Fundamentals of The Digital World

Today, everything is becoming digital. Computers, cameras, CDs, digital clocks, and so on. And many more.  Even the mobile phone, which is now a necessity, incorporates digital techniques, bringing social media and WEB access to the end user's fingertips.

Digital equipment 

Digital electronic technology can store, retrieve and communicate data and information in form of ‘0’ and ‘1’ which are binary numbers, letters or icons. ‘0’ defines a positive state and ‘1’ defines a negative state. Data is represented as strings of ‘0’s and ‘1’s, which are coded transmitted and decoded at communication activities.

Analog Transmission equipment

Analog technology is based on sound waves, these waves are received, transmitted, processed and stored, communicated, printed or displayed.

Analog Vs Digital

Analog	Digital
Sound waves, signals	Binary digits, letters, symbols, icons
Analog-sound waves	Digital waves
Continuous values	Binary numbers or symbols in bits and bytes
spectrum of vales	Two states ‘0’ and’1’ or ‘off’ and ‘on’
Analog signals trigger digital signals	Allows processing of images via computers
Less better noise correction	Better noise correction
Analog  waves can be converted to digital	Digital can be converted to analog

digital vs analog

Types of Computer Graphics

Vector graphics

Are made of graphic objects or a collection of graphic objects. They have geometrical aspects such as points, lines and curves. These are called ‘Primitives’. Each and every object can be edited separately. The storage requirements of vector graphics are minimal.  When resized, these graphics do not lose their quality.

They can be images, logos, CD covers, CD stickers, Business cards, File covers, Book cover designs and many more.  Tools which can design vector graphics are, CorelDraw, ADOBE Freehand, In-Design.

Raster Graphics (bitmaps)

These graphics are made of tiny parts of pixels.  The computer stores details of every single pixel in an image. Due to this, the file storage size becomes larger than a vector storage size.   Pixels may be in many colors, which may or may-not have effects and shadows. They are called ‘Bitmap graphics or Raster Images’. The quality of these pictures is managed by the resolution and density of the pixels.

Software Tools used for these designs are: Photo Shop, Corel Photo Point.

Raster Graphics (bitmaps)

VECTOR	RASTER
Made of objects	Made of Pixels
Larger file storage size	Smaller file storage size
Elements:  Lines, points, curves	Elements:  Colors, Effect, Shadows
Called :’ vector graphics’	Called :‘Bitmap graphics or Raster Images’
When Re-sized, Quality is not lost	When Re-sized, Quality is mostly lost

What is better Vector or Raster

The suitability of  each type of image depends on the requirement and the purpose of the job. Therefore it is the decision of the graphic designer,  to choose the proper tool for the respective task or job.

Characteristics of Raster Images

1. Resolution :  No. of pixels in each slide. (64_Px  X 80 _PX)
2. Dimensions :Display or print dimension (4^inch X 6^inch)
3.  Depth : Bit Depth (1Bit, 8bit, 24bit, 32bit)
4. Colour Mode: Bitmap, Gray Scale, RGB, CMYK

Resolution 

The number of Pixel dots per inch gives the resolution.  The above picture shows how the design becomes clearer when the resolution increases. The more number of pixels per inch produces better and sharper images. Lesser amounts of pixels per inch may show ‘jagged/blurred’ image edges.

Dimensions

Images can have many dimensions, as per the designer’s wish or the user’s wish or a particular standard.

Bit Depth

Is called pixel/color information/bit depth in an image. If the bit depth is high, it can store more color.  I Bit images can store only Black & White. The more the bits are such as 2 /4/8/24 bits, the clearer and sharper the image and the colors are. 

Color modes

Gray Scale : Made of all shades of Gray

RGB  : Done via projecting lights of Red, Green and Blue

CMYK  : Done via Inks of Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black