The document provides information on different types of digital graphics file formats including raster graphics, vector graphics, JPEG, TIFF, PSD, AI, 3DS, and their uses and advantages/disadvantages.
Raster graphics use pixels to form images and are resolution dependent, making them better for computer displays. Vector graphics use mathematical formulas to describe shapes and can be scaled without quality loss, making them better for printing.
JPEG is best for photographs due to its compatibility and small file sizes but results in some quality loss from compression. TIFF allows lossless compression and is a standard printing format. PSD preserves layers and transparency for graphic design work in Photoshop. AI creates high quality vector graphics in Illustrator. 3
3. Raster Graphics
A Raster graphic is a dot matrix data structure meaning it is made up of many different
dots of colour called bitmaps. Bitmaps are made up of pixels and each pixel records the
colour of their section of an image.
Bitmapped images have a set resolution meaning that resizing can cause distortion and
affect the quality of the image. Because of this they are not often used for things like
billboard images that will be blown up in size many times. Raster graphics are more
commonly used on computer displays on computers.
4. Vector Graphics
Vector graphics are made up of vectors. These vectors are defined by a start and end
point with curves and angles between them. From this information the line can
become a curve, a triangle or any shape. All the information resides in the structure of
the document and this describes how the graphic should be drawn. This changes when
the graphic is magnified and so a vector graphic can be scaled as big or as small as
desired with no loss of definition.
Because vector graphics are made up of a series of mathematical curves it is perfect for
printing and will produce very crisp images even when re-sized. An image such as a
logo could be put on a small business card and then the same file could be scaled up
for a large poster with no loss of quality. For this reason Vector graphics are good for
graphic designers who will need top create a small publication as well as a very large
publication as it allows them to use the same file with the same high quality.
5. JPEG
Stands For Joint photographic experts group
Used For Photographs in a web format
Is well suited to photographs and paintings with
smooth variations of tone and colour.
Advantage Compatible with all computers as well as DVD and
mobile phones so is a good general file to use.
Compresses images so that not much memory is
needed to save them, ideal for web and email use so
would work well for a photographer showcasing their
images on their website.
Disadvantage Lossy compression is a problem and as the file is
compressed to save data it loses detail.
Can reduce files to around 5% of their normal size
losing detail of them.
Further editing a JPEG image can reduce quality more.
Only works on smaller prints, on a larger print noise
and distortion would be visible because of the file
being compressed.
6. TIFF
Stands For Tagged image file format
Used For Storing raster graphics
Desktop publishing
Photographs
Advantage Allows multi-page documents to be saved as a single
file.
Can be compressed with no loss of quality using
algorithms.
Can also be compressed with lossy compression using
JPEG algorithms if file size needs to be reduced.
Standard format for printing and so would work well
for a designer printing off different posters or leaflets.
Disadvantage Is not as compatible with many software programmes
as a JPEG file is.
Very large file sizes so larger storage devices may be
needed and the file type may not work as well to email
or on the web.
Some online galleries that do not support TIFF files.
7. PSD
Stands For Photoshop Document
Used For Front covers of magazines
Designing in Photoshop
Advantage Can save layers, page formatting information and
supports transparency.
Ideal for graphic designers as the files progress can
be saved and worked on at a later date.
Disadvantage Is only compatible with Photoshop.
Photoshop is difficult to learn to use.
Unlike InDesign files multiple page documents can
not be saved.
Not very good at dealing with a lot of text, PSD files
containing a lot of text are very large.
8. AI
Stands For Adobe Illustrator Art
Used For Logos and graphics to represent a
company.
Creating, editing and printing vector
artwork.
Advantage Makes vector graphics so the work can be
scaled as big or small as desired.
It is the most advanced vector format
available.
Disadvantage Newer versions of the file type often have
compatibility issues.
It isn't a standard file type.
9. 3DS
Stands For 3D Studio
Used For 3d modelling, animation and rendering
Advantage Industry standard format for using and
saving 3D files on different software
programmes.
