,Contents
Purpose and legal requirements for digital graphics 3
What are the purposes of digital graphics? 3
Education 3
Advertisement/promotion 3
Entertainment 4
Informational 4
Legal requirements for graphics 5
Privacy - Human Rights Act 1998 5
Copyright, designs and patent act 2010 5
Licensing 6
Representation and application of 2D and 3D digital graphics 6
Raster images 6
What is a Raster image? 6
Characteristics of Raster images 6
Uses of raster images 12
Website images 13
Evaluating raster images and their impacts 13
Vector images 14
What is a Vector image? 14
Characteristics of Vector images 14
Uses of vector images 15
Printed Icons/images 15
Website logos 15
Evaluating vector images and their impacts 16
3D images 16
What are 3D images? 17
Characteristics of 3D images 17
Uses of 3D images 19
Animated movies 20
Game development 21
CAD for engineering 21
Evaluating 3D images and their impacts 22
Hardware tools for digital graphics 24
Capturing: 24
Computer components: 24
Output 24
Software tools used for digital graphics 25
Vector based 25
Raster based 25
3D image editors 25
References 26
,Purpose and legal requirements for digital
graphics
What are the purposes of digital graphics?
There are many uses and purposes for graphics in today's world across many different environments; some
of which are:
- Education
- Advertisement/promotion
- Entertainment
- Informational
Education
Graphics are used for educational purposes as they can present information visually meaning they can be
interpreted easily, especially in contrast to alternative means of education such as long texts or videos.
They are especially useful for audiences of younger ages who process information better via visual
learning and this is noticeable with educational resources for children containing more graphics and
images than those aimed at older age groups.
However, even educational resources for adults/young adults contain graphics as, in general, humans take
in a lot of information through visual representation regardless of age.
Advertisement/promotion
It is extremely common for businesses, companies or even non-profits/charities to use graphics to
advertise and promote what they are and what they do. These entities are always trying to get noticed,
graphics help in this endeavour. Again, like the previous point (as well as the point to follow this one)
humans take in information very well via visual representation but there are specific reasons why graphics
are used for this purpose. One of which is that graphical advertisement/promotion gives unique identifiers
to those who they belong to; this can include the colours, patterns, shapes etc. This means that, even
subconsciously, people who see these graphics can recognise where, or who, it is from quickly.
Consequently, this can increase the awareness of a brand, thus increasing how many people interact with
them.
, Entertainment
Graphics are also used for entertainment, simply put; it's because they are more interesting than
alternatives (maybe because humans process information better visually?). Books, comics, games,
animation and more; this applies to all ages. This runs hand in hand with advertisement and promotion, as
most entertainment outlets are operated by businesses and graphics used at the forefront of an
entertainment product is likely to draw attention from people - potential customers and consumers.
Informational
Graphics are also used to inform people and give them information, and in some cases the purpose is to
provide this information quickly. There are many examples of graphics used in the modern day to signify
purposes or instruction to people; some along with text, some independent of text. Roads are a great
example of where graphics are used to represent information and are used to how quickly this information
can transfer to drivers; this is important as drivers travelling at high speeds may only see these signs for a
short period of time. The three previous points, generally, are also included as informational, in some
manner.