What are the usual bit values for bitonal images?

Question

I'm planning on storing some binarized (bitonal) images in a 1bpp binary format. What values should I use for white and black?

• Usually in RGB:

  • White is 255,255,255
  • Black is 0, 0, 0

• So for bitonal:

  • Should white be 1 following the RGB standard? or 0, meaning that the pixel is blank?
  • Should black be 0 following the RGB standard? or 1, meaning that the pixel is filled?

I'm looking for the standard or "usual" way to do it instead of following an unusual method that I'll regret later.

Answer 1

Should white be 1 following the RGB standard?

Yes

Should black be 1, meaning that the pixel is filled?

No. Rather, look at it in this way (the RGB way, ie. additive colors) : A white pixel is "filled" and a black pixel is "empty", because a white pixel "has light", and a black pixel has nothing.