Image FormatsCommunication 337

Native Image Formats

• Always keep a copy of the image in its program’s native file format (e.g., .psd, .png, .fla)

• Rarely, if ever, use native formats on the web

Bitmap Image Formats

• GIF = Graphic Interchange Formatpronounced “jif”

• JPEG = Joint Photographic Experts Group pronounced “jay-peg”

• PNG = Portable Network Graphics pronounced “ping”

Vector Image Formats

• SVG = Scalable Vector Graphics

• SWF = Small Web Formatpronounced “swiff” (Flash player format)

GIF Format

• Best for use with line art, type, or areas of flat color

• Limited color space of 8 bits = maximum of 256 colors

• Supports animation and 1-bit transparency

• Lossless compression

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JPEG Format

• Best for use with photographic images

• Color space of 24 bits = millions of colors

• Does not support either animation or transparency

• Lossy compression

PNG Format

• Best for use with non-photographic images

• Color space up to 48-bit (color) or 16-bit (grayscale)

• Doesn’t support animation but does support 8-bit transparency & gamma correction

• Lossless compression

• Spotty transparency support in Explorer

Examples

Photoshop Image

712 Kb

JPEG Image: High Quality

76 Kb

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GIF Image: Dithered

130 Kb

GIF Image: No Dither

116 Kb

JPEG Image: High Quality

76 Kb

GIF Image: Dithered

130 Kb

GIF Image: No Dither

116 Kb

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GIF Compression

4 Kb

JPEG Compression Artifacts

4 Kb

Fine-Tuning GIF Images

GIF Color Settings

For GIF imageswith two colors,

specify 6-8 colors in Photoshop’s Save for Web

dialog box

GIF Color Settings

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GIF Web-Safe Palette

GIF Perceptual Palette

Web-Safe vs Perceptual vs JPEG

34Kb 85Kb 45Kb

34Kb 85Kb 45Kb

Web vs Adaptive Palettes vs JPEG

GIF: LZW Compression

.9 Kb

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GIF: LZW Compression

4.8 Kb

GIF: LZW Compression

11.7 Kb

GIF Transparency

Matting: Original Image

Saving GIF with Transparency

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Resulting Web Page

Altered Web Page Color

Revised GIF Matting

Resulting Web Page

Same PNG Image on Different Backgrounds

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