Picture element and image resolution

A digital image on a screen is made up of pixels. The more pixels in an image, the larger it will be and the higher the resolution. The higher the resolution of the image, the more defined the image is. For example, if you had an image but one had a larger resolution than the other, you would use the one with the higher resolution as that would be the 'clearer' image of the two.

The intensity of an image can also affect how an image looks overall. When you increase the intensity of an image, you are increasing how vibrant the colour's are in the image. By increasing the intensity of image, you can make it more eye catching, which will be useful when making print media.

Types of Digital graphics

In digital graphics, there are two different types of programmes that deal with digital graphics, and this will affect the final image. They cane be split up into Raster or Vector image type programmes.
The difference between vector images and raster images is in how they are made up. Raster images are made up of pixels, whereas vector images are made up of of geometric shapes, such as lines and curves. Because of this, if you 'blow-up' the image, a raster image will become pixelated, whereas the vector image will retain it sharpness. 

A comparison of a original image, when compared to a pixelated version

As well as being composed differently, they can also be saved differently. Raster images can be saved under the file types: .bmp, .gif, .tiff and .jpeg. Most of these file types are common, so you dont have to have any specialist software installed to access these files.

Vector images can be saved under the file types: .psd, .wmf, .fla and .ai. These file types only open up in specialist software, such as Adobe Photoshop for .psd files, Adobe Illustrator for .ai files and Adobe Flash for .fla files. Since most of these software's are expensive to own, images are usually a raster type, unless they are being used for promotional material, then they will more likely be vector images.