Tools within the DTP program

Most DTP programs, like PageMaker, come with graphic tools. These include straight line tools for drawing vertical and horizontal rules, box tools for creating rectangles and squares, and circle tools for creating circles and ovals. The geometric shapes can be formatted in different weights, colors, and formats.

Types of Graphic Formats: Bit-mapped and Object-Oriented Graphics

There are two types of graphic formats for the computer: bit-mapped and object-oriented.

Bit-mapped: These images are created in paint programs. Think of the computer screen as a grid of dots or pixel. When you begin to create your image, all of the pixels are turned off; all pixels are colored white. As you draw, the pixels are made to display in a color as the program tells the computer which pixels should be turned on and which should be left white. Bit-mapped images are created in paint programs, on scanners, or digital cameras.

Common bit-map extensions: .bmp, .pcx, .tif

Advantages:

Created in paint programs, which are typically easy to learn
Good for free-form graphics or any illustration that cannot be broken down into groups of geometric object
Often used to create logos, custom fonts for headlines, and borders or banners for newsletters; however, they are not good for art drawn to scale, such as technical or architectural drawings.

Disadvantages:

Sharpness is limited by the resolution of the monitor, scanner, or printer you are using
Images do not enlarge or reduce well; as much as possible, the image should be created at the size it will be used
Images are not easy to change or edit
Images do not work well with graphics that contain curved and angular edges and lines because of the square shape of individual pixels. Images often have a jagged edge when printed.
Images may take up a lot of storage space and take a long time to redraw and print.

Object-oriented images: These images are created in draw programs. Rather than recording information about individual pixels, they record mathematical information about where a line moves as it defines a graphic. The resolution of object-oriented graphics is dependent upon the printer. The better the printer is at interpreting the mathematical information, the higher the quality of the printed graphic. Common programs for creating object-oriented images would be Illustrator, Freehand,   or CAD programs.

Common extensions: .cgm, .wmf, .cdr, .eps

EPS is not a graphic file format, but a text file that uses PostScript programming language to describe images. Consequently, when the eps file is imported into the desktop publishing file, the image file prints better because the information about the graphic stays with it.

Advantages:

Curves and angles are sharper than bit-mapped
Good for images that must be done to scale, flow charts, organizational charts
Objects that overlap can be manipulated individually
Graphics can be resized and reshaped as a unit easily with good results

Disadvantages:

Screen resolution is often much poorer than the printed copy
Created in draw programs, which are typically more difficult to learn

Enhancing Graphic Files

Use your graphic files to help convey the central idea of your message. Any graphic you choose should help your reader understand more quickly and easily the words that are written in the body of your publication. The graphic should always serve a purpose.

Ways to enhance a graphic file:

1. Frame it with rules or boxes
2. Add a shade of gray or a pattern for a background
3. Adjust text to flow around the graphic
4. Add a drop shadow or a shadow box

Guidelines for using rules:

Vertical rules can be used to separate text columns
Horizontal rules should be thicker at the top of the page than at the bottom
Rules should be used consistently throughout your publication
Rules should be close to the text they support

White space: White space can be considered a graphic element. Use around graphics, white space can help draw the reader's attention to the graphic. Use around the edges of a page to reinforce the margins, white space helps shape the page content.

Cropping and Scaling an Image

Cropping an image trims the image so that it is more attractive or better fits the available space. Scaling an image is increases or decreases the image size to better fit the page.

Guidelines for scaling and cropping include:

Crop out portions of your image that are distracting or have no meaning; focus on the area that gives meaning to your message
Avoid showing more than five people in a photo
Cropping parts of the body is acceptable
Crop to enhance your page layout
Use different image sizes when designing a spread
Avoid commonly used photos. Show action whenever possible.

Using Captions

Always include a caption to describe what is happening in the photo. Be sure the caption helps relate the picture to the text. Captions should:

Be short and to the point, but fully describe the photo. Readers typically look at the illustrations before reading text. Be sure your caption entices your reader to read the entire article.
Be set in a smaller type size than the body text so the reader can easily tell what is body text and what is a caption
Use the same font for captions throughout your publication. Use a font style that contrasts with the type used in your body text. Sans serif is frequently used.
Avoid hyphenation in captions.
Captions should be written carefully and be error free.
Be placed below the illustration. For an unusual effect, place the caption above or to the side.
Be close to the illustration so that it is recognized as the caption with the illustration.
Leave some white space after the caption before beginning the body text.

Last updated December 15, 2002