Design terms:
Images and formats

AI file
• A vector image (see below) format used for original
Adobe® Illustrator design files.

DPI
• Acronym meaning “dots per inch.” A higher dpi means a
more detailed image, but limitations may remain
depending on the type of format the image will appear in.

EPS
• A vector image (see below) format often used for high-
resolution printing.

GIF
• Whether you pronounce it with a hard or soft G, it’s a
raster image (see below) format best for animation and
transparency in limited colors.

JPEG
• A JPEG (or jpeg or Jpeg) is an example of a graphic image
file type that contains bitmaps. It is created for
compressing full-color or grey-scale digital images of
real-world scenes.

PDF
• A raster image (see below) format best used for print files
and web-based documents.

Pixel
• The smallest unit of a digital image or graphic that can be
displayed and represented on a digital display device.

PNG
• A raster image (see below) format with millions of colors
available.

PSD
• A raster image (see below) format best for layered Adobe
Photoshop design files.

Raster image
• A raster, or bitmap, image is a graphic that is composed
of a grid of pixels, with each pixel having values for color,
hue, saturation and transparency. Unlike vector images,
these graphics do not scale well and will become
pixelated as you “zoom in” or enlarge the graphic.

RAW
• A raster image (see above) format best for unprocessed
data from digital cameras.

Resolution
• A measure of image quality based on dots per inch for
printed works and pixels per inch for digital work. The
higher the resolution, the crisper the image will be.

Stock photo
• Licensed images available for designers to use that
negate the need for the designer to coordinate an entire
photo shoot.

Texture
• Can refer to either the actual physical feel of a design or
the way a viewer imagines a design might feel. By using
textured graphics, a design can visually imitate actual
texture.

Thumbnail sketch (FROM SCRATCH)
• A small rough draft of an image drawn by a designer
during the conceptualization phase of a design project.

TIFF
• A raster image (see above) format best for high-quality
print graphics and scans.

Vector image
• A vector image is a scalable graphic format. Unlike raster
or bitmap images, it does not rely on a grid of pixels to
form the graphic, which alleviates pixelation issues as the
image is resized.