Photographs are not vector image or vector graphics. Only Illustration that can made to look like photographs can be created in a vector workplace.
So far we’ve looked at bitmaps and vector graphics individually. Now let’s summarize a bit and repeat this information as we balance some points about these graphic form.
There are two types of digital graphics files – Vector and Raster. Vector images are made of hundreds of thousands of little lines and curves (called clipping path) to create an image. Raster images are composed of pixels.
Know about Raster Image?
A raster image is an image made up of a grid of little cubes called pixels. Lines and curves are signified by coloring the appropriate pixels. Raster images are created when you scan a picture or diagram, take a photograph with a digital camera or create an image in a raster based software program like- Adobe Photoshop. Raster images can be saved as various sorts of file including BMP, CALS, GIF, IMG, JPEG, oCX, PDF, PNG and TIFF.
Basic file types of Raster Image: .jpg (JPEG raster format), .gif (GIF transparent file), .png (Portable Network Graphic Transparent file), .tiff or .tif (Tag Interleave Format)
Adobe Photoshop: .psd
Normally, Photoshop is raster based
Raster images are often called bitmap images because they are made of millions of tiny squares that called pixels. You can identify a raster or bitmap image by looking at it very strongly. If you zoom in enough, you will be able to see the square outlines of each pixel (especially around edges where there are dramatic color contrasts).
Raster graphics typically have larger file sizes than their vector counterparts. Higher DPI (dots per inch) and PPI (pixels per inch) settings also contribute to larger files because software must keep track of and be able to render each pixel. File size can become a alarm if storage or server space is limited or if files have to be transmitted electronically.
Know about Vector Image?
A vector image is an image made up of vectors – mathematically defined entities drawn between coordinates. Vector images are made by CAD programs and other vector-based software programs such as Adobe Illustrator. Vector image file types include DXF, DWG, DGN, HPGL, SVG, EMF, WMF and PDF (which can contain raster images, vector images or both). Vector images are made of thin lines and curves known as path that is rooted in mathematical theory.
Basic file types of Vector Image: .drw (vector file), .pif (vector image GDF format), .pct (Macintosh bitmap graphics format) , .ps (Adobe PostScript), .eps (Encapsulated PostScript), .svf (Simple Vector Format).
Adobe Illustrator: .ai, .ait, .art
Corel Draw: .cdr, .cdrw, .cdt
Corel: pat (Paint Shop Pro Pattern Image)
Digital Line Graph: .dlg, .do
Open Office: .odg
Vector graphics must be created in computer software that is designed to create this intricate wireframe-type image and each line includes defined node positions, node locations, line lengths and curves. Any of the lines and curves in the image can be assigned a color value. Because of this defined, formulaic approach to drawing, every image can be sized and scaled repeatedly and limitlessness without losing resolution or beginning to look cloudy or pixilated.
You will get another part of Explaining The Difference Between Raster and Vector Images (this article) in the following article. So, read the next article.