Viewing Thread:
"graphic formats-what,s the difference?"

Can anyone give me some info on the problems involved in converting between graphic formats i.e. bitmap(gif tif bmp pcx) and vector(cdr,eps,dxf)?
Any help would be much appreciated-thanks!

Turbonutter wrote:
> However, there is limited scope to what you can do and there's little in the way of "effects".

**Graphic Designers across the country shudder at TN's comment**

Sorry... But anything is possible with vectors including complicated effects especially if you know how to use the tools properly. It is esier to rely on the software to manuipulate your pixel based artwork but the power of vector illustration is much more powerfull.

I've been using Illustrator and Freehand for almost 5 years now and the power of both these tools still amazes me though both apps are VERY difficult to learn and master.

The scope is unlimited, it's all down to how well you can use those tools and what you want to do with them.

Vector vs Bitmap is an age-old argument. I'm sure someone's already explained this to you so I won't go into it. As to which one you want to use it really depends. Vectors are great for animations, high detail and small filesizes. However, there is limited scope to what you can do and there's little in the way of "effects". Bitmaps on the other hand are lower definition, and large filesizes. They're also not great for animations. What you can do though is create some stunning works of art, if you know how.

A happy medium is Macromedia Fireworks. It's kind of a vector/bitmap hybrid. It's hard to explain but I quite like it. Check it out.

Tyla wrote:
>Heres a
> little tip for you... If your running Photoshop or Illustrator, you can import
> text and images off of PDF's buy opening them in either program allowing you to
> work with either a pixel or vector version of that document!!

Like it...

On a different note, but sticking to the line of conversion... to take vector to pixel, use the eps format (encapsulated post script). Unfortunately though, you cannot convert pixel to vector.

I spend my life jumping from Illustrator to Photoshop to Flash and Freehand via fireworks and end up running multiple formats of one image.

Working in vectors can be quite difficult, I've been using this style since I trained in AutoCad years agao and find it more flexible with more pleasing results and it also make my life esier going from print to web! (As mentioned before... no problems with scalinmg or resolution)

Heres a little tip for you... If your running Photoshop or Illustrator, you can import text and images off of PDF's buy opening them in either program allowing you to work with either a pixel or vector version of that document!!

I downloaded it but it was loads of presets of cubes and vortexs and stuff. I've made something that you look down on and you can turn it around.

monkey_man wrote:
> This is how my 3D thing was going to work, but you can't
> 'join the dots'.

Off topic... but how is that going? Are you still refusing to use that 3D java engine thing like any sane person would?
;)

funkygamer wrote:
Vector graphics are
> used in Flash, this is true, they use wonderful mathematical techniques to store
> information about the image you want, rather than a fixed representation of the
> image. So a curve is a line plotted from x to y. This is why you can scale
> vector graphics so easily, and they are so small, you don't store an actual
> "image".

This is how my 3D thing was going to work, but you can't 'join the dots'.

Use .gif files for "static" images, like text, or cartoon-like graphics. .gif files can also be "backgroundless", that is, you can pick a colour to be invisible, this can be a usefull design tool. Also, you can have animated .gifs, but you cannot animate a .jpg, (unless you save it as a .gif, but you really do not want to go there!)

Use .jpg files for "live" images, like images of real people or live action scenes. The .jpg compression technique is better at handling this kind of thing. Try saving an 8k .jpg as a .gif, and watch the file size go up to 16k or something.

Launch your graphics program and experiment with saving graphics as .gif and .jpg files. Note the file size difference.

Vector graphics are used in Flash, this is true, they use wonderful mathematical techniques to store information about the image you want, rather than a fixed representation of the image. So a curve is a line plotted from x to y. This is why you can scale vector graphics so easily, and they are so small, you don't store an actual "image".

Vector graphics are also used in the printing world, (Macs mostly then), applications like Adobe Illustrator use them so that you can print out a design without worrying about resolution (web people work to about 72dpi, print people work from about 300dpi up for print work). Designers may create a leaflet in illustrator, say, then turn the fonts into vector graphics so that they do not need to send a font set along with the design, they do this for 2 reasons (1) it is illegal to exchange font sets as they are expensive intellectuall property (2) it is easy for someone to resize those fonts, even on a machine that does not have the correct font set installed.

You may see job adverts for Flash designers who have a good knowledge of illustrator, this is because it is easier to do arty stuff in illustrator, then import it into Flash as vector art.

Hope that made some kind of crazy sense.

I've never really used vector graphics (outside of Flash), but if I see something I like then it's just 'PrntScrn', 'Paint', 'Steal'. Then put it in Paint Shop Pro, edit and save. You can save it as any supported graphics format after that. I usually use .gifs because you can make them transparent, but .jpgs have their uses (you can alter the file size).

Can anyone give me some info on the problems involved in converting between graphic formats i.e. bitmap(gif tif bmp pcx) and vector(cdr,eps,dxf)?
Any help would be much appreciated-thanks!