Vector Graphics

1 State two differences between a bitmap image and a vector image. 2

One mark for each of the following, to a maximum of 2.

• A bitmap is made of pixels, a vector is made of shapes and instructions
• A vector stays sharp when resized, a bitmap becomes blocky

Model answer. A bitmap image is made up of a grid of individual pixels, each storing its own colour, whereas a vector image is stored as a set of mathematical shapes and instructions for drawing them. As a result, a vector image stays perfectly sharp when it is enlarged because the shapes are simply redrawn at the new size, while a bitmap becomes blocky and pixelated because the existing pixels just get bigger.

2 A company needs a logo that will be used on a website, on business cards and on the side of a lorry. Explain why the logo should be created as a vector graphic. 3

One mark for each of the following, to a maximum of 3.

• The logo will be used at many different sizes
• A vector can be resized without any loss of quality
• A bitmap would become blocky when enlarged for the lorry

Model answer. The logo needs to appear at hugely different sizes, from a tiny favicon on a website through to a design several metres wide on the side of a lorry. A vector graphic stores the logo as mathematical shapes and instructions rather than fixed pixels, so it can be redrawn at any size with no loss of quality at all and the edges remain perfectly crisp. If the logo were created as a bitmap it would be fixed at one resolution, and enlarging it to lorry size would make the individual pixels visible so the design would look blocky and unprofessional.

3 Describe how you would use vector shape operations to create a crescent moon shape. 3

One mark for each of the following, to a maximum of 3.

• Draw two overlapping circles
• Position the second circle so it overlaps part of the first
• Use the difference operation to cut the top circle out of the one beneath

Model answer. First draw a circle to form the outer edge of the moon. Then draw a second circle of a similar size and position it so that it overlaps a large part of the first, offset to one side. With the second circle selected on top, apply the difference operation, which cuts the shape of the top circle out of the one beneath it. What remains is a crescent, and because it is still a vector path it can be recoloured and resized freely afterwards.

4 Explain three things that make a logo effective. 6

One mark for each of the following, to a maximum of 6.

• It should be simple
• So that it is recognisable even at very small sizes
• It should work in a single colour
• Because it may be printed, engraved or embroidered where colour is unavailable
• It should be appropriate for the audience and purpose
• It should be distinctive so it is not confused with competitors

Model answer. First, an effective logo is simple. It has to be recognisable when displayed as a browser tab icon only sixteen pixels across as well as on a large sign, and a design with fine detail or many elements simply turns into a smudge at small sizes. Second, it should work in a single colour. Logos are not only used on screens: they are printed in black and white, embroidered onto uniforms, engraved into metal and stamped onto packaging, and a design that relies on colour differences to be readable will fail completely in all of those situations. Third, it should be appropriate for its audience and distinctive within its field. A logo for a children's nursery needs a very different style from one for a law firm, because the audience and the message are different, and it must also be different enough from competitors that customers do not confuse the two, which is the whole reason a company has a logo in the first place.

5 Describe two stages of the design process that should be completed before opening design software. 4

One mark for each of the following, to a maximum of 4.

• Client brief to establish what is required
• Including the audience and the message
• Mood board or research to gather visual ideas
• Sketches to explore many ideas quickly on paper

Model answer. The first stage is establishing the client brief. This means finding out exactly what the client needs, who the audience is, what message the design should convey and any constraints such as colours the company already uses or where the design will appear. Without this the designer is guessing, and work will have to be redone. The second stage is gathering ideas through research and a mood board, followed by rough sketching. A mood board collects colours, fonts, images and existing designs that capture the intended feel, which gives the designer and the client a shared reference before any work starts. Sketching on paper then allows many different ideas to be tried out very quickly, and because a rough sketch takes seconds rather than minutes, far more possibilities get explored than would ever be attempted directly in the software.