Clipart

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Definition

Clip art, in the graphic arts, refers to pre-made images used to illustrate any medium. Clip art is divided into two different data types represented by many different graphics file formats: bitmap and vector art. Clip art vendors may provide images of just one type or both. (Wikipedia)

Formats used in repositories

The most common bitmap formats for clipart distributed on the web is *.jpg, *.png, and *.fig. But one may also find *.bmp (for smaller things), or TIFF and TGA.

Most common vector formats are:

  • Adobe's EPS (Encapsulated PostScript), also the related PDF format.
  • Microsoft WMF (Windows Metafile) and its variants
    • EMF - Enhanced Metafile)
    • WMZ - Compressed Windows Metafile
    • EMZ - Compressed Windows Enhanced Metafile
  • SVG (in the open source community)
  • Illustrator *.ai file (rarely)

Clipart repositories

We are mostly interested in vector formats. Alternatively, you may also search through other applications you installed on your computer, e.g. Office products like Word and Powerpoint and the Open Office equivalent.

In SVG Format

SVG became the most standard format in the open source community. Many commercial programs can import SVG, but some like Flash can not. In this case use a tool like Inkscape to export to *.ai, then import to Illustrator, then paste to Flash.

Windows Meta File

Free
Commercial

Bitmaps only

Other Links

File formats

General


Software

Most graphics vector graphics editors can import/export various formats.

Free online tools
  • [1] SVG to JPEG/PNG/TIFF at fileformat.info
Free Vector editors