Computer Graphics
Graphic art used to involve Rapidograph pens, press type, waxers and Exacto knives, but times have changed. What was once done by hand is now done on the computer. Computer graphics software for both the PC and Macintosh have in some ways simplified graphic design and complicated it in others. Either way, the result is faster, cleaner, more creative graphics.
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History
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In 1963, an MIT student named Ivan Sutherland invented a drawing program called Sketchpad for the computer. It involved using a light pen with a small photoelectric cell in its tip that emitted an electronic pulse when directed at a computer screen. In those days, there were no graphic display monitors, and peripherals were punch cards, line printers and roll-paper plotters. Even so, this new technological advancement paved the road to the computer graphics we know today.
Types of Graphics
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There are two types of graphics created on the computer: raster and vector. Raster images are made up of pixels that combine to create shapes and images. The basic raster graphic formats are JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group), TIFF (Tagged Image File format), and GIF (Graphic Interchange Format). Resolutions vary for these formats, the lower being best for viewing on the Web. High resolution images are composed of smaller, more tightly spaced pixels and are used in work designed for print.
Vector graphics are made up of paths created by mathematical equations represented visually as lines and shapes on the computer screen. Images created as vector art don't rely on pixels for resolution because they're made up of clean paths that retain their sharpness at any size.
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Computer Fonts
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Type comes in a variety of fonts and styles and is often used as a graphic element. Computer fonts come in two types, postscript and TrueType. Postscript fonts can be scaled to any size while maintaining a crisp image. Though TrueType fonts have evolved since their days as bitmapped images, they are primarily system fonts and can be unreliable in print.
Software
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Computer graphics software designed for the professional uses sophisticated tools that often require training to become a skilled artist. Adobe Creative Suites, which is packaged with Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign, are standard in the graphics industry. But there is also software for the amateur desktop user to create simple publications, flyers and brochures that don't need the expertise of a professional designer. Microsoft Word and Publisher are two of the most common programs for the average desktop user.
Uses
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Computer graphics are used in a variety of professions: Graphic design, architecture, engineering, drafting, photography, website design, video game design, animation, interior design and any vocation that can benefit from computer-generated images.
Training
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Colleges and universities usually offer courses in the various software programs. On-line training is also available, either through tutorials or in on-line classrooms with virtual instructors.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit Morguefile.com
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Comments
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very helpful
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good information
