D1

Evaluate The Impact of Evolving Output Mediums on the Design and Creation of Graphic Images

In this document I am going to evaluate and discuss the impact of evolving output mediums on the design and creation of graphics images. I am going to discuss how a range of different output mediums such as large flat screens and printer technologies are developing in time. Then I am going to evaluate then against different aspects such as cost, speed and usage. 

	Cost	Speed	Usage
Graphics Card	Graphics card is the main part within a graphics computer as it outputs the image to the screen. You can get a graphics card for around £50 depending on how many features you want such as cache. I recommend that you get a graphics card because it will produce the images a lot better.	The speed of the graphics card will be quite fast because it will have to work to the amount of graphics within the image that you have created. If you have a larger cache then it will be fast because the graphics card will be able to send more memory but if you have a smaller cache then it will be go slow because the graphics card won’t be able to handle as much graphics. The graphics card will need to be fast because they are required to output the image to the screen so if it isn’t fast enough then it will take a while to output to the screen.  If you have integrated graphics it will be a lot slower because integrated graphics doesn’t hold that much cache. If you have a graphics card then it will be a lot faster because they have their own dedicated cache.	The usage of the graphics card will be very high because every output will require some sort of graphics card to output it to the screen for example. The graphics card is continually been used even if you don’t know it because everything you do within a computer system requires an output. As you are working within a graphics business you will be required to use the graphics card a lot more because you will be working with a lot more higher quality images.
Large Flat Screens	Large flat screens are an essential of the business and you can get t hem for around £50 depending how on large and the amount of features within the monitor. I recommend that you use a large flat screen as it will allow you to see the images a lot clearer than using a smaller screen.	The speed of the large flat screen will be quite fast as the CPU will send the instructions to the screen and allow you to see the end product. The output will need to be fast because if you are working within a business like in this scenario you are working for a graphics company you will require the speed to be fast because you don’t want to be working with a slow computer waiting for it too load.   Using a up to date flat screen will take a matter of seconds to load an image to the screen but if you are using a older flat screen you will take longer to load a image up.	Large flat screens will have a large usage because as you are a business within the graphics industry and you will require editing images to a client’s needs. Using a large flat screen will allow you to do this as you will have a larger area to zoom in and add the effects to the images. Without a screen you won’t be able to edit images because you won’t be able to see the output of the image.
Printer/ Scanner	Printer/Scanner is an essential you can include within your company. You can get one for around £99+ depending on the features that you want to include with the printer. All modern day printers will come with a HP photosmart that will provide a printer and a scanner in one.	The speed of the printer/scanner will be quite fast because as you are working within a business you will require up to date equipment, so that the images can be printed or scanned in. Having a fast output means that you will have the image printed or scanned quickly so that you can do different things with. If your output is slow then it wouldn’t benefit the business because you will be waiting for ages to get the image scanned or printed so this means that you will be losing business. An up to date printer will provide you with a fast output and an older printer will provide you with a slow output.	Printer/scanner will have a large usage because you will need to output the graphic images you create. Using a printer you can print out the images in all different formats from using paper to t-shirts for example. Using a scanner you can add different effects t o your images for example you can draw the logo free hand and then scan it into the computer and edit the logo using a graphical application. This will add a good effect to your logo.
Graphics  Tablet	Graphics tablet is option you can add within your company, you can get one for around £50+ depending on the features. All modern day graphics tablets will provide you with a LCD screen that will allow you to edit the image(s) using the tablet instead of using your mouse and monitor.	The speed of the graphics tablet will be quite fast because you are going to work within a company so having a slow graphics tablet could cause some distractions. You won’t want a graphics tablet that is too slow as you don’t want to wait for a line to draw for example. Without having a fast graphics tablet you won’t have the advantage of drawing on it because it will take too long for it too work.	Graphics tablet will have a large usage because you will be able to edit images just using the graphics tablet instead of using your mouse and monitor. Using the graphics tablet it will allow you to edit the images straight onto the tablet screen instead of the monitor. It will also allow you to add more detail to your images as you won’t be working with a mouse, you will be working with a pen/pencil type of mouse with will be easier to hold and edit just like using a pen/pencil.

In conclusion I think that using output mediums will improve your graphic designs. In the table above I have included some output mediums against some different aspects. Using these will improve your business as you will be able to create better graphics that just using a computer system as you will be able to try different effects to your images that could make it looks even more professional.

