Graphic Knowledge

What is a vector image?
In a vector image graphs, curves, and areas combine to an image by following mathematical functions. Vector graphics differ from bitmap graphics due to their characteristics. Opposite to bitmap graphics, they are freely scalable and deformable without any loss of quality the image. The contained graphs, curves and areas keep their characteristics in a vector file and stay editable.
This is a very useful characteristic when it comes to processing of digital images. You do not need to make a decision in advance, which might be the largest size of your graphics, you might ever need, when the image is being produced.
There are several possibilities kept open for you, once the creation of the graphic is finished.
This is a reason, why we love vectors and produce a lot of them.
If you are interested in vector graphics and their advantages, let's talk about your needs.

What is a clipping path?

A clipping path can for example enclose a single object in a complex image. After opening this image in some image editing software like Photoshop, this clipping path can be used to easily crop the object and separate it from the background. In isolated cases there can be some parts of the background be remaining on the object, which need to be edited and removed by hand. But generally it is really easy to crop graphic objects by using an existing clipping path.

What are bitmap graphics?
Bitmap graphics consist of single picture elements, the pixels. In our stock image store we generally deliver bitmap graphics by default. Some images might be available as vector files also.
A bitmap graphic saves the image information for every contained pixel, while a vector graphics, opposed to this, builds the image by following mathematical functions. Typical data formats for bitmap graphics are: BMP, GIF, JPEG, TIFF and PNG.

Unlike vectors a bitmap graphic cannot be scaled freely without losses in quality, especially when the image is being enlarged and above all, when the image comes in a low standard resolution, like 72 DPI and size, which means, it holds a lower amount of pixels, than a bigger or/and high resolution image. If you enlarge an image with a Images in a low standard resolution and size, you will probably get a grainy and blurry result. Even reducing the size of a bitmap graphics can have surprising effects, but in any case it will be the more effective way to scale the image and keep an acceptable quality.

For every purpose, you want to use a bitmap image for, it needs to have a proper resolution. For viewing it on a monitor (on the internet for example), it just needs to have 72 DPI, if you want to print the image in a good quality it needs to have at least 150-300 DPI 9in some cases even more).

What is DPI?
DPI = Dots per Inch, is a measuring unit for the amount of picture elements contained in an image. it is measured in amount of elements per inch. This value determines the resolution of an image. For example a monitor just requires the amount of 72 DPI to show an image in a proper quality. For printing purposes an image needs to have at least 150 DPI and more.

What is RGB? What is CMYK?
RGB = Red Green Blue is an additive model for colors, in which the basic colors add themselves up to the color white. Screen displays are using this color model. Many home printers use it also. CMYK = C yan, M agenta, Y ellow und K ey color (black) is a subtractive color model, which is used mostly in the field of offset printing for example. It is complementary to the RGB color model.
The value if an CMYK color can vary from 0% to 100%. 0% makes a white, unprinted space, 100% makes the most saturated form this color can show isolated. By mixing the basic colors, the CMYK color space can be created. By adding the key color black, the mixed colors can be shaded to darker versions. In our royalty free stock image store the graphics are generally delivered in the RGB mode and sometimes need to be change to the CMYK mode before being printed.

What means royalty free?
Referring to images and illustrations (audio, video, photographs or other creative content) the term royalty free is defining the right to use such content. Once the content is licensed under a royalty free license, which may define a range of demands and guidelines, the licensee is usually free to use the purchased image in any way defined in the royalty free license, which in particular usually means, that he is not required to consider a special period of use, for example, geographic regions, industries, a special publishing size and other restrictions. Once the image is purchased, the royalty free license is valid without geographic limitations or limitations in time and there are no additional charges to be expected, if the licensee attends to use the image in different ways. Royalty free licenses stand in contradiction to rights managed licenses, which usually restrict the use in a very specific way. The use, for example, may be reduced to a special print run, period of use, industry or geographic region and other things. Rights managed means, that the licensor is controlling every single given license for and the publishing of the image. and usually there are a lot of different prices and additional charges, in case the licensee wants to use a rights managed image for different purposes.