Knightswood Secondary School. Graphic Communication. Desktop Publishing otes. Auto Tracing

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1 Auto Tracing The process of converting a bit mapped image into a vector image. In a bit-mapped image, each object is represented by a pattern of dots, while in a vector image every object is defined geometrically. Most auto tracing packages read files in a variety of bitmapped formats (Bmp and Tiff are the most common) and produce a file in a vector format such as Windows Metafile (Wmf). The conversion techniques used, and the accuracy of the conversion process, differ from one package to another.. The auto trace tool traces any image shape automatically. With this tool, you can click the edge of a shape you want to trace, and Illustrator draws the entire outline of the shape. You can use the auto trace tool to trace lines as well as shapes. When you use the auto trace tool to trace a line, it travels all the way around the line and comes back to where you clicked, forming a closed path. Knightswood Secondary School Graphic Communication Desktop Publishing otes The auto trace tool is especially suited to tracing simple shapes and lines. For the best results when tracing artwork, trace simpler shapes with the auto trace tool and draw more complex shapes with either the pencil tool or the pen tool.

2 Types of Software Packages. There are many types of software packages used in the Graphics industry. The following are some of the main types that you may encounter. Spreadsheets A spreadsheet is a computer application that simulates a paper worksheet. It displays multiple cells that together make up a grid consisting of rows and columns, each cell containing either alphanumeric text or numeric values. A spreadsheet cell may alternatively contain a formula that defines how the contents of that cell is to be calculated from the contents of any other cell (or combination of cells) each time any cell is updated. Spreadsheets are frequently used for financial information because of their ability to recalculate the entire sheet automatically after a change to a single cell is made. Word Processors A word processor is a computer application used for the production of any sort of printable material such as letters, books, reports, flyers, etc. It also can have limited graphic handling capabilities. CAG Commands Copy and Paste/Cut and Paste Cuts or copies an image from a document then allows the user to paste it into the same document or another as many times as needed. Rotate Rotates a graphic about a point. Mirror Copies and flips or reflects a graphic. Fill Fills an object with colour. A Gradient fill is a fill that goes from one colour to another uniformly. CAG Software (Computer aided Graphics) Image editors and illustration software are the two primary categories of graphics software. While there are potentially many subcategories of graphics software, most applications Solid Fill Gradient

3 Header fall into one or the other of these two main categories. This is because there are two very different types of graphics: vector and bitmap graphics. Image Editors (pixel/bitmap-based) Rule Serif Font Also known as paint applications, this is the most popular type of graphics software. Image editors allow you to create bitmap-based images from scratch with a variety of painting tools intended to mimic natural painting tools. Almost all image editing software includes features for photo enhancement and retouching as well. Images that are created and edited in this type of application are referred to as bitmaps because they are made up a series of pixels in a grid. The advantage to bitmapped images are that you can get a great deal of detail, as much detail as a photograph. The downside is that you will always be confined by the pixel resolution of the image. Image editors are used to edit digital photos and scanned images (which are always bitmap-based) and for creating continuous-tone and photo-realistic artwork. Illustration Software (vector-based) Caption Reverse (white on Black) Illustration software allows you to create drawings using lines and curves. These drawings are called vector illustrations. Vector illustrations can be easily edited by moving points, adjusting curves, and changing the colours of various objects.

4 Vector illustrations, because they consist of points and objects rather than pixels on a grid, are free from the confines of pixel resolution. Unlike bitmapped images, they will always print at the highest resolution possible, giving you printed output with smooth fills and crisp lines no matter what size you print it. However, vector graphics generally cannot contain the high level of detail as bitmapped images so they often have a cartoon-like appearance. Illustration software is most often used to create stylised, cartoon-like images, logos, maps, and other design elements that need to be output at any size. DTP Page Layout Bleed White Space Header Sans Serif Font Desktop Publishing Desktop Publishing refers to the process of using the computer to produce documents such as newsletters, brochures, books, and other publications. Desk top" because you will be creating the work on your desktop - on your computer." Publishing" because you could set-up a system that creates newsletters or other advertisements that can be published and passed on (or sold!) to others. Prior to DTP, these were created manually using a variety of different techniques to achieve an attractive looking layout. These techniques were labour intensive and unless you were skilled, it was not always easy to achieve a professional looking result. Although it is possible to put together a simple document using a word processor, if you want to create long or complex Drop Cap Margin Footer Gutter Text Wrap Column

5 Caption Text placed under an illustration to describe it. Crop To cut the edges of an illustration to fit in a given space or to show a particular detail. Reverse The technique of printing white or light coloured text on a black or dark background for emphasis. This technique greatly reduces legibility, especially with small type. Text wrap Used when you want text to "wrap" around a graphic or pullout quote. A text wrap may be rectangular (most commonly), irregular, or arbitrary. Bleed Any text or graphic element touching the edge of a page is called a bleed. Often done intentionally for non-text objects,. documents such as books, brochures or magazines, the special features in DTP software are invaluable. They can make the whole process of putting images and words together much simpler. They allow you to make a layout look professional by flowing text around pictures, automatically creating indexes and numbering pages. DTP Features Guidelines/Guides Non-printing lines, often dotted, that aid in flow and alignment of text and positioning of graphics during page layout are known as guides. Most desktop publishing software applications allow the user to drag guides onto the page or position them precisely using a dialog box. Groups of guides form a grid. There are three types of non-printing guides: margin guides, column guides, and ruler guides. Guide may act differently depending on if they are placed on master pages or regular publication pages in the document. Ruler guides can also be used on the pasteboard to align objects before moving them onto the page. White Space: Areas on a piece which are free of type, graphics, and photos. White space is important in good design. It makes a piece more readable. Text Column Text that is displayed in side-by-side columns. The text flows from the bottom of one column to the top of the next column on the same page.

6 Gutter The blank space between two columns of text is the gutter. Sometimes a downrule is placed in the gutter, especially with close-set columns, to help keep the reader's eye from jumping the gutter over to the next column. Margins The margins top, bottom, and either side is that usually empty space between the trim (where the page is cut) and the live printing area (primary text and graphics) of the page. Sometimes headers or footers may be placed within the margins. Footer Any information that's repeated in the page's bottom margin. Header Any information that's repeated in every page's top margin. Rule Horizontal or vertical lines used in design for separating sections or merely provide graphic elements for decoration. Fonts Fonts are an integral part of desktop publishing. Historically, font refers to a specific typeface in a specific point size and style. Therefore, Times New Roman Bold 12 points is a single font while Times New Roman 10 points is another separate font. Today, in common usage font refers to any digital typeface that can normally be rendered in a variety of sizes. Sans Serif A typeface in which all characters lack serifs (the short lines at the tops and bottoms of letters). Sans is French for without. Serif The short lines found at the tops and bottoms of a serif typeface. Kerning Kerning is the adjustment of space between pairs of letters to make them more visually appealing. It is normally applied to individual letter pairs in headlines or other large type. Leading Leading is the space between lines of text. Pronounced ledding, its name comes from the practice of using metal strips (usually lead) of varying widths to separate lines of text in the days of metal type. Leading is also called line spacing. Some programs offer multiple ways to specify leading which can lead to some confusion.