Raster vs. Vectors

Raster

Raster images are made of millions of pixels. An image can be identified as a raster image if you zoom in enough to where tiny squares (pixels) are visible. Using raster images are most useful when editing images. This is a because vectors can not be touched up to make a better quality image. Smoothed edges and transitions between colors make raster images look better compared to a vector image. Raster images are also used for websites to showcase whatever purpose they are trying to achieve.  When painting with pixels, it gives a feathered transition from the foreground to the background. If a gradient of the all the colors were to be made with no vectors, it would look like a rainbow. However if a gradient were to be made with all the colors with vectors, it would look like stripes of colors like the ten year old colored a rainbow with no blending.

  Overall,  raster images are meant for editing photographs, drawing or painting on Adobe Photoshop, and for using effects to perfect images with even the smallest details.

Vector

Vectors are created with paths. Paths are curves and lines that form whatever shape or design is being created. The outlook of a vectorized painting for example would look like a simplified version because it what happens during the process is that the software recognizes all the color and creates a shape for each of them. Therefore, it would have hard edges between colors unlike an original painting were colors are smoothly blended in. Software like Adobe Illustrator are specifically created to create vectors. Adobe Photoshop also creates vectors. However, Photoshop is not as versatile as Illustrator. Vectors and paths use algorithmic curvatures and does not depend on resolution. Vector shapes can be resized from the size of a coin to a billboard without showing any kind of pixel problem. Compared to rasterized images, vectors are efficient in saving space because it uses formulas to save the file instead of pixels like rasterized images.

  Designs like logos should always be created with vectors. This is because you never know  when you need to resize your logo for a flyer, a website, business card, a poster, or even a billboard! If you try to size up or expand a logo that is rasterized it will come out pixelated with a very low resolution.

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File Types

EPS

This file format is used in vector based images in Adobe Illustrator. EPS stands for Encapsulated Post Script. Its purpose is specifically to open in Adobe Illustrator which contains text and graphics.

PDF

Portable Document Format file, (also known as PDF) is usually used for saving documents like fill- out forms online. Fortunately, it can be viewed on multiple programs and software. This includes: Google Chrome, Bing, Adobe Acrobat Reader, and Firefox. However, it can only  be edited in Adobe Acrobat Reader.

TIFF

TIFF, meaning Tag Imagine File Format, is responsible for switching raster graphics images back and forth through application programs. TIFFs are commonly used in faxing, medical imaging, 3D application, and desktop publishing.

JPEG

JPEG is a common file extension to save images. If a PNG file with transparency were to be saved as a JPEG, the transparency would not be recognized and would be replaced into white.

PNG

The file format extension, Portable Network Graphics, is designed specifically for network image data transmission and storage. Nowadays, PNGs are used to replace GIFs. GIFs show animations like a stick man doing the macarena.

ASCII

 ASCII is synonymous to the file format extension, .txt. Its purpose is to show text that can be used in any word processor or text editor.

MPEG

Moving Picture Experts Group is the extension of MPEG. As the name suggests, it is a video file that is compressed (to occupy less space in bytes.) Since it doesn’t take up as much space, it is used for downloading and streaming movies.

MIDI

MIDI is used for professional audio for making music that is supported by computer sound cards. MIDI is specifically used to add synthesizers to control: note- ons, note- offs, tempo, pitch, and voice of a song. However, technically there are limited options when it comes to adding a synth to a song. One advantage is that it it compressed to a very small file size. MIDI stands for Musical Instrument Digital Interface.

AV

AV is an Audio Visual Document file. It can also be recognized as .XAV or .XAVT. This file format is used to contain the script.  It makes the process of adding dialogue, scenes, character info, actions, emotions, and acting tips that are necessary for a script. Accessing AV files is easy; All you have to do is open it in Notepad provided by both Macs and Windows or by Final Draft AV software.

WAV

Waveform Audio Format is considered a raw audio format. Depending on what type of music is being recorded, WAV formats are more often used for non- digital music. One disadvantage is that it is uncompressed, meaning it is not sized down to a smaller size (in bytes.)

