Tutorial 3 - Essay Question

1. Discuss the difference between bitmap and vector graphics. Describe five different graphic elements you might use in project, for example, the background, buttons, icons, or text. Would you use a vector tool or a bitmap tool for each element? Why?

Bitmap

• Bitmaps are an image type most appropriate for photorealistic images and complex drawings requiring fine detail.

• Limitations of bitmapped images include large files sizes and the inability to scale or resize the image easily while maintaining quality.

• A bitmap is a simple information matrix describing the individual dots of an image, called pixels.

• The image’s bit – depth, determines the number of colors that can be displayed by an individual pixel.

• Can grab a bitmap image from a screen, scan it with a scanner, download it from a web site, or capture it from a video capture device.

• Can manipulate and adjust many of its properties and cut and paste among many bitmaps using specializes image-editing or “darkroom” programs.

• When import a color or gray-scale bitmap from the Macintosh to Windows, the colors will seem darker and richer.

Vector

• Vector images are most appropriate for lines, boxes, circles, polygons, and other graphic shapes that can be mathematically expressed in angels, coordinates, and distances.

• A vector object can be filled with color and patterns, and you can select it as a single object.

• Vector-drawn objects use a fraction of the memory space required to describe and store the same object in bitmap form.

• For the web pages that use vector graphics in plug-ins such as Flash download faster and when used for animation, draw faster than bitmaps.

• Most drawing programs can export a vector drawing as a bitmap.

• Converting bitmaps to vector-drawn objects is difficult; however, auto-tracing programs can compute the boundaries of shapes and colors in bitmapped images and then derive the polygon object that describes those bounds.

• Vector images require a plug-in (such as a Flash player) for display on a web page.

• Vector images cannot be used for photo-realistic images.

Background

• First step when we want to choose a background color, we might want to set the color of text and establish proper contrast.

• Bright, strong colors of the background draw the eye. Use them to divide the page into clear sections, and to highlight important elements.

• When we put a background image, we might keep the size of background image small because none of document can be displayed until the background image is loaded.

Buttons

• Proper selection art of buttons design related with human interaction.

• Differentiating button using color, tone and shape.

• Making button items large and bold.

• Using clear text to make the purpose of each link unambiguous.

Icons

• Icons can be useful when they’re easily recognizable and carry a clear meaning. In lots of other cases, a simple word is more effective for delivering a precise message to users.

Text

• Leading on from the big text theme, many sites lead with strong all-text headline descriptions. Not only does big text stand out, but it’s also more accessible to more people.

• Words with mixed upper and lower case letters are easier to read.

• Use anti-aliased text to produce a gentle and blended look for titles.

In my opinion, I prefer use a vector graphic. Unlike JPEG, GIF and BMP images, vector graphic are not made up of a grid of pixels. Instead, vector graphics are comprised of paths, which are defined by a start and end point, along with other points, curves and angles along the way. A path can be a line, a square, a triangle, or a curvy shape. These paths can be used to create simple drawings or complex diagrams. Paths are even used to define the characters of specific typefaces.

Because vector-based images are not made up of a specific number of dots, they can be scaled to a larger size and not lose any image quality. If you blow up a raster graphic, it will look blocky, or “pixelated.” When you blow up a vector graphic, the edges of each object within the graphic stay smooth and clean. This makes vector graphics ideal for logos, which can be small enough to appear on a business card, but can also be scaled to fill a billboard. Common types of vector graphics include Adobe Illustrator, Macromedia Freehand and EPS files. Many Flash animations also use vector graphics, since they scale better and typically take up less space than bitmap images.

2. You are a designer given the task of creating a web site for a new division of your company. Start by defining the characteristics of the customer of the company and the kind of image the company wishes to present to its customers. Then specify a color palette to be used for the design of the site. Defend your color choices by discussing the associations people with the colors and how they relate to our customers and the company’s image.

If I were designer for luxury Car Company website, let us give a name for car company, Destroyer. Firstly, I would define at the customer perspective towards our car such as extremely strong brand image because the brand has connected to itself an aura of mystique and it is looked upon as a status symbol.

Every customer also definitely will be interested with the products that are a fine combination of beauty and aesthetics combined with unforgettable performance through adding comfort, roominess, luggage space, engines that are more user friendly, and so on, while at the same time maintaining Destroyer characteristics–performance, style, exclusivity and this is because an innovation and technology are key drivers behind every product.

Next step is to create image of the company. So here definitely we can’t use bitmap image because we are selling an expensive car which is the car are very inspired. So vector image the suitable one and we will put a lot of Flash animation inside which able the customer to do human interaction between a machines. When they click the button navigation at the car or the sidebar, the text description about the car will pop-up and simultaneously the picture will moving and at the same time also a voice of human as a narrator will tell the car description. The arrangement for the picture is arranged in an orderly manner and nicely, such as picture inside the websites is not too much and only the big images will be use.

