Graphic Arts Graphics Formats: What You Need to Know About the Pictures 1

Different types of documents have different requirements for the handling of their graphics. High end programs can import a wide range of graphics formats. Clarify which file options to use by consulting with the printer of the final document & understand ing the purpose of the document and the workflow.

Let’s jump in! Here’s a look at some of the formats you will get to know. Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) Works especially well for photographs Loses sharpness when large areas of a single color are present Commonly called a “lossy” format for its tendency to discard extra data not essential for display of the image. Graphic Arts I: Graphics Formats

A.gif is ideal for an image with limited color range A.gif (Graphics Interchange Format) is a standard for displaying graphics on the web Compresses data without losing detail (some call it “lossless” ) Not recommended for commercial printing Only displays 256 colors Graphic Arts I: Graphics Formats

High compatibility with many programs – the friendly.tif Tiff (Tagged Image File) format Flexible bitmap image format Supported by virtually all paint, image editing, and page layout applications Nearly all scanners can create.tif files Graphic Arts I: Graphics Formats

What is a.bmp file? Standard Windows bitmap image file Does not support CMYK Color support limited to 24 bits Not for commercial printing; only low res (low resolution) Not supported by web browsers at all Graphic Arts I: Graphics Formats

Think of an.eps file like a translator that speaks all languages fluently… Based on the PostScript language ( Encapsulated PostScript ) Transfers PostScript language artwork to all other applications Supported by most image editing and page layout programs Can contain both vector and bitmapped images Graphic Arts I: Graphics Formats

Is a.png file worth knowing about? PNG (Portable Network Graphics) initially was developed as a patent free alternative to the more popular.gif format Mostly used for online documents, not so much in printed materials It is probably a better alternative for print than a.gif is due to its better color support Graphic Arts I: Graphics Formats

What is so special about the native Photoshop file format,.psd ? Allows you to save a file in layers, which is essential when working inside of Adobe Photoshop Allows you to embed color profiles Can import as is into layout programs like Adobe InDesign Graphic Arts I: Graphics Formats

What is Adobe Illustrator’s native format called? The file extension is.ai Allows placement directly into page layout programs and into Photoshop documents Based entirely on vector (mathematical) graphics Graphic Arts I: Graphics Formats

What is the purpose of a.pdf file format? What makes it different? Adobe Acrobat Portable Document Format …created for the electronic distribution and viewing of complete documents. Preserves color quality & layout precision sufficiently for electronic distribution of prepress work. A printer’s friend! Graphic Arts I: Graphics Formats

Windows Metafile Format. Why do we need this one? The.wmf format is native to Windows and was developed primarily to share vector art such as clip art between users and applications. However, raster information may be contained in.wmf files. Only supports 16 bit color & does not allow for color separations, so it’s unlikely for printing use. Graphic Arts I: Graphics Formats

How about the Macintosh file extension, the.pict file? This format is widely used for Mac OS graphics and for transferring files between applications Especially effective when images have large areas of solid color Device dependent format, not a commercial print choice as it does not support color seps Graphic Arts I: Graphics Formats

Some of the weirder formats that you need to know about… The extension.pcx stands for PC graphics. Not good for commercial printing. It only supports 24 bit color and is native to the Windows environment. Developed for Windows DOS Paintbrush program. Graphic Arts I: Graphics Formats

And one more you may HARDLY EVER hear about! The Scitex CT or.sct file format is used for high end image processing on Scitex computers. These images are usually produced on high end Scitex scanners that produce super high resolution commercial prints. Graphic Arts I: Graphics Formats