Answers!

So I'm sure you all had time to write down your own answers to the quiz from last post. Here are the answers. How many did you get right? Some of the designers that come into my shop got zero correct, so if you answered even one question right - congratulations! You can call yourself a graphic designer! (well, not really, but that's what the kids are doing these days...)

1. What is the difference between a vector file and a raster file?

- Vector files use geometry such as points, lines, curves, and shapes or polygons, which are all based on mathematical equations, to represent images in computer graphics. Since they are mathematical formulas, all vector files have infinite resolution and their sizes can be blown up or shrunken indefinitely. Vector artwork can also be referred to as "line work".

- Raster files (or bitmaps) are images that are on a grid. (Like graph paper) each box has a color applied to it, which makes up the picture. Resolution is dependant on how many boxes make up the picture. The higher the resolution, the smaller the boxes. Raster files have a limit to how much they can be enlarged - the larger you make the picture, the more you can see the boxes. The higher resolution the image, the larger the file size.
Vector files can be converted to raster files very easily, but raster files cannot be saved into vector. A multitude of "trace" programs are being developed and used these days. While there is a place for them in the industry, they should not be viewed as a substitute for designing. Like any software, knowing how to work the program to get the best results takes skill and learning, not only how to use the software, but what types of files you can use these on, and what type of result you should get.


2. What is RGB color? CMYK Color? Process Color and Pantone (PMS) Color? What is spot color?

- RGB is the color scale used for light emitting devices (like computer monitors and televisions) Red, Green and Blue are the "primary" colors used to create all the colors you see on your screen (even white, black and yellow). We do not print colors in RGB (that would be quite the challenge, trying to print black and yellow on the press using only red, green and blue!)

- CMYK Color is the closest to the primary color wheel you learned about in elementary school. The letters stand for Cyan (blue), Magenta (pinkish), Yellow and blacK. Using these four colors, we can print a vast rainbow of colors. It's definitely not infinite, but it's the most common process for photographic reproductions. Newspapers and magazines use CMYK or Process color most commonly. Laying down varying shades of Yellow, then Cyan, Magenta and finally Black in a fine dotted pattern make up a full color picture. The dotted pattern is sometimes called a "moire" (more-ay) effect. If you pick up a newspaper or magazine and examine the photos very carefully, you can see the dots of individual color that make up the picture. The smaller the dots, the better quality a picture you are going to get. Newspapers typically use a larger dot pattern because of the lower quality of paper they print on, and to compensate for dot gain (more on that one later!)

- Pantone Colors (PMS for Pantone Matching System) is the most widely used color system in the world. Named for the corporation that invented it - Pantone Inc. in Carlstadt, New Jersey, Pantone is a standardized color reproduction system. By coming up with formulas for mixing each of the colors represented in the system, all printers everywhere can come up with the same result for that color, regardless of what press prints it, or who mixed the ink. Pantone is more comprehensive than CMYK color, because instead of using four colors during the printing stage to get the desired color, you mix the color ahead of time and put that on the press, so it's only one color. Pantone also allows you to get colors CMYK doesn't allow, due to the mixing of white or white based inks (you can't have white in CMYK), or metallic and fluorescent inks. Using a "chip chart", or a pantone number, a customer would specify the color they want, the press operator mixes it, and prints that color exactly. Pantone has also put out "chip charts" on different types of paper, as what kind of paper an ink is printed on will greatly affect its look.

- Spot color refers to the use of one specific color in press production. You may have CMYK color PLUS a pantone color (if the client wants a pms color for their logo, or have a metallic ink in the finished product). CMYK plus a pantone color is a FIVE color design. If you want to use just one or two pms colors only, that is a one or two spot color design. Saying "spot color" just lets the production people know it's something other than black or CMYK.

3. Name three programs for designing vector art.
There are really too many to list, so I'll put the ones most traditionally used in the print world. And the lines are being blurred more and more. Programs that were once print only and web only are now dual purpose. Raster programs and vector programs are being intertwined, so you can use one program for all. The catch is in the capability of the operator (or designer).
- Adobe Illustrator
- CorelDraw
- FreeHand MX
- SerifDraw Plus
(Adobe InDesign gets an honorable mention, as well as QuarkXPress)

4. Name two programs for designing rastor art.
See above for explanation... Too many to list - listing most common, intertwined programs, etc.
- Adobe Photoshop
- PhotoPaint
- GIMP
- PhotoBrush

5. What is a pdf?
A pdf is a Portable Document Format, and is an open format for easy document exchange. It was created by Adobe in 1993. I remember working in the industry when pdf became the standard. What exciting times! It didn't matter what program created the file, or what type of computer, anyone could open the file, look at it, print it, use it! In 2008, it was officially released as an open standard - officially changing the face of sharing files as we know it.

6. What is Adobe?
Adobe Systems Incorporated is a software company based out of San Jose, California. It is a COMPANY, and NOT a software! The company has created industry standard software such as Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe InDesign and Adobe Acrobat. So, saying you've created a file in Adobe is like saying you're browsing the internet using a computer. Interestingly enough, Adobe got their name from the term adobe - which is a brick that is used for building that is made up of natural material like sand, clay, dung, straw and then dried in the sun. So the software company used the name of a building material for the name of their company that gives us computer building material.

So how did you do so far? Get any correct? Learn anything? I will be posting the next half of the answers this week, so you still have time to do the test if you missed any...
Happy designing!