The last step is choosing a color that will be used for design of the website and I think gray should be the background color and black should be a foreground color. It is because gray color is suitable for legal to suggest power and control, particularly when combined with some white and black color, while at the same time black color is beneficial for businesses selling luxury, elegance and sophistication. These types of businesses include those selling high quality professional products and luxury goods, and up market car companies. Thus, the color we are choosing is relevant and suitable to the website we want to create.

Color	Associations People with Color	How Color Relate to Customers & Company Image
Blue	* Calming and sedate * Cooling * Aids intuition * Youth * Spirituality * Peace  * Intelligence	Blue is recommended for any business involved in the area of cleanliness, whether it be cleaning products, water purification or mineral water. It is also beneficial to businesses, such as airlines, boating or air conditioning companies, that relate to the common associations of blue with the sky, air and water. Websites promoting technology, medical equipment, cleanliness, male products, or both male and female products should use some blue in their colors.
Green	* Soothing * Relaxing mentally as well as physically * Helps alleviate depression, nervousness and anxiety * Offers a sense of renewal,    self-control and harmony * Life and nature * Growth * Health	Green is an ideal color to promote natural, safe, organic products. It is also beneficial in the promotion of environmentally friendly products. Dark green is a good color for money and financial websites. Use green where you need people to see both sides of a situation as it aids in clear thinking and decision making.
Yellow	* Mentally stimulating * Stimulates the nervous system * Activates memory * Encourages communication * Wisdom * Joy * Happiness	Yellow is a great color for children's products, particularly combined with other bright primary or secondary colors. It is stimulating to their mind and their creativity. For many leisure products, particularly those that promote playful and fun activities, yellow is a beneficial color. It will enhance the promotion of any fun and entertainment businesses.
Orange	* Stimulates activity * Stimulates appetite * Encourages socialization * Vitality with endurance * Energy * Warm	Orange is an invaluable color in encouraging sales in restaurants, café's, bistros and diners as it stimulates appetite and conversation, contributing to patrons eating and talking longer and spending more money. Orange's stimulation to social communication and the senses makes it a beneficial color for hotels and resorts. Travel websites should consider orange as one of their color choices for its association with journeys, adventure and exciting fun activities. Sports teams can use orange in their colors to suggest energy, flamboyance and adventure.
Red	* Increases enthusiasm * Stimulates energy * Encourages action and confidence * A sense of protection from fears and anxiety * Courage * Vitality * Power	Red encourages buyers to take action and make a purchase. For example, it could be used to tempt an impulse buy at the purchase counter in your store, as footprints or arrows directing people around your store or to your cash register, or for a 'buy now' button on a website.  A touch of red can be used as one of the colors on your website to indicate your energy and passion for your business. In larger amounts it is effective in the promotion of products or services related to food and appetite, energy, passion or speed.
Purple	* Uplifting * Calming to mind and nerves * Offers a sense of spirituality * Encourages creativity * Royalty * Nobility  * Magic * Mystery	Pre-adolescent children are attracted to purple along with the other bright primary and secondary colors and these colors should always feature on products and marketing designed for this age group. Lighter versions of purple are suitable for products and services targeted specifically at the female market. Lavender suggests nostalgia and works well for businesses selling old lace, sentimental handmade craft items and antique goods.
Brown	* Feeling of wholesomeness * Stability * Connection with the earth * Offers a sense orderliness * Order * Convention	Brown is suitable for businesses promoting outdoor products and services. Earth moving, landscaping and farming businesses are inspired by the use of brown, along with anyone marketing wholesome and organic products. Medium brown relates well to nature, wholesome food and agricultural products when you relate it to color meanings in business. Dark brown relates well to sophisticated and professional men's products when combined with gold or cream.
White	* Aids mental clarity * Encourages us to clear clutter or obstacles *Evokes purification of thoughts or actions * Enables fresh beginnings * Purity * Cleanliness	White is probably the best color to use as the background color for websites. It allows all other colors to reflect from it and makes all colors except yellow and pastels to be very readable. Using white for negative space on your website makes it look clean, open and uncluttered. With its suggestion of simplicity, cleanliness and safety, white works well for businesses promoting hi-tech products, kitchen appliances, bathroom items, infant and health related products and those promoting order and efficiency.
Gray	* Unsettling * Expectant * Sorrow * Security * Maturity	Gray is a safe color to use in many business applications. It is neutral and serious and can be combined with almost any other color to impart different messages and to reach different target markets. Gray is suitable for legal and financial websites to suggest power and control, particularly when combined with some white and black. Combining it with blue suggests credibility, trust and reliability.
Black	* Feeling inconspicuous * A restful emptiness * Mysterious evoking a sense of potential and possibility. * Death	Black is beneficial for businesses selling luxury, elegance and sophistication. These types of businesses include those selling high quality professional products and luxury goods, and up market car companies.  Using black for selling and marketing products and services to the high end youth market, including music related businesses, is seen as cutting edge and trendy. The youth market tends to be attracted to black with its sophistication and rebelliousness. Black can be used to create a dramatic effect when combined with bright, rich, jewel colors such as red, emerald, cobalt, yellow, magenta and orange. However, in general, using too much black can be intimidating and unfriendly - think of the salesman with the black suit and tie or the black shirt and pants.