Bitmap versus vector graphics
Vector graphics
Vector graphics are images that are completely described using mathematical definitions. The image below shows the principle. To the left you see the image itself and to the right you see the actual lines that make up the drawing.
Example of a vector image
Each individual line is made up of either a vast collection of points with lines interconnecting all of them or just a few control points that are connected using so called bezier curves. It is this latter method that generates the best results and that is used by most drawing programs.
To the right is an example of using Bezier curves
This drawing demonstrates the two principles. To the left a circle is formed by connecting a number of points using straight lines. To the right, you see the same circle that is now drawn using 4 points (nodes) only.
Characteristics of vector drawings
Vector drawings are usually pretty small files because they only contain data about the bezier curves that form the drawing. The EPS file format that is often used to store vector drawings includes a bitmap preview image along the bezier data. The file size of this preview image is usually larger than the actual bezier data themselves.
Vector drawings can usually be scaled without any loss in quality. This makes them ideal for company logo’s, maps or other objects that have to be resized frequently. Please note that not all vector drawings can be scaled as much as you like:
- Drawings containing trapping information can only be scaled up to 20 percent larger or smaller.
- Thin lines may disappear if a vector drawing is reduced too much.
- Small errors in a drawing may become visible as soon as it is enlarged too much.
It is fairly easy to create a vector based drawing that is very difficult to output. Especially the use of tiles (small objects that are repeated dozens or hundreds of times) and Corel Draw lens effects can lead to very complex files.
Applications that can handle vector data
There are hundreds of applications on the market that can be used to create or modify vector data. In prepress, Adobe Illustrator, Corel Draw and Freehand are the most popular.
File formats that are used for vector data
Bitmap data can be saved in a wide variety of file formats. Among these are:
- EPS: the most popular file format to exchange vector drawings although EPS-files can also contain bitmap data.
- PDF: versatile file format that can contain just about any type of data including complete pages, not yet widely used to exchange just images
- PICT: outdated file format that can contain both bitmap and vector data but that was mainly used on Macintosh computers before OS X came along.
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In IT bitmap is a picture in a file format used for representing and storing graphics on a number of operating systems. It has a number of grids of pixel and it is shaped. There are many file formats for example, bmp, pcx, tiff and gif and so on. These file formats gives you a good view of the created edge lines. Bitmap images are used by all computers and all the information for all windows operating systems uses bitmap.
i really appreciate your website xxxxxxx
I just love this article!
It really rocks!
THANKYOU
… U haven’t given me any examples!!!! I would like 2 c images comparing vector and bitmap graphics!
Hey Wiseman, thanks for pointing out that some of the images on this page were missing. I have added them again and also included an example that shows how difficult it can be to distinguish between vector and bitmap images.
For more example of hyper-realism in vector art, have a look at http://basangpanaginip.blogspot.com/2006/07/worlds-most-photorealistic-vector-art.html
Amazing stuff!
Hi
I think that this is a really good website
It tells me everything that i need to know about bitmap images.
Thanks for the help.
i still dont get it
great website i think it is spendid thnx loads m8
nice, i’m looking for this. A post about vector..!
i’m learning inkscape now.
the above imformation is really good and helpful for me to understand the difference between BMP and vector graphic images.
I really need more about the bitmap images as i need to give a project on the image processing under the C language so what ever you have got please mail me .
Sorry, I simply don’t have the time to help everyone with their school projects.
Terrific site.
But beneath the headline “File formats that are used for vector data” on this page [http://learnonline.nku.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_id=_2_1&url=%2fwebapps%2fblackboard%2fexecute%2flauncher%3ftype%3dCourse%26id%3d_69306_1%26url%3d], it switches to bitmap information.
I find it confusing.
Very informative and useful site for non IT/ techi people. Thanks so much for taking the time to impart your knowledge.
which one has a bigger/smaller file size??? haha
I found lots of useful information from this site, thank you! Now I just have to find some time to browse through the rest
this is really helping. thank you
great website
The image with the enlargement showed one of the main disadvantages of bitmap images: once they are enlarged to much, they look unnatural and blocky. But reducing a picture too much also has a bad influence as it looses sharpness.
You used the wrong “to.” The sentence should have been “… once they are inlarged too much…”
Thank you.
Has any one ever come across a form of CT/LW file that contains three parts, .exc .ct .lw?
hi Laurens
you say that “You can convert a bitmap image into a vector file. A vector image can be transformed into a bitmap” but on ur previous link you said that only vectors can be converted to rasters, did u make a mistake or did i misinterpret?
thanks
p.s. i found the web helpful!
Hi
I am in the middle of a project with Sierra and I need to convert a eps file to a bmp file and I am totally lost… Can you give me a little nudge in the right direction please…
hi, pls give me the strength of vector drawn graphic?i’m not very clear with this.tq as soon as possible k..
I explained the differences between bitmap (raster…pixel) images and vector images in a video I did a while back.
http://macmerc.com/macmerc-tv-pixels-vs-vectors/