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Multimedia Jobs

Multimedia Designer

As an undergraduate it would be very difficult to get a spot as a multimedia designer. If anyone with no experience were to apply for a company they would have to work there way to the top. From washing toilets to being CEO of the most successful company. Being a multimedia designer requires a very creative mind along with the knowledge of using several adobe applications. Other skills like communication skills and an understanding of modern trends is very important to attain in order to convince the customer to purchase your design. Depending on whether you take the job part time or full time, the average annual salary is between $35,000 and $45,000.

Web Designer

To be a web designer, an associate’s degree is required at least with several key skills. Communication, graphic design, and teamwork are one of the many key skills in order to suffice as a web designer. As a part of the job, web designers must effectively produce an attractive appearance, layout and features of a website. Responsibilities include: writing and editing content, designing webpage layout, updating websites and backing up files. According to the U.S Bureau Statistics, the annual salary was $46,900 in 2015 and projected to grow by 1% between 2014 and 2014.

Brand Identity Designer

A Brand Identity Designer creates the look for the whole business. This varies from business cards to media advertising. The requirements to becoming a Brand Identity Designer are a master’s degree, job experiences of leadership, knowledge of business and marketing.Being a Brand Identity Designer needs a lot of dedication because they are in charge of every design produced for the company and has a great influence in the business’ outlook. Annual salary is about $46,900 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics and just like Web Designers, it is projected to grow by 1% by 2014.

Flash Designer

Adobe Flash is a program that uses vectors and raster graphics which allow websites to be interactive and/ or animated. Since there are several fields of flash designers the annual salary is between $30,000 and $81,000! It is also predicted that the job growth will increase by 27%. Being a certified Flash designer along with an excellent portfolio of previous works on Adobe Flash is the best way to pursue a career in this field and ensure clients with a sense of professionalism

Creative/ Art Director

Creative Directors are the leaders that do advertising and marketing businesses. Directors work cooperatively with designers, artists, copywriters, and sales teams to create an amazing product. The Bureau of labor Statistics state that the median annual income for creative directors is $108,260. To reach this high of a job position, one must have several years of experience, analytical skills, decision making skilles, interpersonal and management skills.

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Adobe Software Used in Multimedia

Multimedia is based on using software from adobe to create unique designs. There are six applications that are used to make the most minimalist to intricate ideas.

Acrobat

Acrobat is used to make, alter, and print files in a Portable Document Format. This is more commonly known as PDF. Important files that become a part of one’s portfolio are printed in this format.

Muse

Muse is and adobe application that is used to design websites. It is important to note that this does not include the code or functioning part of websites. Muse is only for looks. 😉   Web design are altered by where they are seen on like a desktop, tablet, and phone. Each mode have different limits of their screen ratio. However, Muse makes it easy to adjust and fit one’s website in any mode.

Photoshop

Photoshop is used to alter photos to make them prettier. This includes affects and several tools to make each of one’s photos unique and original. You can also make all of your subject’s blemishes disappear with the spot healing brush. Photoshop is also able to make cool optical illusions to trick one’s mind. Overall, Photoshop is a very versatile application that can be used in many ways and will be used frequently in Multimedia.

Animate

As of what I have heard, Animate seems to be one of the hardest applications to master or learn how to use it. Animate is used to create animations using vectors and such to make objects move. Sounds easy right? We’ll the challenge is to make it look decent enough to where it doesn’t look like a transition effect on PowerPoint. Animate’s features explain’s how it has a built-in camera to pan in and out. It also includes stock background pictures to use for one’s animations which saves time not looking for background photos. Along with being able to make your own custom vector brushes, you can save your work in 4K resolutions to make your animations super high quality!

Premiere Pro

Premiere Pro is an adobe application used for video editing.  Video editing will be used in multimedia for the yearbook project to show how great and amazing McFatter is. It may also be used for the Senior Exhibition. Premiere Pro deals with sounds and transitions for the video. For quality, it is depended on the camera used. In the case of being in multimedia, our DSLR camera would be the best bet to take high quality videos.

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