All about Graphics and Image File Formats

All about Graphics and Image File Formats

Graphics are broadly classified in to Raster or Vector Graphics. Raster Graphics are in the form of Bitmap Graphics wherein each pixel would have a different color and eventually a collection of pixels would compose into any graphic form that it would shape into.

Raster or Bitmap graphics are used in Photographs or color intensive applications.

Vector Graphics are essentially geometric shapes in an outline with color filled in to it.

On expanding a vector graphic the geometric shape is reconstructed and the fill color or Vignette/Gradient is refilled in to it. Here the computer only stores the geometric shape related info and the color info and hence the file sizes of these applications are lighter also there is no pixel tearing on expanding any image constructed using Vector Graphics.

Vector Graphics are used in Applications like CorelDraw or Adobe Illustrator and Line art Graphics are created is 3D rendering software like AutoCAD and other Civil Engineering and Architecture related software.

For Raster Graphics most common Web File formats like GIF, PNG, and JPEG are used.

GIF - Graphic Interchange Format is a proprietary file format which stores color in the form of Indexed Colors. Index color is a 8 Bit File format containing the ability to store up to 256 colors with the addition of one of the 256 colors allowed to be completely transparent.

PNG - Portable Network Graphics was an unpatented and improved file format developed to replace GIF file format. PNGs support 8 Bit as well as 24 Bit File formats. The 8-Bit format supports up to 256 colors and one transparent color allowed just as the GIF file format.

PNG supports palette-based images with palettes of 24-bit RGB or 32-bit RGBA colors

Here PNG supports Alpha Transparency with 256 shades of grey giving you a gradient semitransparent image.

Unofficially, the initials PNG stood for the recursive acronym "PNG's not GIF"

- Above line is an excerpt from Wikipedia's PNG Article

Last but not the least JPEG - which is the Joint Photographic Engineering Group or JPG in short is a file format supporting 24 Bit Images primarily designed for Photographic images. It stores and recreates color information in an extremely efficient manner.

The human eye perceives color based on its adjacent color. Hence JPEG Devised a compression algorithm of rendering color in photographic images in such a manner that during compression it actually deletes alternate lines of color and renders/recreates this line of color on its own and even when images are stretched  to a certain extent, it manages to reduce the image file size and still recreates the same image without any artifacts and which is pretty close to the original image.

In the next article I will explain more about - "Display Colors, Color Modes and Color Spaces"

The things I learnt from Indigo Consulting - Chapter 1 - Beginning of a New Era

Chapter 1 - Beginning of a New Era

I was a Graphic Designer, Web Designer, UI Designer and anything related to design and designing until I joined Indigo Consulting.

It all started with Devang Naik

Being a maharashtrian myself I thought... rather I was gut sure that this guy from HR must be a Marathi speaking one however to my greatest surprise he turned out to be a gujju guy ( My perception back then was people with the Naik surname are only Maharashtrians).

I used to stay at Andheri West and most of the job opportunities used to come from Andheri East so when I received a call from Devang for a job opportunity in Lower Parel…. I was already skeptical. His junior had already called me and she tried convincing me but I had turned it down.

Now when I look back and reflect those moments... I think of myself as a true snob….

and just look at the outright audacity I had (considering I had no job in hand at that juncture) to tell Devang that "I understand it is a good opportunity and I don’t disagree that your company might serve as a very good learning curve however it is too far for me to travel from Andheri to Lower Parel and I would rather like to skip it".

I should appreciate the patience and perseverance of our man - Devang... he kept persuading me and he told me that there is nothing to lose in just appearing for an interview. His final closing was something like this - "do you already have an offer in hand" to which I candidly replied  "no" then he said "Ek bar aake dekho". Just come over once and give it a shot...

I came to the office at Lower Parel West in Sun-mill compound. At first glance I like the peculiarly designed office probably made to look like an Ad Agency. it was a Tin Themed setting with Tin / aluminium Sheets with texture/ pattern seen in Mumbai local train’s Flooring used as cubicle partitions and rest of it made in glass. The Tall height of this Industrial Gala was smartly divided into Mezzanine partitions which gave it a two storeys look.

My First round was taken by Deepak Shrivastava who asked me HTML and CSS questions and all questions answered like rapid fire round. My interview with him finished in less than 5 mins and he moved out of the cabin.

Even though I knew my answers were right still the first round was over so quickly and this guy moved out so quickly hence I was worried… probably something was wrong…

Then Jyoti mam came and she asked me her bit of questions and I answered all of them and she concluded that I was selected and asked me when could I join. I was thrilled excited and happy to feel a prospective part of such a hep looking office. I was handed over the offer letter in a short while and I joined Indigo Consulting in the next two days!!

To be continued in the Next Chapter

Chapter 2 - Life at Indigo Consulting….