Allows designing in 3D, good for architects
or designers of furniture etc.
3DS models can be exported and edited
for using in external editors.
Disadvantage Can only be used on software that
supports 3D designs.
Directional light sources are not
supported.
Does not support vertex skinning which is
important when animating characters.
12. Evaluation
What did you like about your image?
I like how simple the image looks. It was easy and quick to achieve a good result and
this means that many shape images can be made quickly and it would be good for a
large scale production.
What would you improve if you did it again?
If I was to do this task again I may try and use more shaped to add some detail in the
image. I do like the simplicity of the current image however and I believe adding more
detail would create an entirely different look.
14. Evaluation
What did you like about your image?
Much like the shape image I really liked the simple look the image has and how quick
and easy it is to create. It is much easier to add detail to the image however and this
gives it a much more realistic and sophisticated look.
What would you improve if you did it again?
If I were to do this again I would add more detail in the image by adding highlights into
the hair and different tones on the skin etc. I would also like to experiment with the
different fills such as the pattern fill and gradients rather than the standard block
colour fill.
16. Evaluation
What did you like about your image?
I like the way the image contains only typographical elements and translates the
meaning of the word through its appearance. The simplicity of the image I also find
attractive.
What would you improve if you did it again?
If to do the image again I would maybe try and make it more complicated. I don’t
know if this would necessarily improve the image but would instead change the whole
look of it and make it completely different. Nevertheless if doing this again I would like
to explore the design possibilities from a more graphical and complicated angle.
18. Evaluation
What did you like about your image?
I like the simplicity of the logo and believe the colours work well drawing the eye, as
does the bright yellow spark graphic I have included in the centre of the design. The
newspaper graphic fits in well for the purpose of the logo as it is strongly linked to
Print Based Media.
What would you improve if you did it again?
I think some of the spacing of the different elements could be improved next time I do
this. The newspaper and pen is slightly off centre but I don’t think they look too good,
I don’t know if that’s because they are not enough off centre to look like a deliberate
design decision or what, but I would play about with the positioning of different
elements if creating a logo again.
26. Proposal
Dimensions
2400 by 3200 pixels
Content
I have decided to create a T-shirt with the Grime artist Skepta on the front. Grime is
very popular currently and Skepta is the biggest artist out recently releasing two
singles and having an album to be released soon.
I will Rota-scope him with quite a simple style that will be visually striking and
aesthetically pleasing to the wearer. I may include a graffiti style type with a word such
as “Skepta” or “Shutdown” the title of his newest release.
Nike caps are something that Skepta is known to wear and so I will make the swoosh
quite a large feature of the design.
Export Format
PNG file
Advantages; Compatible with Redbubble, Supports transparency
Disadvantages; Very large file size
27. Proposal
Deadline
Monday Tuesday Wednesday
Find a suitable image to
use as a guide for my
Rota-scoping and begin
designing.
Continue to rota-scope
adding detail and
ensuring I include the
Nike cap.
Complete the design and
search for a suitable font
if I wish to include the
word. When one has been
found incorporate into
the design.
Upload to Redbubble.
Schedule
Audience
Males and females around 15-25 years of age.
31. Does your final product reflect your
original intentions?
Yes I do believe the final product reflects my original intentions. It depicts a
recognisable image of Skepta and I think it looks visually striking and cool. For this
reason I believe that it would also be attractive to my target audience who will like the
sort of design I have created and may like Skepta’s music.
The only thing that has not ended up exactly as I envisioned is that I was not sure if I
would add in the word to my design but once I had completed the rota-scoping I
believed that it looked as though the image ended too abruptly at the bottom. To
solve this I added in the word in the graffiti style I said I would and this worked well to
give the image some more interesting content at the bottom rather than just
stopping..
32. Is your product suitable for your
audience?
