2c3c534f-0e67-467c-9e85-973a05987f12_Unit_3_Using_Images_Notes

Unit 3: Using Images Notes

U3L2: Image File Basics

• Resolution:

  • Image quality in a raster file is measured by DPI/PPI (dots per inch/pixels per inch).

  • Higher resolution leads to larger file sizes, suitable for printing or HD screens.

  • Lower resolution results in smaller file sizes, ideal for internet images.

• Compression:

  • Decreases memory space and allows faster distribution over the internet.

  • Each file type has unique compression levels.

    • Lossy Compression: Reduces image quality during compression.

    • Lossless Compression: Maintains image quality but may have larger file sizes.

• Raster-Based Software Examples:

  • Tools like Pixlr, Gimp, Photoshop, Lightroom, Canva, Corel, Paintshop PRO.

• Vector File Types and Software:

  • In vector graphics, points, lines, shapes, and curves are referred to as primitives, defined by coordinates and color expressions through algorithms.

  • Smaller file size with high scalability.

  • Developed by Ivan Sutherland with Sketchpad, a precursor to CAD for architects.

  • Vector images use equations for quality scaling, independent of resolution, which depend on pixels.

• Size Considerations:

  • The decision to use vector vs. raster formats depends on the size of the image, with vector being preferred for larger sizes and illustrations.

• Vector File Types:

  • PDF: Supports both text and images, representing printed pages accurately, but cannot be altered without Adobe Acrobat, tends to be large.

  • EPS: Generally replaced by PDF; incompatible with many platforms.

  • AI: Adobe Illustrator's native format; best for creating and revising vector images but not widely compatible.

  • SVG: Open version of AI, useful for client sharing without Illustrator.

Raster File Types

• GIF:

  • Animated, limited to 256 colors, lossless compression, supports transparency, best for web usage due to small file size.

• JPG:

  • Most common format, supports full-color range, lossy compression affects quality, suitable for web and printing but insufficient for line drawings or logo illustrations. Features customizable compression.

• PNG:

  • Created as an open-source format of GIF. Best for documents with images and text, lossless compression, transparency supported, more suitable for online use but not for print.

• TIFF:

  • High quality and scalability, lossless compression, supports layers and transparency, ideal for print, but large and slow for web. Users can edit an image and save it as many times without distortion.

• PSD:

  • Adobe Photoshop format, supports layers and animations, needs Photoshop to open, generally large in size. Can be saved as raster or vector files. Exported to other platforms for sharing.

U3L3: Using Images Ethically

• Intellectual Property:

  • Main ethical issue in graphic design; involves laws protecting creative works.

  • Three Main Types:

    • Copyright: Automatically granted to published works, protects creative works.

    • Trademark: Government-filed, protects brand or logo ownership.

    • Patent: For new inventions, providing temporary exclusivity to creators.

• Copyright Infringement:

  • Breach of copyright laws can lead to damages, attorney fees, and potential jail time.

• Fair Use:

  • Allows limited use of copyrighted work for specific purposes (e.g., scholarship, news reporting) with credit as long as no profit is made.

• Creative Commons:

  • Developed by Lawrence Lessig to promote information flow; He argued that new forms of technology have opened up new communication methods, which are being limited by big companies, and giving them too much power. It offers pre-made licenses based on copyright laws that creators can apply to their work; creators waive the rights to collect income and applies partial rights to use the work, but can be varied in its limitations.

• Open Source:

  • Application of these ideas above, just for computer code. They are applications or computer languages created by programmers, who waived their intellectual property rights, to allow people to download, use, and modify their works. Firefox and GIMP are open-source applications and Python is an open-source version of the computer language C.

U3L4: Incorporating Found Images

• Resources for digital artwork:

  • Canva and Vecteezy provide extensive libraries, alongside Photoshop's free elements.

• Steps for Creating a Project:

  1. Choose a template (PDF for brochures).

  2. Add background.

  3. Add a border.

  4. Add an image.

  5. Choose a font and add text.

  6. Save and export as PDF.

  When you find an image you like,

• Save it

• Import it into a graphics software of choice.

• Image Editing Techniques:

  • Cropping: Rescales images, removes details, adjusts proportions. Adjusts where the horizon lies.

  • Red-eye Removal: Eliminates red-eye effect from flash photography when the flash of a camera reflects off a subject’s retinas.

  • Feathering/Blur: Softens image edges for blending; feathering softens edges to inside the image, while blur adjusts both in and out. Feathering is used for blending an image in ontop of another and to create a vignette, where the edges of a photo are soft and faded. Blurring tool is featured in professional programs like GIMP and Photoshop.

  • Layers: Advanced software allows using layers.

  • Masks: Control visibility of layers with black (conceal), white (reveal), or grey (translucent).

  • Anti-Aliasing: Reduces pixelation during resizing. Upsampling increases size, downsampling decreases it, enhancing image quality. Adjusts pixelation when raster images are enlarged using masks and guesses.