DIFFERENCE BETWEEN RASTER AND VECTOR SOFTWARE

If you’re drawing something with a limited number of colors, choose vector images. If you’re editing photos with multiple colors, choose raster images. If you’re not totally sure which kind of graphic to use, follow these guidelines. When should I choose raster or vector graphics?įor photos you need raster images and Adobe Photoshop for letterhead, text, logos, and other simple graphic elements, you need vector images and Adobe Illustrator. However, vector images cannot display photographs in a natural looking way, and vector formats are not as well supported online as are raster formats. Vector images are scalable, so one version of a design will always work for every iteration of a project. They also have a limit to their scalability. However, raster files, especially high resolution files, are very large. They showcase finer nuances in shading and light at higher resolutions. Raster graphics can reveal a multitude of colors in a single image and allow for more precise color editing.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN RASTER AND VECTOR SOFTWARE

The main disadvantages are that vector graphics demand professional design software and the ability to use it. The principal advantage of vector graphics is that they produce the most precise, clearest designs at any scale. Vector graphics are used most commonly in printing brochures, business cards, large signage, logos, window graphics, and any other projects that feature designs, logos, symbols, and/or text-anything other than photos or complex, multi-hued designs that demand subtle gradations of color. For this reason vector graphics are ideal for logos and other projects that need to remain sharp at multiple sizes.Īdobe Illustrator and CorelDraw are the most popular vector graphics editors. These are the vectors.īecause the vectors are mathematically defined, vector graphics are scalable and can be blown up to any size without losing any quality or getting any of the fuzzy, pixelated qualities that you see when you zoom in on raster images. If you look closely at a vector image you will see control points with curves between them, almost like a child’s connect the dots game. Vector graphicsĪ vector graphic is not made up of pixels instead, it is made up of paths, each with a vector or mathematical formula that controls its shape and color. The primary disadvantage of raster graphics is that they are not always usable for creating high-quality printed projects, especially when the desired end product is large-format. Some advantages of raster graphics include the following: they are easy to use they provide subtle gradations of color and they are simple to edit using common programs like Photoshop and Microsoft Paint. Typical raster graphic file formats include. Compression techniques can mitigate this issue, although if space is a major concern these graphics may present you with a challenge. That is because raster files include information about each pixel in the graphic. Raster images take more hard disk space than vector format images, even when they appear to look the same. Raster graphics are also excellent for catalogs, flyers, postcards, stationery, and other everyday projects. Raster graphics are best used when it’s important to show the smooth transition of shades and colors-for example, in photos. Simply erase or change the color of individual pixels until you achieve the effect you’re looking for. Zooming in to isolate individual pixels gives you the ability to edit images with a high level of precision using a tool like Adobe Photoshop. You typically don’t see the individual pixels unless the resolution is poor, or unless you zoom in on a raster image. More pixels within a unit area means higher resolution and quality. Each pixel is actually a tiny square assigned a specific color, and like tiles in a mosaic, they are arranged to create an image. Raster graphicsĪ raster image is like a mosaic made up of pixels.

Read on and you’ll always choose the right tool for the job. In fact, sometimes the explanation of the difference can feel more complicated than the question! However, today we’ll banish confusion forever as we explain the difference between vector graphics and raster graphics in a way that’s easy to understand. If you’re new to the study of design you may still be fuzzy on the difference between vector graphics and raster graphics.

Difference between raster and vector