Yes, I believe the product is suited to the target audience I have proposed of males and
females from 15-25 years of age. This audience group are the most fashion conscious
of any other and so will most likely appreciate the content of the t-shirt design, this is
also around the age range of listeners of Skepta’s music.
Skepta is definitely a fashionable person to listen to at the moment and so many young
people will be a fan, people even dress the same as him and so having a t-shirt with
him on it would be popular. Nike is a popular brand with people of this age and so the
swoosh is a good symbol to include in the design. The song “Shutdown” was also
incredibly popular and so the decision to add the title into the t-shirt I believe was a
good one and one that suits my target audience.
Both males and females listen to his music and so I think the t-shirt would be popular
with both genders.
33. What do you like/dislike about the
techniques you have used?
I think that the technique I used looks very good and I am pleased with the
outcome. Rota-scoping allowed me to pick out important shapes from the
photograph I had of Skepta and build an image up by using the lasso tool to draw
round these shapes and make a layer out of them. By using the colour finding tool
to select for example Skepta’s skin colour I could then colour these shapes
realistically and ensure that the image I created looked good.
The rota-scoping allowed me to add in certain parts that were not in the
photograph very easily and this is another thing I liked about it. It allowed me to
add in the Nike cap and make the two panels on the front of the coat a completely
different colour and I feel this gave the image a more cartoony appearance that I
think worked very well.
One thing I disliked about the rota-scoping is that it is sometimes difficult to get a
perfect straight line or a perfect curve. For example on the coat panels the curve on
the outside is slightly jagged and although it does not look terrible I believe a
perfect curve would have looked better. Similarly I struggled with the lines on the
cap and instead after a few failed attempts just used the paintbrush tool to draw
them.
34. Evidence of
Progress with
Rota-scoping
As you can see
The panels are much
More of a feature than
in the photograph
Slightly
jagged angles
on the curve
rather than a
smooth line
The Nike cap that
is not in the
photograph
35. What do you like/dislike about how
your final product looks?
I think that my final product looks very good. It is easily recognisable as Skepta and
the simplistic, cartoony style is very cool. I like the inclusion of the Nike cap and I
think this makes him even more recognisable. The text works well and I think that
using a graffiti font is good as grime music and graffiti often go together. I like the
colours I have used, I think they all go together well and the different dark shades of
colour are cool to look at.
I think that the lines dribbling out from the text could have been done better. I drew
them with a paintbrush to look like the lines that come from when you hold a spray
paint can too close to what you're painting but I think that they could have been
done better. I could have found an image of paint dribble on the internet and rota-
scoped this or even just taken more time on ensuring they looked better. At the
moment I believe they just look a bit messy and it is not immediately clear what they
are.
36. Why did you include the content you
used?
I included the content I included because I have been a fan of grime music for a long
while and Skepta is one of my favourite grime artists. Recently he has become more and
more popular and has started to branch out into fashion and other such things. As more
and more people have started to like him I thought that he would be the perfect person
to use for my design and as he is relatively new to a lot of people I think the design
would be popular.
I included the Nike cap as it is an iconic piece of clothing that Skepta is often seen
wearing and one that makes the cartoon more recognisable as him. The coat is a jacket
he made in a collaboration with designer Nasir Mazhar and one that was incredibly
popular when it came out. This means that many people may recognise it and it will add
to the coolness and recognisability of the design.
The word “Shutdown” has been included as it is the name of a recent hit single from
Skepta and one that was incredibly popular. Having the title of his song again increases
recognisability and adds to the design.
37. What style have you employed in your
products?
I have employed a relatively cartoony and simplistic style with my design using the
rota-scoping technique. I think that because of this I had to add in as much iconic
imagery as possible to ensure that it was clear that the cartoon was Skepta but I
believe I have achieved this well.
Rota-scoping allowed me to create the simple design I wanted out of blocks of colour
and minimal detail while still creating a visually striking image. This style is popular
with people of my target age range and I think that it was a good design choice to
make.