How do raster graphics represent an image on a computer screen?

Raster graphics represent images by using a grid of tiny, uniformly sized pixels—or picture elements—arranged in columns and rows. This grid is stored in memory as a bitmap, which acts as an array of binary data that defines the specific color and luminescence of each pixel.123

When an image is displayed on a screen, the computer reads this bitmap data to determine how to "paint" the screen, projecting the pixels as illuminated dots. From a distance, these individual dots appear to the human eye as a continuous, detailed image.42

The level of detail in a raster image is determined by its resolution (the total number of pixels) and its color depth (the number of bits of information stored per pixel). Because they can support a wide range of colors and subtle gradients, raster graphics are particularly well-suited for continuous-tone images like photographs. While vector graphics rely on mathematical formulas to define shapes, raster graphics are the standard format for most images found on the Internet and those captured by digital cameras.15