Creation and image manipulation software is used to create artwork for digital media projects. These are programs that mimic traditional tools. They all have paint brushes that you can draw with, shape tools to make lines and squares, paint buckets to color areas, and many tools. These software programs take time to master. These applications should be the first to learn when beginning to study Digital Media.

There are two categories of creation and image manipulation software.

1. Bitmap software Example "Photoshop"
These programs create artwork out of many tiny dots called pixels. The pixel is the building blocks of most digital media. In fact, all the artwork created on this web site are created out of pixels. Like the buttons to the left.

2. Vector software Example "Illustartor"
These programs create artwork out of shapes. These shapes are fill with colors and layered on top of each other. It is like cutting out construction paper and glue them on top of each other to make a picture. These programs are great for creating artwork for digital media as-well-as publishing. A Flash web site is made out of Vectors, That is why it is possible for animation on a web site.