A bitmap is an image made up of pixels in a rectangle or table.
Some concepts may be known by different names, especially if the names of other languages are accepted. That is what happens with the notion of bitmap , which is also mentioned as bitmap , pixmap , matrix image or raster image . The idea of raster comes from the Latin rastrum ( "rake" ), which in turn derives from radere ( "scrape" ).
These are images that are formed from points, called pixels, arranged in a rectangle or table, which is called raster . Each pixel contains color information, which may or may not contain transparency, and this is achieved by combining red, green and blue.
Bitmap and image resolution
According to the number of pixels included in the bitmap, the resolution of the image is determined. It is very common to hear values like 1280 x 720, or 1920 x 1080, and it is nothing more than the number of points expressed in a way that defines the width by the height. Bitmaps, on the other hand, can be differentiated according to the number of colors that each pixel can present.
This information is expressed in power of 2 and in the unit known as a bit ; Today, the minimum acceptable is 16 bits, with 24 and 32 being more common. On the other hand, we have the RGB type, where only an opaque result is possible, and RGBA , which accepts a fourth value, to produce translucent images . It should be noted that quality is not necessarily linked to the aforementioned characteristics, but rather depends on the good use made of the available resources.
The vector representation
Another method for digital representation of images is vector. The differences between the two are many. In principle, vector images do not have absolute dimensions, but rather relative ones. To give a practical example, suppose we draw a triangle and measure the distances between its vertices; If we wanted to enlarge it, we would simply apply the same scale to each of its lines, and we would obtain the same figure, without any deformation, only larger. In the case of bitmaps, this is impossible, since the image exists as a single list of points, which do not understand dimensions, angles or any other mathematical concept .
It is possible to represent any type of figure using a bitmap.
When scaling a bitmap, it is necessary to have an intelligent tool that is able to decide which pixels to remove (in the case of a reduction) or add (for an enlargement) so that the greatest possible detail is preserved. All of these concepts may seem very complex, but many people perform these tasks through well-known photo retouching programs, whether to make an album or simply to cut out a photo that they will use in a social network profile.
Bitmap and pixel art
Video games are such a popular art form that in recent years they have achieved revenues comparable to those of the film industry. With titles so varied, ranging from incredible photorealism to educational games and virtual trainers, its audience has grown more than expected and has come to attract people of all ages. But in their beginnings, these creations were far from being considered worthy of being exhibited in a museum.
Before the advent of 3D, video games were made up of bitmaps, which were generally created by artists , pixel by pixel. This form of art is known as Pixel art , and has managed to maintain its popularity even in the era of the third dimension , given the growing capacity of computers and consoles, which allow very complex bitmaps with varied and intense colors. But even in the 80s, when technological resources were extremely limited, design geniuses have created characters whose popularity has transcended despite being made up of pixels; This is the case of Mario , Donkey Kong , Link , from The Legend of Zelda saga, or Snake, from Metal Gear.