Master digital graphics, animation, audio editing, and video creation โ with interactive lessons, simulations, and practice quizzes.
Pixels, resolution, colour models (RGB & CMYK), graphic compression (lossy/lossless), raster vs vector, and GIMP software.
What animation is, types of frames (key, tween, blank), and creating animations with Vectorian Giatto software.
Recording and editing audio using Audacity, audio file formats, and exporting audio for different purposes.
Making video clips with Windows Movie Maker โ adding images, audio, transitions, captions, and saving for different platforms.
By the end of this chapter you will be able to:
The smallest unit in a digital image. Each pixel is a tiny illuminated dot with a specific colour. A digital image is an array of rectangular pixels called a bitmap.
The physical dimension of a digital graphic measured in pixels. Higher resolution = more pixels = higher quality. Measured in ppi (pixels per inch) or dpi (dots per inch).
Determined by number of pixels, lines, and colour combinations. A graphic with many pixels and high resolution has a large file size.
Each pixel represents a colour. About 16 million recognisable colours are visible to the naked eye. The colour model depends on the output device.
2bppbits = logโ(colours)| Bits per Pixel (bpp) | Formula | Number of Colours | Common Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 bpp | 2ยน | 2 | Black & White |
| 4 bpp | 2โด | 16 | Simple icons |
| 8 bpp | 2โธ | 256 | GIF images |
| 16 bpp | 2ยนโถ | 65,536 | High colour display |
| 24 bpp | 2ยฒโด | 16,777,216 (16.7 million) | True colour โ JPEG, PNG |
| 32 bpp | 2ยณยฒ | 4,294,967,296 | True colour + Alpha transparency |
๐ก Used for screens โ computers, TVs, phones
๐จ Primary colours: Red, Green, Blue
โจ Mixing RGB light gives secondary colours (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, White)
๐ 256 variations (0โ255) per channel
๐ข Written as: RGB(245,102,36) or hex #F56624
๐จ๏ธ Used for printing on paper with inks
๐จ Primary colours: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
๐ Mixing CMYK inks = RGB colours when printed
๐ Called subtractive colour model (absorbs light)
๐ฏ Best for professional print media and publications
RGB(0,0,0) (black) to RGB(255,255,255) (white).RGB(245,102,36) = Hex #F56624 โ an orange colour Large graphics are difficult to store and transmit. Graphic compression reduces file size. There are two types:
| Criteria | ๐ด Raster Graphic | ๐ข Vector Graphic |
|---|---|---|
| How it's created | Array of pixels in different colours | Collection of straight or curved lines |
| File records | No records kept | Records start/end points, line types, colours |
| Quality when resized | โ Quality LOST when enlarged | โ Quality MAINTAINED when resized |
| For high-quality print | Not suitable | Suitable |
| Memory usage | Uses less memory | Needs more memory |
| Computer speed | Does not change | Reduces with complexity |
| Example software | Adobe Photoshop, GIMP, Corel PHOTOPAINT | Adobe Illustrator, CorelDRAW, Inkscape |
www.gimp.org/downloadsAll editing tools โ selection, brush, transform. Enable/disable via Edit โ Preferences โ Toolbox.
Customise settings for each selected tool (size, opacity, hardness, etc.).
Where your graphic is displayed. Use Windows โ Single-Window Mode for one unified workspace.
Layers work like transparent sheets stacked on each other. Edit one layer without affecting others.
These tabs help create and add colour, texture, and patterns to graphics.
Selects square/rectangular regions
Selects circular/elliptical regions
Draws free-form selections
Selects areas by colour similarity
Selects all instances of a colour
Fills area with colour or pattern
Paints soft/anti-aliased lines
Paints hard-edged (non-aliased) lines
Erases pixels from a layer
Copies pixels from one area to another
Removes spots and image irregularities
Crops/clips the image
Rotates active layer/selection/path
Scales the active layer or selection
Picks colour from any image on screen
Places text into the image
Lightens or darkens image areas
Smudges/blends colours together
When all editing is done, use Merge Visible Layers (right-click on Layer window) to combine all layers into one before exporting.
| Action | Format | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| File โ Save | .xcf | Native GIMP format; preserves all layers; for re-editing |
| File โ Export | .jpg .png .gif | Compressed output for sharing or web use |
Animation is an optical illusion that shows the movement of an object or objects. A series of frames of an object are arranged in sequential order and displayed continuously to create the illusion of motion. The speed of objects can be changed by altering the speed of the frames.
Several types of frames work together in animation. Understanding each type is essential to creating smooth motion.
The main, user-defined static frame at an important position in the animation. The user decides when and where key frames appear. Key frames mark the beginning and end of a motion sequence.
Automatically generated by the software to create smooth motion between two key frames. The software calculates intermediate positions so the animator doesn't need to draw every frame.
When a regular frame is added next to a frame that already has content, it extends the time period for which that content remains visible in the animation. Useful for making an object "hold" its position.
An empty frame ready for new content to be added. Once you draw something in a blank key frame, it is no longer blank โ it becomes a regular key frame with content.
