Raster Graphics
If you’re at all involved in the web design field, you’ve likely come across the modern rise to dominance of vector graphics, which allow for smooth graphic creation, zooming, and printing. But this exciting format has left its predecessor unexamined by some web designers new to the field, and while there’s no denying that raster graphics are inferior for a number of applications, this format is a wise choice for some projects and can make for some fun experiments. Pretty much everyone who has produced work online, from artists to SEO consultants taking a break from search engine optimization to doodle a logo or enhance a company portrait, has played with Adobe Photoshop or similar editing programs, and it is around these experiences that the design culture of the raster graphic has centered.
Raster graphics are sometimes also referred to a bitmap images, as the format relies on a structure of pixels in which a varying number of bits of information are stored. These pixels relay diverse information to programs and computer screens for display, including color (typically based on the RGB system and conveying a certain percentage of red, blue, and green to achieve a certain hue) and position. The vast majority of computer and web graphics –especially small items such as icons– have traditionally been created with this bitmap structure. And indeed, despite its imperfections, this method has been used to create a variety of digital artistic masterpieces, from attractive and well-received abstract designs for pages to full-fledged digital paintings that rival traditional formats. But despite the long and storied history of raster images, their disadvantages compared to the more modern option of vector graphics has produced a decrease in the amount of pieces created in this fashion.
The principle drawback of the classic raster graphic is that it is resolution-dependent. This means that scaling is generally not an option, at least beyond a certain threshold, because the graphic itself will become distorted, blurry, or otherwise a mere echo of the original’s look and feel. Some designers might declare that this isn’t a problem if a graphic is created in the correct size to begin with, and this certainly has its merit, but often, graphics are changed in terms of size after they’ve been produced in order to make them perfectly suit the setting or application. Printing can also be disadvantageous with raster graphics, as the nature of the medium can lead to uneven lines or noise when ink is put to paper.
That being said, raster graphics are still the format of choice for photographs and photo-realistic images. A broad panorama of Austin Texas is still best rendered and printed in raster format, as the details and depth may be lost –much to the chagrin of Austin Tx admirers– with vector graphics. Knowing when raster graphics are a good choice will help designers stay in touch with this traditional digital medium, while affording the freedom to use more appropriate methods when needed.
NuArtisan
7000 N Mo Pac Expy Ste 200
Austin, TX 78731
(512) 712-5359