Rasterpixel

Rasterpixel is a term that refers to a single point or dot within a raster image. Raster images, also known as bitmap images, are composed of a grid of pixels, where each pixel has a specific color value. The term "raster" itself comes from the Latin word "rastrum," meaning a rake, and it describes the way the image is scanned, line by line.

Each rasterpixel is the smallest addressable element in a raster image. When you zoom in on a digital photograph or any other image created using a raster format (like JPEG, PNG, or BMP), you will eventually see these individual squares of color. The resolution of a raster image is determined by the number of rasterpixels it contains, both horizontally and vertically. A higher resolution means more rasterpixels, resulting in a more detailed and clearer image.

The color and brightness of each rasterpixel are stored in the image file. This information is then interpreted by a display device, such as a computer monitor or a printer, to reproduce the image. When editing raster images, one often manipulates these individual rasterpixels or groups of them to make changes to the image. The concept of the rasterpixel is fundamental to understanding how digital images are created, stored, and displayed.