P2 - Vector and Bitmap Graphics

M1

M1 – Digital Graphics

In this section I am going to talk about how they can upgrade their computer systems and why because as graphics files are large in size they will require a reliable system. I am going to justify each section and explain where they can update their system.

Their current computer system is shown below:

Hardware -

Intel Pentium D 'Dual Core X2' CPU (5.3 Ghz)
VIA Chipset 1066 Mhz Motherboard - slots available: AGP8x (1), PCI (3), RAM (2);
Ports available: LAN (1), USB (6)
512 MB RAM
80 GB HDD (SATA300)
18X DVD+/-RW Dual Layer & Dual Format
Onboard UniChrome PRO 3D Graphics with 64 MB shared memory
Mouse and Keyboard
15" CRT screen
Cheap inkjet printer

Software -

Adobe Photoshop 8

Hardware

Processor:

The processor you currently have within the computer system is Intel Pentium D’Dual Core X2 which is quite good as it will be able to carry out two sets of instructions together but for a graphics computer it will require loads of instructions so I would recommend getting a Intel i7 processor as it has 4-8 cores which then allows the computer to complete many tasks at the same time.  There is no point in having a processor that doesn’t do the job you want it to do, this means that if you want a processor to handle graphics then you will need a high in core processor. You can get an i7 processor for around £180 this may seem a lot of money but in content in having a slow system that will not run the required software.

Motherboard:

The motherboard you currently have within the computer system is VIA Chipset 1066 motherboard which is quite good as it has one slot for AGP which is dedicated 3D graphics using a normal computer, 3 slots for PCI which allows you to add graphics card ect and 2 slots for RAM which allows you to add in extra pieces of RAM. Personally I think the motherboard you have already got will be ok for the computer system as it has the required slots within the motherboard to add in all the cards ect you want within the system.

Ports (LAN and USB):

The ports you currently have within the computer system is LAN 1 and USB 6 which will be enough ports as it will allow you to add different peripherals that you can use within the designing section such as graphics tablets and external hard drives for example. If you need to add more peripherals within your system you will be able to use a USB hub which then allows you to add more USBs. Even with one LAN port you will still be able to create a network between the computers within the business by connecting a straight cable into a hub.

RAM (Random Access Memory):

The RAM you have currently within the computer system is 512MB will not run the programs required for the graphics therefore it will have to be upgraded. I recommend that you upgrade your system to at least 4GB then it will be able to run the required software. The software you want within your business is Adobe Photoshop 8 will need at least 1GB to run efficiently. So having the 512 MB RAM wouldn’t run the software and would make your system very slow and possibly crash, as you are a company in graphics you will require a fast reliable computer system. You can upgrade your RAM for around £40 which will then allow you to run the software required for your business.

Hard Drive:

The hard drive you have currently within the computer system is 80GB which is not big enough for all the graphics files you are going to save within the system so I recommend that you upgrade your system to 1TB hard drive so that you will be able to save all the required graphics files that you need within the hard drive than saving then else were. Just think of all the software you will need for graphics to the amount of space they require also having a larger hard drive within the system will reduce the need to use an external hard drive. You can upgrade your hard drive for around £37.  

DVD Drive:

The DVD drive you currently have within the computer system is 18X DVD+/-RW Dual Layer & Dual Format which I think will be ok for the graphics computer because you won’t really need to use the DVD drive unless you are creating graphic videos so I think you won’t need to upgrade your DVD drive.

Graphics Card:

The graphics you currently have within your system is Onboard UniChrome PRO 3D Graphics with 64 MB shared memory which is attached to your motherboard so I recommend that you upgrade to a graphics card that is dedicated graphics because for graphics you will require good graphics that allows you to create graphics files and using integrated graphics will not be as good as using dedicated graphics. You can upgrade your graphics card for around £20.

Mouse and Keyboard:

I would recommend that you just keep your mouse and keyboard as graphics computer doesn’t require the use of a different mouse and keyboard. If you want to upgrade it will be around £20 for a standardized keyboard and mouse.

Monitor:

The monitor you currently have within your system is 15” CRT monitor I would recommend that you upgrade to a TFT monitor which will provide features. As CRT monitors are extremely bulky and would take a lot of table space whereas TFT monitors only require limited amount of space, this will be good within a business as you will require many computers within each room. TFT monitors will also attract more customers to your business because they are more up-to-date with technology as you are a graphics company they would suggest that everything is up-to-date equipment. You can upgrade to a TFT monitor for around £30 depending on size and features.

