Raster Graphics

vs.
Vector Graphics
 Raster (or Bitmap) Images

 A raster graphic (also called “bitmap") is basically a large grid, filled with boxes
called pixels
 When you stand far enough away from the grid, the individual grid squares
blend together and you see a complete photographic image.
Raster Resolution

 The more pixels in an image, the more accurate to the original it can be
 The more pixels in an image, the higher the resolution
Enlarging Raster Images
Photoshop is short 937,500 pixels!
It will make up, or interpolate, that extra
data.

Original Image: 250 x 250 pixels Larger Image: 1000 x 1000 pixels
62,500 pixels 1,000,000 pixels
 In Raster, it’s important to begin your project at the correct output resolution
 When a raster program like Photoshop makes an image larger, it has to make up the
new pixels that are needed
 In this example, making an image larger requires Photoshop to make up 937,500
pixels!
Enlarging Raster Images

Photoshop will look at what it has to work

with and create a best guess as to what is
needed. It actually does a pretty good job,
but the image may well suffer noticeably if
you increase the image size more that 10
percent or so.

• The way to avoid this is to start a larger

size than is needed. We can always
shrink an image with no loss of quality,
but increasing an image will cause it to
become pixilated.
 Know Your Final Output!
 In Raster, you need to work at the correct resolution for
where your design will end up.
 TV and monitor screens only have 72 pixels per inch. If you
are making something that only will be seen on a screen, you
can keep your resolution at 72 ppi.
 If it is going to be printed, you will need to begin much higher.
Consumer printers can print at 300 ppi.
 Professional printing can be as much as 600 ppi.
 High resolutions take up a bunch of storage space and take
longer to work with.
 Low resolutions tend to look bad.
Low Resolution Image
 Advantages of Raster Graphics

 Raster can represent complex photographic images.

 Photographs, movies, and television are raster!
 Almost any system can read raster graphics. Common
file formats include
 .jpg
 .gif
 .bmp
 .tif
Disadvantages of Raster Graphics

 Difficult
to scale to larger sizes. We can
make things smaller, but not bigger
without a loss of quality.
 Raster files can get very large. The more
pixels, the more the computer needs to
remember.
 Once a raster file has been saved as a
jpeg, etc., it can’t be edited any more.
 Vector Graphics

 Vector Graphics are defined by math.

 They are points connected by lines of various shapes.
 More points and more lines can make more complex shapes.
 Vector Graphics
 Images made up of
shapes, like line
drawings and
illustrations and
logos, are often well
suited for vector
formats. Images with
dense, differing
colors, like
photographic images,
are not good for
vector graphic
formats.
Advantages of Vector Graphics

Star viewed at 100% Top of star viewed at 1600%

onscreen

 Infinite resolution – we can shrink or expand the image forever

and never lose resolution, because it’s entirely math-based!
 File sizes are very small. Instead of having to remember
millions of pixels, the file only has to contain the math used.
 The files remain editable. Any program that can understand
the math can edit the file.
 Vector/Raster Comparison

Vector logo, Vector logo, Raster logo,

Viewed at 100% Viewed at 1600% Viewed at 1600%
Disadvantages of Vector Graphics

 Vector graphics can’t easily recreate photo realistic images.