Computer graphics imperceptibly, but firmly entered into our everyday life. She has long ceased to be the destiny of the elect. Each time, transferring photos from a digital camera to a computer or simply pressing the “save” button to add a picture you like to the collection, you work with computer graphics.
Is it worth it to spend time on theory?
Knowing the basics of how the image manipulation method works will do you a good job. Extensions after the file name will cease to be some kind of magical abracadabra for you, and will begin to properly supply important information. You will be able to consciously decide which images are best compressed so as not to clutter up the space on your hard drive, and correctly choose which way you can do this.
Editing your own photos will also move from the state of “scientific poking method” to a whole new level. And for some, the innocent fun with the images on the screen gradually turned into a fairly profitable job.
The difference between raster and vector graphics
At the moment, in the computer environment, vector and raster graphics are mainly used. They radically differ from each other in the way of encoding information.
It's no secret that all the data in the computer is written using 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 figures, which, in turn, are described by simple mathematical formulas. Thus, for example, the letter “and” for the graphic 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 raster image is divided according to another principle. The computer splits the picture into many points, which are called pixels, and remembers the color and location of each pixel.
Advantages and disadvantages
If you work with a vector drawing, then theoretically you can increase it to infinity. Moreover, this in no way will affect the image quality. Since the parameters are set 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 bitmap graphics lie precisely in the fact that during compression (which in the vast majority of cases occurs when a file is saved), quality can significantly suffer. The so-called granularity appears. However, it is raster graphics that are used in complex images. In vector drawings, you can create only very simple pictures. Therefore, now we will focus on where raster graphics are applied.
Areas of use
Raster images perfectly convey the content of scanned objects. With their help, you can work with halftones and a smooth transition of color. Photographs 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 image information in our case is encoded using dots. The unit of measure in this encoding is a pixel. This is the smallest point that cannot be divided in either size or color.
The number of these points per given area unit is called resolution. On the image with a high resolution (a large number of individual points) we will see a clear picture and smooth color transitions. However, in the case when the resolution is small, the picture quality can suffer greatly (after all, the computer simply displays the number of points in its memory and stretches them to the requested size).
The file format can be roughly compared with the language. In order to transmit the same information in different languages, you will need a different number of letters, sounds and words. Also, in most cases, the grammatical construction will vary. And “translators” from these “languages” in our computers are specialized programs that either “read” it or convert it to the desired format.
The main difference between the formats is the way of storing information. Consider the most common.
BMP
This is one of the pioneers. When it was developed, raster graphics were, one might say, at the very origins of its existence. The creators did not bother much and programmed BMP to sequentially store each pixel. In fact, this is just copying, but with some loss of color, since the BMP format has only 256 colors.
Tiff
Enough cumbersome in the scale of digital storage, but simply indispensable when printing information. Unlike BMP, it supports the ability to compress (compress) information. And for this, you can use not one, but several different algorithms. However, if you do not work in the printing industry or at least some publishing house, you will not really need serious power of this format.
GIF
This is already closer to the actual use (for non-specialists) format. He is especially famous for the ability to use animated sequences. Computer graphics made in this format also allows you to create translucent images. However, you will not be able to convey smooth transitions of colors. Most often, the use of raster graphics in GIF format can be seen in web design. It is compatible with all platforms and also compresses information quite compactly, which is an important factor in the speed of opening Internet pages.
Jpeg
The most popular format. And it is well deserved. Any raster graphics editors no doubt support this format. It was designed with a specific purpose in mind - to get rid of the restrictions imposed by the compression of GIF-files.
The compression algorithm in this format reaches a factor of 100 units. This is a great indicator. However, this compression still has its drawbacks - there is some data loss, and it is possible that the saved image will become somewhat blurry. Since this format simply throws back information that it considers insignificant, there is always a risk of distorting some details.
JPEG 2000
Improved version of the earlier version. Information about the image is compressed even more compactly, and the loss in quality has become much less. Most often, this format is used to store photos on your computer’s hard drive and on the Internet. However, it should be remembered that if you repeatedly save the same image in JPEG or JPEG 2000 formats, it will lose pieces of information each time, and in the end you will get a significantly distorted picture compared to the original.
PNG
Significantly improved in quality fellow GIF format. Having retained literally all the advantages of its predecessor, it is devoid of its shortcomings. Used both for image editing and web page design. In addition, PNG, unlike GIF, is officially publicly available.
PSD
PSD raster graphics are processed exclusively in Adobe Photoshop. This is an internal package of this program. It supports working with layers of an editable image.
CDR
It is also an internal package for the Corel DRAW raster graphics program . Typically, this program is used by graphic designers to create images from scratch. But the editing function is undeniably supported.
Bitmap Editors
And now a little about the programs that work with image editing.
The most popular among users at the moment is the program Adobe Photoshop, in common people simply referred to as "Photoshop." This development, in fact, monopolized the work with raster images among design specialists. However, this program is paid and it costs not so little. Therefore, the development of other companies began to appear. Some of them have already received widespread use.
As for the very "Photoshop", this did not affect its popularity. The interface of this program is quite simple, and there is no shortage of various 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 for an unbridled flight of fantasy. You can correct imperfections in appearance, adjust the color scheme, change the background and much, much more.
GIMP graphical editor
As for free programs, here you can safely recommend GIMP. This graphic editor can easily replace the untwisted Photoshop. It perfectly copes with all the tasks necessary for editing bitmap images, and has some initial functions for working with vector graphics.
The GIMP program allows you to make photos more saturated and vibrant, it easily removes unnecessary elements from the image and can be used to prepare professional design projects. Computer graphics created using this program look natural and fit seamlessly into the big picture.
Corel DRAW Graphic Editor
It would be wrong to ignore Corel products. In Corel DRAW, you can easily work with both raster and vector images. The possibilities of this tool are so numerous that the study of the Corel DRAW program is included in the required training course for graphic designers in colleges.
This program is also paid, and the arsenal of its products is replenished with enviable regularity. But, despite the wide possibilities that this graphic editor provides to the user, its intuitive interface makes the workflow a pleasure.
Free graphic editors
And just a few words about alternative image editing programs. In most cases, they perfectly cope with the requests of the average user, and take away places and resources on your computer many times less. Yes, and working with them is by and large easier, since you will not be overwhelmed by the need to choose among all kinds of functions whose purpose remains unclear.
If you like unusual and mostly comic photos, try using the program Funny Photo Maker. There you will find many original frames and fun visual effects.
For more serious work, Picasa is suitable. This editor is sharpened for use in computer networks. Its new features will make it even easier for you to design your pages on social networks. And the built-in effects for editing will not disappoint even a sophisticated specialist.
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 counterpart.