An image is a visual representation of something. An image can be a two-dimensional (2D) representation, such as a drawing, painting, or photograph, or a three-dimensional (3D) object, such as a carving or sculpture. An image may be displayed through other media, including projection on a surface, activation of electronic signals, or digital displays. Two-dimensional images can be still or animated. Still images can usually be reproduced through mechanical means, such as photography, printmaking or photocopying. In some cases, three-dimensional images may also be animated (capable of passive or active motion).
The term has a technical meaning in some fields. In the context of signal processing, an image is a distributed amplitude of color(s). In optics, the term "image" may refer specifically to a 2D image.
A volatile image is one that exists or is perceived only for a short period of time. This may be a reflection of an object by a mirror, a projection of a camera obscura, or a scene displayed on a cathode-ray tube. A fixed image, also called a hard copy, is one that has been recorded on a material object, such as paper or textile by photography or any other digital process.
A mental image exists in an individual's mind, as something one remembers or imagines. The subject of an image need not be real; it may be an abstract concept, such as a graph, function, or imaginary entity. For an image to be understood, however, there must be a way of conveying that mental image through the words or visual productions of the individual subject.