A typical 24-frame animation with 2 key frames and 22 tween frames:
Vectorian Giatto is a free animation software that can be downloaded from the Internet. It requires no coding, making it ideal for beginners. It comes with nearly 50 flash animation tools and supports adding music to animations.
No purchase required
Easy drag-and-drop tools
Add audio to animations
Rich animation toolkit
http://vectorian.com/giatto| Tool | Shortcut | Function |
|---|---|---|
| Line | N | Draw straight lines; set type (solid/dash/dot), colour, density |
| Insert Bitmap | M | Add image to stage (bmp, jpg, tif, png, gif, ico) |
| Text | T | Add text; configure via Properties Window (font, size, colour) |
| Oval | O | Draw circles/ovals; fill with single colour, gradient, or image |
| Rectangle | R | Draw rectangles; same fill options as Oval |
| Pencil | P | Draw free-form lines on the work stage |
| Brush | B | Draw wider, free-form shapes |
| Selection | V | Select or move shapes, texts, and pictures |
| Sub-Selection | A | Change the shape of a drawn object by dragging control points |
| Lasso | L | Cut and remove shapes/pictures from the stage |
| Free Transform | Q | Change dimension, rotate, or reshape an object |
| Ink Bottle | S | Change the border colour/type around shapes |
| Paint Bucket | K | Change fill colour of a drawn shape |
| Eyedropper | I | Pick a colour from one object to apply to another |
| Eraser | E | Erase only a section of a creation (not the entire shape) |
| Action | Format | How To |
|---|---|---|
| Save (for editing) | .vgd | File โ Save |
| Export (for web) | .swf | File โ Export Flash Movie โ Select Compress Movie โ OK |
| Open in browser | - | Right-click .swf file โ Open with Web Browser |
Many software tools are available for creating and editing audio content. The most recommended is Audacity, which is free and works on all major operating systems.
| Software | Notes |
|---|---|
| Audacity | Free, open-source, Windows/Mac/Linux โ Recommended |
| Power Sound Editor | Easy-to-use visual audio editor |
| Mp3DirectCut | Fast editor, no re-encoding needed |
| Music Editor Free | Simple interface for beginners |
| Wavosaur | Portable, no install required |
| Ardour | Professional-grade DAW, open-source |
| WavePad | Cross-platform, many effects |
| Sound Engine | Batch processing capabilities |
Capture sound directly from a microphone or other input device
Record any sound playing through your computer's speakers
Work with multiple audio tracks simultaneously
Add effects including echo, reverb, noise reduction, and more
Full editing: cut sections, join clips, and mix multiple tracks
Independently alter playback speed and musical pitch
http://audacity.sourceforge.net/Audacity can open, edit, and export all of the above formats.
| Action | Format | Description |
|---|---|---|
| File โ Save | .aup | Native Audacity format; keeps all edits for re-opening and continuing work |
| File โ Export Audio | WAV, AIFF, FLAC, MP2, MP3 | Export for sharing or use in other software; opens Edit Metadata dialog first |
A video clip is a series of visual content arranged in sequence. It can include recorded video footage, still pictures, audio tracks, text titles, captions, and transition effects. Video clips are used for presentations, stories, advertisements, and social media sharing.
| Software | Notes |
|---|---|
| Windows Movie Maker | Free, from Microsoft โ Recommended |
| Photo Bucket | Online photo and video hosting platform |
| YouTube Remixer | Browser-based, integrates with YouTube |
| Movie Masher | Open-source online video editor |
| One True Media | Web-based, photo slideshow focus |
| Motion Box | Online social video platform |
| Stash Space | Online media storage and sharing |
| AVI Edit | Lightweight AVI video editor |
| Super DVD Video Editor | DVD-format video creation |
http://www.windows-movie-maker.org/Preview panel on the left; view your video in real time as you edit
Area at the bottom showing video clips, music, and transitions arranged in sequence
The ribbon menu at the top for adding content, effects, titles, and saving
High-quality playback on PC
1080p HD television format
Optimised for smaller screens
Compressed for email attachment
Upload to YouTube directly
Share on Facebook
Vimeo video hosting
Export soundtrack only (WMA)
| Action | Format | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| File โ Save Project | .Wlmp | Native project file โ preserves all edits for future changes |
| File โ Save Movie โ Computer | .wmv | Standard video file for sharing or playback |
| File โ Save Movie โ YouTube | .mp4 | Optimised format for uploading to YouTube |
| File โ Save Movie โ Audio | .wma | Audio-only export (no video) |
The number of colours that can be displayed depends on the bits per pixel (bpp). The formula is: Colours = 2bpp
Mix Red, Green, and Blue values (0โ255) to create any colour. See the hex code and named colour update in real time.
Enter the total frames and number of key frames to calculate how many tween frames the software will auto-generate.
Estimate the uncompressed file size of an image using: Width ร Height ร (bpp รท 8) bytes
See how images are made of tiny coloured squares (pixels). Each cell is one pixel. Zoom into a raster image to see individual pixels!