digi downloads format

[sugarplum]

Bit of advise please.. Looking at some digital downloads but they are offered as either JPG (White background) which as far as I'm aware is the only format I have ever bought d/loads in, or in PNG, (Transparent background)
The site says PNG is the one that gives you the equivilent to a stamped image
So would the png be better for me as I want images I can colour myself but, (and please tell me if I am right or wrong in this ) I would find it handy being able to print onto patterned card to use for paper piecing Is that what the PNG format would allow?
which is better?
thanks

[Julie]

Great question, I have wondered about this myself when on the two peas website.

[Gemcrazynan]

If you wan't to colour them yourself then you need the PNG format
also great for printing on to coloured card or paper
i download hundreds of PNG images as they are easier to work with

[pyjama princess]

Charmed Cards and Crafts have some tips on different file formats:

http://www.charmedcardsandcrafts.co....ats_explained_

And some tips from DigiStamp Boutique:

http://www.digistampboutique.co.uk/c...cArticlePath=0

I've asked your question on another forum and was told this:

'A PNG file is used to overlay other images. The image is transparent with the background image or text showing through. A JPEG file is solid. These files are generally used as a background type of image. Hope that helps - just found that jpegs are better suited to photographic images rather than line drawings or textual graphics.'

[sugarplum]

thanks for the explanations Looks like PNG it is

[Anne]

So am I right in thinking that if I printed a JPG download onto a piece of coloured card, my image would filled in white?

[sugarplum]

Thats the way I am undestanding it Anne

[LoobyLou]

Think about it ladies.........

There is no white ink on a printer and no way of making white ink!

A JPG will print out as a line drawing on ANY colour or patterned paper, UNLESS it has a coloured background itself.

So a plain edged digital download such as a stamped image will just print the image the same as a stamp.

A png is easier to move around your graphics programme because it is only the image that moves. When you copy a jpg to put it say, sitting on a tree stump, then you would be copying the area outside the line drawing as well and that may well obscure the image below it. Equally if you place a png over another image, because the png is transparent that image will show throw it. So you could load up a nicely patterned paper and then layer a png over the top and the png image would be patterned like the paper.

Is this making sense?

However, a JPG definitely will not print the middle white for the reason stated above.

I am uploading two pics here to show you what I mean, example 1 is the png type of file overlaid over a coloured image............. see how the top image of the woman is transparent.

Example 2 is a the same file saved as a jpg, then I grabbed it with my magic wand tool in Photoimpact and grabbed just the girl and moved her across to the same background and this time she is white and could be coloured in, what the white in effect is doing here is blocking out the background image. If I printed her on her own on the coloured paper then she would not have any white showing, and the background would show through.

Example 3 is how it looks after printing. First I printed the background, then I put the printed background back through the printer and printed first the PNG file and then next to it the JPG file, I have marked the JPG in red so you can see which is which..... see no difference.

At the bottom of example 3 is what would happen if I printed out example 2.

Hope this makes sense.

I buy PNGs cos you can always save them as JPGs as well, but I don't know how to make a PNG out of a JPG, although I bet someone on here does!

The images are all courtesy of Charmed Cards and Crafts in their digital d/ld section. Gorgeous images nice cheap cost for a whole bunch of them.

Looby

[Anne]

Think about it ladies.........

There is no white ink on a printer and no way of making white ink!

Doh! It's bleedin' obvious once someone tells it to you simply! Thanks Looby.

[pyjama princess]

....I buy PNGs cos you can always save them as JPGs as well, but I don't know how to make a PNG out of a JPG, although I bet someone on here does!

...

Try this Looby, make sure you click on the free download:

http://www.cutepdf.com/Products/CutePDF/writer.asp