51 What types of charts do you know of? PICTURES, IMAGES, PHOTOS, ILLUSTRATIONS... Visual representations of objects and ideas are crucial to graphic design: they are used to tell a story, catch the attention, explain, and create rhythm within the printed or the digital layout. Here are the most common terms to refer to them. Pictures and images A picture is the most general term for any visual representation of a person, object, or scene; it can be a drawing, a painting, or artwork. The term image, instead, usually refers to an object that is modified or created using a computer, ready to be placed in a design document. Photograph vs illustration Infographics, maps, graphs, diagrams Infographics are visual presentations of information accompanied by very little text which give an easily understandable overview of a topic. Maps are pictures of areas or representations of relationships between ideas, people, or events. Graphs show mathematical relationships between sets of data. Diagrams are plans, sketches, or drawings showing structures or relationships between the parts. Charts are graphical representations of data. Tables are series of facts or figures systematically displayed, especially in columns. Raster images and vector graphics Any visual representation created digitally can be: raster (.jpg, .gif, .png, etc.), i.e. composed of a grid of individual pixels that collectively compose the image; this implies that these images cannot be scaled beyond their original size without losing quality; Photographs, illustrations, and clip art overview: panoramica pre-made: preconfezionato 128 LayOut While a photograph is a type of picture taken with a camera and therefore based on reality, an illustration is a drawing of any type or format generated by an artist which can easily ignore facts to convey themes and concepts and to capture imagination in fun, strange, and even impossible ways. Clip art, instead, is a collection of pre-made images organised into categories and used as visuals for different media. vector (.eps, .ai, .svg, etc.), i.e. composed of lines created by mathematical equations; this means these images can be scaled infinitely without loss of quality. VS VECTOR RASTER