For Confused Minds: What Are Vector Graphics?

[Jonathan Hue]

Hello Everybody

It has been a long time since i discussed about various graphic design components. Below im defining "What Vector Graphics Are?, What Are There Specifications and Other Stuff Related To Them." I'm sure the information provided will help the newbies and moderates in acquiring and refreshing their design knowledge and expertise.

Vector graphics are based on mathematical definitions. These graphics are built of various small points which combine to make curves and lines. There are a few points known as Bezier curves which connect the control points. Designers generally prefer to use this program because it gives the best and crisp graphics.

Some of the feature of Vector graphics are as follows:

1. Small Size (because they contain only the data that makes Bezier curves and points)
2. Stored in EPS-file format
3. Scale without loss of Quality (can be scaled upto 20%)

The Programs and Applications which handle Vector Graphics:

1. Adobe Illustrator
2. Corel Draw
3. Macromedia Freehand

Vector Graphics vs Bitmap Graphics

1. Vector Gs are more flexible than Bitmap Gs
2. Quality is awesome as Vector Gs are high resolution centric
3. Best print quality
4. Vector Gs are made up of Paths while Bitmaps are made up pf Pixels
5. Bitmap Gs are used for Photography while Vector Gs for Illustrations

Popular Jargons :

1. BMP: Bitmap
2. JPEG: Joint Photographic Experts Group
3. GIF: Graphic Interchange Format
4. PNG: Portable Network Graphics
5. DIP: Device-Independent Bitmap
6. TIFF: Tagged Image File Format
7. PSD: PhotoShop Document
8. TARGA: Truevision Advanced Raster Graphics Adapter

I hope this preliminary info would add some power to your knowledge base. Any thoughts are most welcome!

Thank you

[arb]

And what about PDF?

Ton

[Jacorre]

Originally Posted by arb

And what about PDF?

Ton

Quoted from Wikipedia:

"Portable Document Format (PDF), sometimes mistaken for "Printable Document Format", is an open file format created by Adobe Systems in 1993 and is now being prepared for submission as an ISO standard.[1] It is used for representing two-dimensional documents in a device independent and resolution independent fixed-layout document format. Each PDF file encapsulates a complete description of a 2D document (and, with the advent of Acrobat 3D, embedded 3D documents) that includes the text, fonts, images, and 2D vector graphics that compose the document.

While PDF can describe very simple one page documents, it may also be used for many pages, complex documents that use a variety of fonts, graphics, colors, and images."

[firstparadigm]

All correct and helpful points, however, one disagreement - because vector graphics are based on math, they can be scaled up or down indefinitely, they are not limited to 20%. Bitmap graphics can be stored in eps format, but they are still bitmap graphics. In that case I wouldn't enlarge them, they get ugly.

[Jolt]

Not all correct...

Stored in EPS-file format
Can also be in PDF, AI, CDR, FH, SWF, SVG, FLA format -- EPS is not the only vector format

Scale without loss of Quality (can be scaled upto 20%)
Can scale infinitely, not just to 20%. The same vector image will look identical at 1" tall or 1000" tall. There is no limit if the image is truly vector.


PDF files can contain vector graphics (in fact, Illustrator's default format is PDF) however, PDFs can also contain raster data, therefore it can't be said that PDFs are always vector. They can be, but aren't necessarily.