Printer:

The printer you currently have within your business is a cheap inkjet printer, I would recommend that you upgrade your printer to a more efficient printer because within a graphics company you will be required to print out your designs in a multiple different formats and with this cheap inject printer you will be lucky if your designs print out onto paper without losing detail and colour. As your company deals with graphics they will have to have a printer to show end products of different graphics this means that you will have to have a high quality printer to print out the graphics in as much detail as you can to attract more customers. You can upgrade your printer for around £100 - £500 depending on the features you want within your company.  

Software

The software you currently have within your company is Adobe Photoshop, I would recommend that you don’t upgrade your systems with a different package all together because Adobe Photoshop provides you will all different features that you can apply to your images. I think that Adobe is the best graphical software you can get in today’s market as it provides you to manipulate photos in a way that you want. If you are to upgrade your software I would recommend that you still use Adobe Photoshop but upgrade it to the newest version.

P2 - File Handling Part

How Different Types of Graphic Images Relate to File Formats

In this document I am going to talk about how different types of graphic images relate to file formats. I am going to talk about the following things:

File handling

ü  Converting files

ü  Different file formats  alongside typical file sizes

ü  File management

 · Naming files

 · Folder structures

ü  Compression techniques

Converting Files

Converting files are basically converting one file format for example JPG to another file format for example TIF. As most graphics designers will want to work with different file formats because different applications take different file formats. To change the file formats you basically go and open a graphic application for example Adobe Photoshop and go into the file menu to export or save the file as a new file type. The image on the right shows how you can convert the file(s) you are working with too different file formats.

File Formats

The file format is the way that graphic files are structured. So each application used must be able to understand the way in which the files are structured, so they will be able to produce the image to the output (screen), print or edit the images. The table bellow shows the different file format files sizes.

JPG	BMP	GIF	PNG	TIF
2305 KB	209 KB	440 KB	348 KB	2305 KB

File sizes are the sizes of files. Bitmap graphics files can be compressed using different file qualities but when you reduce the amount of quality the image goes slightly pixelated bit will reduce the file size. Vector graphics can’t do this as vector images are small in size anyway.

This shows how you can reduce the amount of quality to make the file size a lot smaller and increase the amount of quality to make the file size a lot larger.

File Management

File management is basically the way you look after saved files/folders.

Naming files is simply means giving names to the files you have created. The best way of naming files are using file names that you are going to remember so you can locate it when you are need it again. You can also name the file something that relates to the document for example if your document is about Dolphins then you could name the file Dolphins but if you name that document Castle then it will be harder to locate that file because it doesn’t relate to the topic you were talking about. The image to the left shows a good way to rename files as they are related what the documents are about.

Folder structure is basically the way that you organise files within your computer or portable devices. Most people use this so they can quickly locate a file within the folders. For folder structure if you want a file right at the start of the folders then you can put A at the start of the name so “AHolidays” this will put this file at the top so it can be easily located. To put a file at the bottom of the folder you can put a Z at the start of the name so “ZCollege” this will put this file at the bottom of the folder.

Compression Techniques

Compression techniques are used to reduce the disk space needed for the file. File size is important because if you are sending a file that is larger in size to a person which is attached to the email then it will take longer to receive that file but if it was smaller then it would be shorter time to receive the files. You can also have to compress files because there might be limited amount of space within your hard drive so as graphic files are quite large you might need to make the file smaller so it can fit into the hard drive.

Comparison between bitmap and vector:

Bitmap files tend to be a lot larger than vector because of all the different colour pixels. Vector files tend to be a lot smaller because they use mathematical equations instead of pixels so this tends to make the file sizes a lot smaller.   

Using bitmap files you can’t zoom right into an image and still have the image visible as when you zoom in it shows all the colour pixels within the image but when you zoom into a vector file they stay the same and doesn’t lose quality.  These are commonly used in logos such as Pepsi logo, they use these because it provides then with a crisper image.

File Formats for Vector:

There are many different file formats for vector images including the following:

1.      .AI

2.      .SVG

3.      .EPS

File Formats for Bitmap:

There are many different file formats for bitmap images including the following:

1.      .JPG

2.      .BMP

3.      .GIF

Lossless Compression:

Lossless compression is a technique where no data is lost from the compression of a file. This is done my signifying redundant data within the file then reducing the image size. For example having a 2.5MB file would be reduced to about 2MB or even less file size. A .GIF file uses this form of compression.

