| Animated GIF |
Stands for Graphics Interchange Format, a popular file format for storing graphic images, often for use on websites. An animated GIF is simply a string of these images, creating the illusion of moving pictures when played back. |
| Avatar |
In computing context, a graphic or icon used to represent a person in an online chat-room or game. Avatars can usually be customised and range from simple images to complex three-dimensional shapes. |
| Blend |
In image editing, the combining of one or more graphic layers. |
| BMP (Bitmap) |
A type of graphic image recorded as many tiny dots (or pixels). Scanned photographs and similar images are often stored in this form. If you use an image-editing application to zoom in on a bitmap image, the pixels will gradually become distinct. BMP image files tend to be quite large, so other types are more popular. |
| Clipart |
A library of drawings or photographs that you can use in presentations, reports or in desktop-publishing documents. You must check whether there are copyright restrictions if you are intend using the pictures commercially. |
| Colour Depth |
The range of colours with which an image can be displayed. Usually measured in 'bits', 1-bit colour gives two colours (usually black and white), 2-bit gives four colours, and so on. A 24-bit colour setting will allow up to 16. 7 millions distinct shades to be displayed. |
| Digital Camera |
A camera that stores images in computer memory rather than on light-sensitive film. |
| Digital Zoom |
Optical zoom is the normal camera method of magnifying a scene by changing the distance between the different elements of the lens. Digital zoom allows even greater magnification by expanding each of the dots, but at some cost to quality. |
| Dithering |
Process of creating colour shades by adjusting the value of adjacent pixels to give the appearance of more colours than a device, usually a monitor or display panel, is actually capable of displaying. |
| Frames (Images) |
Animated GIFs contain multiple images (otherwise they wouldn't move) which are held in frames, just like those you would see in a movie reel. |
| GIF |
A commonly used graphics file format popular for images displayed on websites. |
| Interpolation |
When scanner software increases the resolution of a scanned image by mathematically guessing extra details. |
| JPEG |
A common format for image files. JPEG images are compressed and the small file size makes them ideal for web pages. |
| Layers |
In image-editing, the equivalent of multiple sheets of glass heaped on top of the drawing canvas. You can draw onto any layer, then change the order, hide them and so on. |
| Megapixel |
A measure of the level of detail recorded by digital cameras ? one megapixel means an image made from one million tiny dots (pixels). |
| Pixellation |
Many digital images are made up of tiny dots. So tiny that to the naked eye they cannot be seen. However, if an image is enlarged or 'blown up' the individual become visible. This process is known as pixellation. |
| Red-Eye |
A photographic effect where a flash reflects from the back of the subject's retinas, giving their eyes a red glow. The effect can be reduced with a flash that pulses before the photo is taken, making the iris contract and reducing the reflection. |
| Scale |
To change the dimensions of a picture, keeping it in proportion to its original size. |
| Thumbnail |
A small (usually postage stamp-size) image used to give a quick preview of a much larger image. |
| TIFF |
Tagged Image File Format. A standard file format used to store graphic images. It can handle monochrome, grey-scale, 8-bit or 24-bit colour images. TIFF images can be compressed without any loss of detail. |
