It was the Apple Computer, with its GUI which provided desktop publishing with the tools required to make it a reality for consumers. These images were used in business presentations, as well as for other types of presentations. For the IBM PC, the first library of professionally drawn clip art was provided with VCN ExecuVision, introduced in 1983. After the introduction of mass-produced personal computers such as the IBM PC in 1981 and the Apple Macintosh in 1984, the widespread use of clip art by consumers became possible through the invention of desktop publishing. Since the 1990s, nearly all publishers have replaced the paste up process with desktop publishing. After the addition of text and art created through phototypesetting, the finished, camera-ready pages are called mechanicals. In this process, the clip art images are cut out by hand, then attached via adhesives to a board representing a scale size of the finished, printed work. Many clip art images of this era qualified as line art. Before the advent of computers in desktop publishing, clip art was used through a process called paste up. The term 'clipart' originated through the practice of physically cutting images from pre-existing printed works for use in other publishing projects. It is generally composed exclusively of illustrations (created by hand or by computer software), and does not include stock photography. Since its inception, clip art has evolved to include a wide variety of content, file formats, illustration styles, and licensing restrictions. However, most clip art today is created, distributed, and used in a digital form.

Today, clip art is used extensively and comes in many forms, both electronic and printed. Pieces are pre-made images used to illustrate any medium. Examples of computer clip art, from OpenclipartĬlip art (also clipart, clip-art) is a type of graphic art.

Paint can clip art