Lossy Compression:

Lossy compression is a technique where data is actually lost from this type of compression. This is done by removing unimportant parts of a file an example are removing unused colours from the image. However when you use this technique it actually looses the images quality. The only advantage of this is that lossy compression files are a lot smaller than lossless files.  

Comparrison Between Lossless and Lossy Images

P1

What Makes A Graphics Computer?

In this document I am going to talk about what makes a graphics computer including Hardware, Software, Input and Output Mediums required to make a graphics computer.  

Internal Memory:

In this section I am going to talk about the internal memory within the system that is required for a graphics computer. I am going to talk about the following things within internal memory:

1.      Cache

2.      Random Access Memory (RAM)

Cache:

Cache is the fast memory that is used between the Central Processing Unit (CPU) and Random Access Memory (RAM). Processor cache memory is a type of extremely fast RAM which keeps the processor from slowing down. 

Cache memory is needed because it’s central to the communication of the computer between the CPU and RAM. These two components work together at different speeds.

Cache is needed because graphic files are normally quite huge in size, so cache memory will help the system run more efficient. The more the cache within the system the better the system would be.

There are normally two types of cache memory:

1.      One attached to the hard drive

2.      One attached to the memory (RAM)

Random Access Memory (RAM)

Random access memory is a type of memory within the computer system. Internal memory is basically a piece of hardware that makes the computer run. RAM makes a consistent flow of data between the hard drive and the processor.

An example of this is when you run a software program such as Microsoft Word it is copied from the hard drive to the RAM. Once the program is been copied to the RAM the program can travel at very high speeds to the processor were the program can then be run.

Graphics card

Graphics card is basically a card that allows your computer to run graphics. It takes digital information from the operating system and then it specifies what is to be shown on the screen and makes this into a signal so that the output requirement can recognize the signal. Graphic card designers tend to go for a DVI (Digital Visual Interface) connection between the graphics card and monitor rather than a VGA (Visual Graphics Array) connector because DVI provides a better overall picture.  An example of a graphics card is KFA2 NVIDIA Geforce 9500GT PCI-E Graphics Card.

Central Processing Unit:

The processor is basically a chip that is an essential piece of hardware to run the computer system without it, it wouldn’t run at all. The processor (CPU) allows the operating systems and other programs run. Every program consists of a set of instructions that needs to be followed by the CPU. The processor decodes the instructions inside to allow the processor to follow these instructions for the program to run.

More modern day processors can run instructions side by side rather than one at a time. Most graphic designers go for the highest possible CPU as graphics tend to consist of a lot of instructions and the more instructions the processor can deal with the faster the graphic program will run as most graphics program such as Adobe Photoshop operations take a lot of processor speed. 

Other Hardware required Such As Digital Camera           

                   

Digital cameras are cameras that allow you to take still images of anything you like. Graphic designers tend to use digital cameras because they are easily portable and high in memory.

As most graphic designers will want to take the pictures from the camera onto the computer system to add effects to the images. There are four main ways you can do this is cable, card, wireless or cradle.  

                                      File storage:

As graphic files are quite big in size some people may require external file storage which allows them to keep the files so they can be used again. It can also be used as a backup of all your graphic files just in case you delete some or if you want to send some files to a client using emails.

There are many different type of file storage including the two I am going to talk about:

ü  Hard drive

ü  Flash cards

Hard Drives

Hard drives are a good way of file storage as they are portable and high in memory.  The hard drive is a quick place for you to save all your graphics files because the graphics program will look in there first to open or save work because of the computers default settings.

These can be used once you have taken the photos from your digital camera and copy it over to your computer system within the hard drive. This means that you can delete the photo(s) from your camera once you have saved it within your hard drive to free up space within your cameras memory to allow you to take some more pictures.  You can get a hard drive from anywhere between £50 and £100 depending on size you are wanting.

Flash Cards

Flash cards are a good way of storage within your computerised devices such as Digital Camera and Mobile Phones as they are portable and have a number of different sizes. These can be used to save all your photos onto so that you don’t need to rely on your cameras memory to hold all your photos as it’s normally small in size. Having this file storage will allow you to take loads of photos without having the problem of deleting unwanted photos.  You can get a flash card from anywhere between £10 and £50 depending on size you are wanting.

