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What is a vector graphic?

Simply put most images, and all photo's are a form of bitmap (jpg, gif, png). This means they are composed of rows and rows of 'pixels'.

These small dots, when viewed together, form the image as you see it. A vector image is different. It is composed of points and the lines between them. These may be curved, and ultimately have shading and additional effects, but the upshot is that because the lines are simply redrawn when the image is enlarged there is no 'resolution' and therefore it can be made as large as you need.

Don't be fooled though. A vector image can be a complex and beautifully detailed graphic.

What is the 'resolution' of my image/ photo?

Any bitmap image (.bmp, .jpg, .gif and more) is made up of rows of dots. These are called pixels. In large numbers these form the image you see.

If your image/photo has a resolution of 100x100, it means its is made up of a grid of pixels 100 wide and 100 tall. Obviously each pixel is very small and as such 100 pixels square is very small image indeed.

The problem comes when you try and make this small image bigger. Viewed at 100 pixels per inch, your image would be 1 inch square. Now if you wanted that image to be 10 inches square it would still in essence only be 100 pixels across, that is 100 coloured dots, which have tried to become big chunky blocks because they are ten times bigger than they should be!

In reality your computer will normally try and compensate and fill in the gaps, which is a job it is very bad at. The results are always bad and Very quickly your 100pixel square image is goin g to look terrible.

How do I check the resolution of my image?

Locate the file on your system and then just hang your mouse cursor over it.

It may take a moment but on modern systems a little pop-up will appear showing you the file resolution.

Alternatively right click the image and select 'properties' on the menu that appears. A window will open. On a PC you need to select the 'summary' tab, and then the 'advanced' button. This will give you an assortment of info about your image, including the resolution.

How do I check if my image is OK to print?

A simple test to see how much your image will tolerate being enlarged is to open your image is a very simple image viewer. Almost all PCs have 'windows picture and fax viewer' or 'paint'. Other systems will have something similar.

Normally just opening the image (by double clicking the file) will open it in something useful.

First thing to note: Does it look small If it looks much smaller than you want it printed? If so then straight off you know there's going to be at least some expanding needed. Then we're back to varying degrees of what we were talking about above.

Next, if you're still not sure, you can use the zoom feature of the package your using. They all have one and it'll be somewhere obvious along the top, or in one of the drop down menus. Make it bigger until it's roughly the size you want it printing. If it looks blocky then its going to look bad when printed. Note this only makes the image appear bigger on screen, it does not change the image at all.

Why are there so few answers here?

It's still early days for Flexides' online persona. We don't just want to tell you what we think you should know. More answers will appear as more real questions are received from the public.

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