bitmap image - also called a raster image, is made of pixels or dots that are arranged and colored differently to form an image or pattern such as a photograph or logo. When you zoom in, you can see the individual squares that make up the total image. Increasing the size of a bitmap has the effect of increasing individual pixels because extra pixels are added that did not originally exist, making lines and shapes appear jagged and distorted. Reducing the size of a bitmap also distorts the original image, because pixels are removed to reduce the overall image size and quality. Also, because a bitmap image is created as a collection of arranged pixels, its parts cannot be manipulated individually. Bitmaps have a fixed resolution so a bitmap looks best when you display or print it at its original size.

bitmapped image - a low resolution image where you can see the individual squares, dots or pixels that make up the total image. The lines and shapes of an image appear jagged or "pixelated." (See pixelation).

border - a rectangular box that surrounds the perimeter of an ad or selected items on that ad the such as a photograph that creates a hard edge. Borders are not allowed around the perimeter of USM ads. (See keystoning).

CMYK - a color mode made up of cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), and black (K). In the CMYK color mode, each color value is expressed as a percentage, so a color value of 100% for an ink means that the color value is applied at full saturation. This color format is used in most full-color commercial printing. .

continuous-tone - a photographic image represented by smooth graduated tones from one color to another. Continuous tone images must be converted into bitmap files before they can be reproduced on digital devices such as a computer.

contrast - the difference in brightness between the lightest and darkest tones in an image. When "poor contrast" is referenced, the difference between the lighest and darkest tones between two images (ie., a background color and a font color that sits on top of the background color) is poor, thereby making the text hard to read when viewed on-screen.

CorelDraw - a vector-based, graphic drawing program or application that lets you create professional artwork, from simple logos to advertisements to intricate technical illustrations.

dpi - dots per inch - is a measure of resolution, or the amount of detail and information that an image contains. Dpi, specifically is the number of pixels or dots per square inch that make up a bitmap image. Typically, higher dpi images produce smoother and cleaner output because there are more dots that make up the color or detail of an image. Conversely, the lower the dpi or resolution, the poorer the output quality.

duotone - is a color mode. An image in the Duotone color mode is simply a grayscale image that has been enhanced with an additional color. Use the Duotone color mode to add a touch of color to grayscale images.

feathered edges - background images that have a solid or "hard" edge around the perimeter are not allowed on USM slide ads. (See keystoning.) All edges must "blend" or "blur" to black to soften the edges of the background.

file type - computer files may be referenced to as one of the following: jpg (jpeg), .tif, .eps (encapsulated post script), bmp (bitmap), .psd (Photoshop document), etc..

film recorder - A hardware device that renders digital data (a graphic computer file) onto analog film. Typical film sizes are 35mm and 4x5.

flattened file - an image or layout that has been created in a bitmap-based drawing program, such as Photoshop or Corel Photo Paint, that is no longer editable. (See layers/layered file.)

font - a single style, weight and size of a typeface, such as Times Roman, Arial, Helvetica, Brush Script, etc..

Freehand - a vector-based, graphic drawing program or application that lets you create professional artwork, from simple logos to advertisements to intricate technical illustrations.

full frame photo - any photo that is used to take up the entire background of an ad.

grayscale - a color model, which can display up to 256 shades of gray ranging from white to black. Grayscale images, especially photographs, are commonly referred to as "black and white."

jaggies - the pixelated or stairstepped appearance of low-resolution computer-generated images.

Illustrator - a vector-based, graphic drawing program or application that lets you create professional artwork, from simple logos to advertisements to intricate technical illustrations.

halftone - used in the printing industry. An image that has been converted from a continuous-tone image to a series of dots of various sizes that simulates the appearance of shading in a printed image. A photograph must be converted to a halftone before it can be printed on conventional printing presses. Since USM requires continuous-tone images on all ad creations, halftone images are not useable.

image - any part of a layout other than text, such as a logo, photo, background, etc..

Jaz disk - a storage device used for storing computer files.

keystoning - most movie slide advertising programs project ads from a slight angle, causing a projection distortion known as "keystoning." The effect causes an image to become slightly skewed when projected a long distance through a curved lens. Images that have hard edges or borders accentuate the keystoning effect and therefore are not allowed on USM slide ads.

layers or layered file - one of a series of transparent planes on which you can place objects in a drawing or advertisement. You can control how objects in your drawing overlay one another by placing individual objects on individual layers. You can move or lock layers or make them invisible and nonprintable. Layers are used to help organize different components of a complex drawing. Once the series of layers have been "flattened," "merged" or "combined," the file is no longer editable.

layout - the combination of different elements of an ad, photo, logo, text, color selections, etc. that have been arranged to give the ad an overall cohesive look.

low resolution - see pixelation also. When an image has been scanned or created at a low resolution, for USM purposes, the final quality of output is not high enough to be used for USM advertising.

megapixel image - In graphic design, an image containing a very large number of pixels, a million or more. Megapixel images have a lot of detail and make very large files.

moire pattern - if you scan a halftone image, you will have moires on final output. Specifically, when scanning half-tone images (color and black and white) an undesirable chequered pattern or effect results on the final output. The is caused by misaligned or improper screen angles on the half-tone image.

Photoshop - a bitmap-based, graphic drawing program that designers use to create professional artwork or advertisements. This program is typically used to scan and alter photographic images.

pixelation - a low resolution image where you can see the individual squares, dots or pixels that make up the total image. The lines and shapes of an image appear jagged or "pixelated."

Powerpoint - a basic layout program that is primarily used to create business presentations. Powerpoint offers very limited graphic capabilities and should not be used for creating USM ads.

pixels - are dots or squares on a computer or television screen that combine to form an image. Computer images are created as an array of pixels, each having a specific color.

QuarkXpress - a professional graphics program that designers use to layout advertisements.

recreate - when a client provides artwork that is unacceptable for use on USM ads, USM's Creative Services staff will ask the client if it is okay for USM to "recreate" the artwork as close as possible to the original.

resolution - the amount of detail and information that an image file contains. Typically, the higher the resolution the better quality the image. It also means larger file sizes.

RGB - the millions of colors a computer monitor produces can all be described as amounts of red, green, and blue. These three color components form the basis for the RGB (Red, Green, and Blue) color model. Each of the three colors is assigned a numeric value between 0 and 255. All images that USM uses for creating slides must be in RGB color format.

scan - the process of converting a traditional piece of artwork, like a photograph or logo, to a digital image made up of pixels, dots or squares, where the image can then be used in other computer software programs.

scanning resolution - describes the density of information or the amount of detail and information that a scanner can capture, measured in pixels per inch (ppi) or dots per inch (dpi).

stock photography - photos that USM has purchased for use when creating in-house ads. Only USM may use these photographic images. They can not be copied or transferred to the client for other advertising use.

type set - some times clients provide artwork (logos, sample ads, etc.) that use fonts that USM designers do not have on their computers. In these cases USM will offer to find a similar font and "type set" as close to the sample as possible.

vector based - a series of mathematically defined lines and curves that can be scaled to any size without losing its crisp, smooth edges. Unlike bitmap images that are made up of dots or pixels and lose quality as they are enlarged, vector images represent shapes as a series of lines and curves that you can resize without loss of quality. Vector images are typically created in programs like CorelDraw, Illustrator and Freehand.

Zip disk - a storage device used for storing computer files.