                                          Input Devices:

 

There are many input devices that you can use to help produce your images a lot easier. I am going to talk about the following two:

ü  Graphics Tablet

ü  Digital Camera

Graphics Tablet

Graphics tablet is a good way to produce your images easier as you will not need to use a mouse to add effects you can control all your mouse movements just using a special pen.  Graphics tablets also allow you to produce a lot more accurate images than using a mouse as it allows you to add in more detail compared to a mouse.  The pen on the graphics tablets usually has a pressure sensitive tip so the user presses harder for a thicker line.  Modern tablets have included a LCD screen that allows you to draw straight onto an image. You can get graphics tablets for around £20 to £30.

Digital Camera

Digital Cameras is an excellent way of producing images so that you can edit them within a photo editing software package such as Adobe Photoshop. Digital camera are a good way of taking photos because as they have a mixed range of pixels and lens depending on how much you want to pay. For photo editing I would recommend that you use a high pixel camera as it will produce clearer images. You can get digital cameras for around £50 to £500.

                                     

                                             Output Mediums:

Output mediums allow you to output the images to a number of devices.  I am going to talk about the following things:

ü  Printer

ü  Computer Monitor

ü  Mobile Phone

ü  PDA

Printer

Printer is a good way to allow pictures to be printed out to show employees or to show to clients for example. Printers basically print out a hard copy of the image you create on screen by printing it to paper of even onto a T-shirt. Printers produce high colour images that you can print out in different sizes and formats.  You will need the device because you won’t always want to keep your images within your computer, you can print them out and show off all your photos.

Computer Monitor

A computer system needs a monitor attached to the computer so the users can see what’s happening. In the last 10 years computer monitors drastically changed from having large CRT monitors to having small flat screen monitors. Flat screens have become much larger and cheaper for the users to purchase and are now the choice of any new computer system. You can also have images within your laptop and plug it into a larger monitor so you can see the images a lot more clearly. You can get flat screen monitors for around £20 to £50.

Mobile Phone

Mobile Phone is a good way of showing your final product as you can copy the photos onto an SD card that will allow you to add the images to your mobile phone screen for example. Mobile phones can also use images that you have captured within that device.  Mobile phones range from memory and features deepening on how much you want to pay.  

PDA

PDA is a good way of updating your photos on the go as PDA’s has a larger screen compared to mobile phones that you can use to edit your photos on the go. Many PDA;s have a camera attached to the system so you could take photos from that device but they won’t be as good as taking photos from a digital camera. PDA’s will allow you to download apps to your phone for example Photoshop Express were you can edit your photos on the go without having to carry around your laptop/netbook. You can get these from around £200 – £600.

Software

Software is a crucial part of the design stage because it allows you to edit your photos adding different effects to your image/collage. Without having the software to edit your photos you would be able to become a graphics designer for example. I am going to talk about the following things:

1.      Vector Based

2.      Bitmap

3.      Photo Manipulation - Photoshop

4.      Photo Galleries

5.      File Conversion Programs

Vector Based

Vector Based software example is Corel Draw this allows you create images and edit photos within the program. Vector based programs is very good at creating things such as diagrams. Vector graphics are a lot different to bitmap graphics. The main features of using vector graphics are:

·  Small in size so will reduce the amount of memory needed within the system

·  No loss of print quality when enlarged or reduced in size

·  Vector images is normally made from objects such as Squares and Circles

·  Each object can be grouped together if needed

Bitmap

Bitmap is a piece of software for example Paint. Paint is a very basic program but can produce some good images if you know how to use it. Bitmap graphics is a lot different from using vector graphics. Bitmap graphics are good for creating screenshots and web page illustrations. The main features of using a bitmap graphics are:

·  Large file sized so will require loads of memory within the system

·  Print quality can become blocky when enlarged or reduced in size

·  Bitmap graphics can be created when an image is scanned into the computer system using a scanner or from a digital camera.  

Photo Manipulation

Photo manipulation is a piece of software for example Photoshop. Photoshop is a piece of software with loads of features that you can use within your image. Photoshop can either be in full colour, greyscale or black and white.  Photo manipulation is a bitmap program with tools that are specialized for manipulation photographs.

 Photo Galleries

A photo gallery is a program that displays a collection of images for people to look at using a slide show. A photo gallery is normally a collection of web pages showing photos that people post up within that collection of webpages.

File Conversion Programs

File conversion programs are programs that convert file formats. This can often be done by using the file save as menu within the graphics application then choosing the file format you want to save in. For example within Microsoft Paint you can save images as BMP, JPG, GIF, TIF and PNG files. Other applications may more of a wider range of file formats that you can use so that you can convert the image so you can open it within a different application.