Notes: When requesting image files from Armstrong|Shank, please specify the computer platform (PC or Mac), color type (CMYK color, RGB color or grayscale) and the intended use for the art. That will help us give you the right art for your project.

Many of our files are produced with high-end editing software that may be required to be "opened." Images need not be "opened" to be useful, however, unless changes need to be made to the images themselves. These images are meant to be "placed" or "inserted" into documents.

EPS — Encapsulated Postscript. This type of file is commonly associated with Adobe Illustrator, Aldus Freehand and Corel Draw vector-based images. These files are based on mathematical descriptions of vector "path" art, but may also contain photographic bitmapped images. Vector art may be scaled to any size without loss of quality, provided the printer or output device is Postscript compatible. It's an ideal file type for logos or hard-edged illustrations. Bitmapped photographic images may also be saved as EPS files. It's an especially useful format for images that contain a "clipping path" which outlines the subject.

TIF (or TIFF) — Tagged Image File Format. This is an excellent file format for high-quality photographic images. The file contains a low-resolution "preview" image for placement purposes along with the high resolution bitmapped picture file. This is very helpful for documents that contain many high-resolution images, since it limits the amount of information your computer and video card must process to display a representation on the screen.

JPG (or JPEG) — Joint Photographic Experts Group. A photographic image comprised of bitmapped pixels that uses a compression scheme to reduce the file size. JPGs have a wide range of uses, but are commonly used for internet website graphics. JPG files are "lossy", which means they lose a degree of quality when they are saved. The compression algorhithm limits the total number of colors in the document to reduce file size. The quality level desired is chosen when the file is saved. Higher quality files result in a larger total file size, lower quality files result in much smaller file sizes. JPGs are "cross-platform", meaning they may be read and used by any operating system, provided the three letter extension is included at the end of the file name.

GIF — Compuserve Graphics Interchange Format. A compressed bitmapped image comprised of pixels, much like a low quality JPG. The total number of colors is limited to 8 bits (256 colors). GIFs may also contain several images or layers that may be displayed in succession for web animation (GIF89A). GIFs are "cross-platform", meaning they may be read and used by any operating system, provided the three letter extension is included at the end of the file name.

BMP — A bitmapped picture file developed for Microsoft operating systems. Very similar to a PICT.

PICT — A bitmapped picture file that is especially efficient for images with a limited number of colors.

PDF — Adobe Portable Document Format. A cross-platform file type that uses Adobe technology to embed all type, photos and graphics into a single document. The files may contain multiple pages and may be compressed as needed to reduce file size. PDFs are very useful for sending proofs for approval, and high-resolution PDFs have become the industry standard for sending ads to publications. Acrobat Reader for previewing PDF files is installed on most new personal computers and is also a free download available at www.adobe.com.

AVI — Audio Video Interleave. A Microsoft standard format for combining full-motion video with digitized sound. Widely used for television commercials.

QT (Quicktime) — Apple computer's standard for combining compressed full-motion video and digitized sound to produce Quicktime movies.

MOV — Microsoft Windows Quicktime movie file format.

WAV — Microsoft Windows sound file format.

MP3 — A cross-platform MPEG audio file format that plays on most computers and consumer audio devices. The format is especially useful for transferring music over the internet.

MPEG — A compression standard for digital audio and video.

WMV — Windows Media Video. A Microsoft Windows movie file format.

The graphic arts industry is overwhelmingly committed to the Apple Macintosh operating platform. Armstrong|Shank uses Macintosh computers to generate the majority of it's files. Fortunately, Apple works hard to provide ways to communicate with other operating systems. Following is a short list of the programs we use: