In this blog post we shall cover all the things that encompass a master image list. What is a master image list? It's a list of the different kinds of images that cover various layouts such as color schemes, tints and shadings, vector to raster art, etc. So I figured a good breakdown of the master image list would be most beneficial:
Bitmaps: An image composed of pixels that contain color values per pixel. They are primarily comprised of two main parameters, which are color depth and number of pixels used. For color depth, the pixels can be formed by either the generic 1 bit (black and white), 8-bits (varying levels of greys), or 24 bits (utilizations of RGB). The name bitmap also comes from the association that the image is a "map of bits" much like a pixmap is a "map of pixels". Bitmaps are also generally created in the form of JPEG, PNG, TIFF, and GIFs.
Reverse: This is generally a form of light type on a dark background. This is considered different than black on white type as the type color for a reverse is simply the color of the paper showing through the inked over black background.
Vector Art: Art that is unpixelated and as such can be scalable to almost any size. This is because they have solid resolution, unlike raster images who's sizes are predetermined by the amount pixels they have. These images can be enhanced to almost any size and will print without problematic blurring of the image and can even be edited as well as scaled.
Grayscale Raster: This is a type of image that consists mainly of the 8-bit pixels that can be use varying degrees of grey and transposing it onto the image. Basically, you can transform a full color image into different shades of grey (saving on colored inks and bitmap pixels).
Duotone Raster: You may have already seen some of my previous blogs talking about duotone and my VDP was composed of of both black and red (185 C) as the spot color. A duotone in short is a type of raster using both generic black ink and a spot color for the only other color in the image (duo = two, no way!). This style of coloring can add interest to a file with minmial amounts of color. It's like staring at a black and white photo yet there are sparks of color that add an ocular shift to the image. However; don't stress about finding the black as a spot color since it can simply remain the regular black from CMYK.
Silhouette Raster: This form of image is most identifiable as a black image pressed against a white background. The black images give interest to the blank white of the background and give the viewer a focal point in which to admire the work. This style of raster is seen on many picture formats such as ClipArt. Primarily consists of black and white, a silhouette can be used for other colors as well. The point of a silhouette is to provide the outline of a shape and to give it a different background, adding a sort of mysterious interest to the picture.
Full Bleed Raster: A raster image that is displayed when a color exceeds the margins set by the trim size. A full bleed can happen with most any raster or vector. The difference is that vectors are still able to be changed or scaled down without compromising the quality of the image.
Four-Color Raster: This type of image is usually made up of the 4 basic color swatches CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow and black). This image can only be composed of variations of these 4, so if the color is of a specific set not located in the swatches, then the color must be switched to a spot color. However; without the proper number of the spot color, this image is useless. Luckily, the four colors that can be manipulated and intermixed can work for most any kind of rastered image.
Screen Tint: As defined on PrintingTips.com, a screen tint is a "screen pattern that consists of dots that are all made up of the same size and created on an even tone". This means that it acts as a type of shading, where compiled dots of equal size are slapped together and formulate lighter or darker tones to the image it's imprinted upon.
Hope this gives you some snazzy insight into the different forms of images there are in the digital world and that you can use these examples to formulate your own Master List. Big thanks to the following books and sites:
Claudia McCue's Real World Print Production with Adobe Creative Suite Applications
http://www.printingtips.com/email-term/t--2080/screen-tint.asp
http://creativebits.org/
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