Clipart: Difference between revisions
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* [http://www.openclipart.org/ Open Clip Art Library] (SVG and PNG). | * [http://www.openclipart.org/ Open Clip Art Library] (SVG and PNG). | ||
* [http://commons.uncyclomedia.org/wiki/Category:Openclipart Files from the Openclipart library] | * [http://commons.uncyclomedia.org/wiki/Category:Openclipart Files from the Openclipart library] | ||
* [http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Nuvola_SVG_icons Nuvola SVG icons | * [http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Nuvola_SVG_icons Nuvola SVG icons] | ||
=== Windows Meta File === | === Windows Meta File === | ||
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; Free | ; Free | ||
* [http://www.free-clip-art.com/ free-clip-art.com] | * [http://www.free-clip-art.com/ free-clip-art.com] | ||
; Commercial | ; Commercial | ||
Revision as of 11:57, 29 August 2007
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)
This article is also part of the Flash tutorials.
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)
Importing clipart to Flash
Most often, clipart is distributed in *.wmf format (Windows Meta File format). Flash can handle this format. It also can handle Illustrator *.ai format, Enhanced Windows Metafile *.emf, Freehand, Flash *.swf, and Autocad *.dxf. It can not handle SVG.
To import, either copy/paste it from an open application or use File->Import, either to stage or to library.
If you have the whole Design Premium CS3 suite, you also can first import to Illustrator that can handle more import formats, then select and paste the clipart ...
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.
Indexes
It is extremly difficult to find good free clipart sites. Best bet is really the Open Clip Art Library, but then may have to transform SVG into another vector format, e.g. if you work with Flash.
- Clip Art (DMOZ, most links are junk).
- The Big List of Clip Art Topics (about.com) Also fairly useless for finding vector images.
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 you can for instance:
- Import to Illustrator, then paste to Flash
- Or open with the free Inkscape tool and export as *.ai (Illustrator) or *.dxf (Autocad) and then import to Flash (import didn't work for me)
Windows Meta File
- Free
- Commercial
- Graphicsfactory
- Prodraw (some free bitmaps)
Bitmaps only
- Nuvola icons, see also Project Nuvola 2.0+
- School Clip Art (only bitmaps)
- Inki's Clipart
- Clip Project
- Wp Clipart
- Best of Clipart (needs registration)
Other Links
File formats
- Fileformat.Info
- File format (Overview Wikipedia)
- List of file formats(Wikipedia). This is quite complete.
- Alphabetical list of file extensions (Wikipedia). This is quite complete.
General
- Clip art (Wikipedia article)
- Open Clip Art Library (Wikipedia entry)
Software
Most graphics vector graphics editors can import/export various formats.
- Comparison of vector graphics editors (Wikipedia).
- List of vector graphics editors (Wikipedia)
- Free online tools
- SVG to JPEG/PNG/TIFF at fileformat.info
- Free Vector editors