Comparing Raster (Bitmap) And Vector Graphics

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Introduction:

I have decided to compare Raster (bitmap) and Vector graphics & their uses in modern digital multimedia.

I will begin by defining what both mean. Then take a brief look into how they were first utilised.

Give examples of their pros and cons, their uses now & express my opinion as to which one I believe to be better option and why.

Raster (bitmap) graphics definition:

“A raster graphic is a digital image composed of a matrix of dots. When viewed at 100%, each dot corresponds to an individual pixel on a display. In a standard bitmap image, each dot can be assigned a different colour. Together, these dots can be used to represent any type of rectangular picture.

There are several different bitmap file formats. The standard, uncompressed bitmap format is also known as the "BMP" format or the device independent bitmap (DIB) format. It includes a header, which defines the size of the image and the number of colours the image may contain, and a list of pixels with their corresponding colours. This simple, universal image format can be recognized on nearly all platforms, but is not very efficient, especially for large images.” (techterms, 2014)

Text Box: Figure1To reduce file size other bitmap image formats ie. GIF, PNG, and JPEG incorporate compressed algorithms. The type of compression used differs with each format, but they all represent an image as a grid of pixels. Uncompressed BMP files are significantly larger than compressed bitmaps so take longer to download. Which is why the majority of images seen on the web are compressed bitmaps. Regardless of the file format, your image will look blurry when zoomed in on because each dot will take up more than one pixel.

Common raster formats Include: BMP ...

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...nd can be generated through server-side or client-side scripting languages.

SVGT (SVG Tiny version) is the mobile phone version of SVG. Not only can these images exploit anti-aliasing they can count links and be displayed as wallpaper.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, designers have to choose how they express their creativity by either using vector or raster graphics. By understanding the differences between the graphic types own particular strengths and their limitations the best results can be achieved.

Ultimately it depends on what graphic/image you wish to create and what you intend to use it for that will determine which type you will choose.

For photo-realistic images, then raster is the solution. If you need to resize and manipulate the graphics & download speeds are important to you, then you should consider vector-based format. Luckily we can have both!

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