Assessment 2 & 3 - Graphics Software

Bitmap images basically work by placing many different colours in small squares called pixels in a large grid. When these squares or boxes are viewed from further away or zoomed out from the colours start to merge and the further out the grid is viewed from the smoother the image will appear and if it is a picture or photograph will be more apparent or recognisable. The clarity of the full picture also depends on the resolution (amount of pixels) of the user’s own monitor or screen. The more pixels the better the picture will be displayed.

Vector images work by joining points on the screen with a line by using maths or algebra eg. graphing equations using x and y coordinates. The line used to join two points is known as the path and can take any shape or form such as curved or wavy. These points can then be joint with other points and paths to make a shape which can then be filled with solid or gradient colours.

Bitmap software would be used by Photographers, artists or anyone that works with images which are very detailed as they can recreate or manipulate intricate images and photographs. Very detailed pictures such as photo realistic illustrations and collage can be retouched if there are any marks or defects by filling in or grading in pixels. Hand drawn sketches can also be retouched by using a pen tool.

Images may also be resized to a smaller scale and file size without a noticeable reduction or loss in quality. The images can then be used in an appropriate size on a web site or magazine layout.

Vector based software uses a mathematical layout and is therefore better suited to and used in environments such as graphic design or desk top publishing to create page layouts, design logos, typography and technical illustrations. It can also used to create sharp edged or crisp drawings such as clip art, complicated patterns or cartoons.

Table of possible uses

Layers work similar tracing paper, you can draw over the top of previous layers, move or delete any layers you are not happy with. This saves having to draw an image all in one session and maybe ruining the whole image by one simple mistake. The layers can also be moved up or down to sit above or below other parts of your design. This is very handy for designing logos when you may want to move around one part of the design on top of another to achieve the best result. A layer can also be locked once you are happy with it.

There are numerous effects to be found on Fireworks and other Vector software. The most regularly used ones are the fill effects for filling in solid objects. These can be changed to preset textures and patterns from a drop down menu. Any effect can be used with the patterns selection by uploading a fill in picture of your own, for instance you could use a brick wall as a surface and then change the colour. The transparency of the fill can also be reduced to make it more see through to show objects behind your filled section or change the colour of your selected fill.
More can be done with the colour and edges of your shapes with the filter effects. These include amongst others ‘Sharpen’, ‘Shadow and Glow’ and ‘Bevel and Emboss’. All of these selections are really self-explanatory. When sharpen is selected the option of ‘sharpen’ and ‘sharpen more’ appear, they will make the edges of your shape/s look sharper. If the image is as sharp as possible already then it will have the opposite effect as below, the edges are fuzzy and uneven.

If Shadow and Glow is selected many drop down options appear, Glow being one of the most effective as shown below. The writing appears to be glowing on the screen/page.

Bevel and Emboss gives the illusion of the writing or shape being raised from or pushed into a surface.
Any of the images fill and outline colour can be altered easily using the fill and outline icons, these appear in a few different locations for easy accessibility. Different effects can be added using the colours also like gradients etc. or by using the textures as mentioned above.

The Slice tool makes it possible to select more manageable rectangular or Polygon shaped areas on your image and export them to an HTML authoring software such as Dreamweaver which deciphers the HTML code and displays it. The sections you select are made up of ‘slices’ which are measured by the number of rows and columns they cover.

A number of preset shapes can be used with the shape tool in the main tool bar on the left. These shapes can be made any size by clicking and dragging then manipulated in any way by moving or dragging points set out around them.

More precise, smooth and straight lines can be drawn with the Pen Tool than with other tools. You can draw straight lines using dot to dot clicking or curved lines by dragging the pointer to your next point. The lines can then be joint together to give irregular shapes. Again these lines can be manipulated if you need to adjust them, this is done the same way as above with the shape tool.

In order to export images to a web site it is good practice to optimise the graphics. This basically means preparing them by bringing the size of image file down to an acceptable minimum. Acceptable meaning that the image does not lose too much quality and still looks good.
If the image has a lot of background or surrounding area with no interest it can firstly be cropped around the area of most interest.
The next step is to resize the image without reducing colour depth and resolution. Images will always lose quality when made larger.
Finally, compress the image by trying different file types i.e. TIFF/PNG. To compare the quality of each use the 2-Up or 4-Up buttons at the top of the image screen, this splits the screen in 2 or 4 so you can adjust each one individually and choose the best quality and file type using the smallest possible file size.
The Export Wizard can be used to guide the user through which file format to use, minimising the size and maximising the quality of the image.

Transparency is very important as it allows the user to place items and text above other designs or pages without borders or backgrounds. Images can be laid on top of others and blend in with or collage with the images behind.

Images can be created from shapes and text using Vector software or images can be edited using bitmap software.

Photographs can be edited using bitmap packages. For instance, by cutting and pasting a person from one picture then blending it into another by using anti-alias and other tools to soften the joins till they are almost unnoticeable. Pictures can also be changed in appearance by repairing, adding effects or changing to Black and White.