you save within them?

In documents I would have a folder named ‘Media Coursework’ and within that folder I’d have folders named after each project. Within that folder I’d have each different coursework I’d been given and it would be named after that piece of coursework. For example, I’d have a folder called “Print Based Media”. Within this folder there will be subfolders containing each different part of the project (research, design, product). These files will all be named appropriately and be named after the folder they’re in e.g. RESEARCH – Logo.