GRAPHICS PACKAGES I (JSS2 3RD TERM)

GRAPHICS PACKAGES I

Definition of Graphics Packages

A graphics package is an application that can be used to create and manipulate images on a computer.

There are two main types of graphics package:

1. Painting packages: A painting package produces images by changing the colour of pixels on the screen.

Note: a pixel is a smallest unit of a digital image that can be displayed and represented on a digital display device.

2. Drawing packages: A drawing package produces images that are made up from coloured lines and shapes such as circles, squares and rectangles.

 

Examples of graphics packages include:

a.       MS Paint

b.      PC Paintbrush

c.       Adobe Photoshop

d.      JASC’s Paint Shop Pro

e.       CorelDraw

f.       Micrographix Designer

g.      AutoCAD.

h.      Instant artist,

i.       Harvard graphic

 

Features of Graphic Packages

Most of the graphic packages possess the following features and tools.

1. Menu bar: 

The menu bar can be used to activate commands of graphic packages and operations. Depending on the graphic package you are using, some packages contain the following. File, edit, view, text, tools, window, help, etc.

2. Title bar: 

This is the topmost bar on the graphic package window. It contains three buttons (Maximize, Minimize and Close) which are used to manipulate the windows. The title bar also contains the name of the file you are working with.

3. Toolbox: 

A toolbox is a bar with tools for creating, filling and modifying objects in the drawing

4. Printable area:

Printable area can be referred to as the work space inside the drawing window, which you can plan your work on.

5. Colour palette: 

It is a bar that allows you to fill desired objects or texts with any colour you want.

6. The drawing window or Printable Area:

This is where all drawings are done. Any drawing that is not here will not appear in the printout.

EVALUATION

What are the main differences between Painting packages and drawing packages?