Unit 30 M1
Hardware Basics
Computer monitors are vital with any computer system, they allow you to see everything on the computer. You can watch videos etc using the computer monitor. Everything visual is associated with the computer monitor. The monitors can come in HD therefore producing a brilliant image. However a monitor of great quality comes at a large price. The computer monitor may also not be compatible with all computer systems.
A keyboard is a great piece of hardware to have with a computer, you can use it to type anything on word processor. You can use it for internet searches and anything to do with typing up words. The limitations of this is that they are usually wired and too many wires coming out of a computer can get very confusing. Also a very good keyboard can come quite expensive.
A mouse allows you to move the cursor around the screen wherever you may desire, and allows you to click on any thing on the screen that is accessible. Mouses come with wires which take up space and make things more confusing, the movement of the mouse may be restricted without a mouse mat, thus leading to extra costs.
Hardware input
A digital camera is a basic hardware input which can be used by a graphics designer. The justifications for purchasing a digital camera are that you can use them anywhere and they are small enough to fit in your bag or even in a pocket. They can produce a great quality picture however this is dependent upon the price of the camera. The quality of the image also depends on the lighting. The main limitation is that the price of a high quality camera is very high. Another disadvantage of a digital camera is that a hard disk failure can result in photos being lost because they were not backed up or printed.
A scanner can be utilized when creating graphic images, they are easy to use and allow you to scan any image that is on a piece of paper and visualize them on your computer monitor. This means that you can edit them or use them for designs etc. The limitations of this is that they can be very expensive and some are only compatible with certain sizes of paper e.g A4. Scanner maintenance can be relatively expensive, when owning a scanner you will have to replace many parts of it on a regular basis.
A graphics tablet enable the person to hand draw a design and visualize it on the computer screen. Another justification of purchasing a graphics tablet is that its almost like putting pencil to paper, making things much easier than designing an image on the computer. A limitation is that they are also very expensive for a good quality and it also may be difficult to find a graphics tablet at at a large enough size for a reasonable price. Graphics tablets are much slower than drawing with pencil onto paper, however have their benefits. They can also be awkward to use properly e.g. accessing menus. Larger designs for example A4 can be very expensive.
Hardware output
A printer is a great hardware output that you can have with a computer. I have included a printer because the advantages of having one is that it allows you to print out your work and have a hard copy that you can show people, and you can use it to get an understanding of how the design will look as a hard copy. You can print out basically anything on the computer that you want a hard copy of. The limitations of a printer is that some printers can only print out on a specific paper size for example A4, therefore to have a printer that can print on various paper sizes, it will be very expensive. There will also be further payments for purchasing paper for the printer. Ink can also be costly because it can be rapidly used up.
I have included a projector because this allows you to show your designs, ideas etc. to a group of people. You can present your designs to people. The limitations of a projector is that they can be very expensive and will require a whiteboard to project onto, therefore further costs. Also you will need space on your wall to fit the whiteboard. To use a printer successfully you will need to use it in a dark room to get a good picture. They can also be very difficult to install which is time consuming.
A vinyl cutter is a great hardware output to have because you can control the machine from your computer making them easy to use, dictating the movement of the sharp blade as you desire. This is a great thing to have as it allows you to cut out your designs when making signs banners etc, a vinyl cutter is required. However like many hardware, a good vinyl cutter is going to be very expensive, also depending on the size will also dictate the price.
I chose to include a file storage device and i can justify my choice as they allow you to store data within the computer. Digital data on your computer can only be saved with a file storage device. For example if creating a graphic image, file storage devices allow you to save work, designs etc. and come back and finish them another day as they will be saved on the computer. The main issue with file storage devices is that depending on how much work you are doing, you will require a higher memory file storage device, and the memory that a file storage device has is directly proportional to the price.
Software
Adobe Photoshop is a great software to have installed in your computer system, as it allows you to manipulate a photo, combine photos, crop etc. The only limitations are that Photoshop can be difficult to use and it is very expensive to purchase and install. The android and IOS version of Photoshop does not have as many features, also images can become pixelated and lower quality when expanding them.
I had included Adobe illustrator because it allows you to edit vector graphics. It is a very efficient way to create graphics. However just like most software, it is very expensive to purchase and install, and will also require time to work out how to use it properly. May require watching tutorials before attempting to use it due to having a high level of difficulty to master it. You must have a lot of patience to create a high quality design.
Serif is the last software that i had included, and i can justify my choice because it allows you to precisely draw graphic images in much greater detail, using many different techniques to suit the design you are creating. The limitations are the same as for Photoshop and Illustrator, utilising the software requires time and education, and also a lot of money to purchase.
