Raster images and work with them

When working with 2D graphics it is very important to understand the fundamentals of its structure and the principles by which it will change, in a word, to represent how the computer sees it. Of the two main types of images - vector and raster - each finds its application in a certain area, and also has its advantages.

The units from which the raster images consist are pixels. These are small monitor squares that carry and convey information about color. With their help raster images are formed as puzzles and are perceived as a single whole. The quality of the monitor display of such pictures depends on the number of pixels per inch. Basically, all modern computers are available with a resolution of 72 or 96 pixels per inch (the value varies depending on the screen settings).

You can quickly distinguish raster images from vector images by looking at their format. The most common formats for a raster are .gif, .bmp, .png, .jpeg, .psd and others.

Raster images are obtained when creating files in Adobe Photoshop when using the main tools, as well as when scanning any documents. In addition, all photos refer to this type of 2D graphics. Thus, without changing the format of these file types during operation, you can avoid loss of quality and distortion of colors. And print images using a printer as a raster image.

Translating a bitmap image into a vector is pretty simple and requires only the presence of a graphical editor that supports both types of images. In this case, when you save a picture, simply indicate the vector graphics format. However, this method can not always give a good result. The most reliable way is to manually rasterize the bitmap image into a vector image, but this requires good skills in working with vector editors.

So, let's emphasize the main points: raster images on the monitor screen is a pixel grid, the quality of which depends on the resolution and monitor parameters. Such graphics can easily be translated into a different format. Upon closer examination, the contours of such pictures have the form of a broken line from straight lines, which are the boundaries of the pixels.

Raster images have, undoubtedly, their shortcomings and limitations, which also can not be ignored. Unlike vector graphics, such pictures have limits of magnification and other serious changes. With a significant increase in scale, a bitmap image is likely to lose quality. Therefore, storing pixel pictures of large size takes, respectively, and a lot of computer memory. In addition, bitmap graphics almost does not support transparency properties. Only images in .gif and .png are endowed with this feature, and therefore have a higher quality.

The raster format is most suitable for those who use the creation of complex realistic shadows, as well as other three-dimensional effects and textures, in the work with images. And, of course, photographers who process their photos in Photoshop show only the raster type of the graphic image.