Raster vs Vector: What’s the Difference?

While vector graphics are great for many digital design projects, there are certain instances where you’ll need a raster image to achieve the right outcome. There are several differences between raster and vector formats, from storing raster and vector graphics data within the files to ideal use cases. On the other hand, vector images are best for any project that demands scalability. As previously mentioned, marketing material such as logos and brochures are good examples of such projects.

These paths and curves are produced exclusively through software designed for vectors, like Adobe Illustrator or Sketch. Due to their algorithmic makeup, vectors are infinitely scalable, and remain smooth and crisp even when sized up to massive dimensions. Even when scaled to substantial proportions, the pattern below remains clean and exact. Elements like fonts render the same way—when sized up or down, they retain their quality. As a graphic designer, it’s important to know the difference between raster and vector image types.

Raster vs. Vector — What’s the Difference?

The terms “vector” and “raster” describe how digital images are constructed, and this affects every aspect of how they work. Each image type is best suited for different contexts, so it’s important to know which is needed for your design project as early as possible. Fortunately, these technical terms have straightforward explanations. Read on to learn what raster and vector images are, the key differences between them and how to use them. Choosing the right vector image format depends on your specific needs.

While some vector graphics software include autotracing tools (“Image Trace” in Adobe Illustrator), this only works with the simplest designs. Raster images containing complex detail and colors, like photographs, cannot be recreated as vector images. The main difference between raster and vector images is how they store information. Raster images use pixels like tiny squares to form the image, making them good for photos but blurry when enlarged. Vector images use more mathematical equations and formulas to define shapes, allowing them to scale infinitely without losing quality.

Vector Images: Pros and Cons

Pixels are minute squares fixed in place on a computer and are reserved for color information (either solid or semi-transparent). When viewed from a distance, the individual pixels disappear to the human eye, creating a seamless raster image. Raster images can be created with software like Adobe Photoshop or GIMP. Converting a Raster image to a Vector image is complicated and time-consuming. Also, converting Raster to Vector is unnecessary as the printed images or photos captured with a digital camera are in Raster format. If you want to upload the image on the Internet, use it for PPT, or email it, then a raster image is perfect for your use.

Vector images are better suited for digital illustrations, such as logos, graphic designs, and animations. And since scalability is not an issue with vector files, they are also suitable for certain types of print formats. Imagine you are playing connect the dot, where one dot leads to another, and then another, and as you connect them, you form an image. Anchored dots are connected by lines and curves, resulting in scalable vector graphics or, in short, SVG files.

Popular Raster-Based Image Editors

So, raster for photos and details, vector for logos, and clean graphics. The main difference between raster and vector files is how they store information. Vector images use mathematical formula to define shapes, allowing them to scale infinitely without losing quality. The primary difference between raster and vector images is their resolution. Raster files are measured in DPI, i.e., dots per inch, or PPI, i.e., pixels per inch. A high-resolution raster image will showcase a variety of colors, resulting in excellent color editing.

Vectors are ideal for both large and small format prints, because rasterized designs will lose quality when resized. Each of the following file formats displays pixels, and each has its own distinct display settings. Others take up less storage, but tend to be lower in resolution and quality. These paths are defined in terms of proportions, ratio, height, width, and other dimensions. When you resize a Vector image the mathematical equations recalculate the curves, lines, and nodes, so the image remains sharp and clear. Vector images can be created with specialized software like Adobe Illustrator, CorelDraw or InkScape.

What Are Raster Images?

Vector images make use of mathematical equations, lines and curves to form an image. Thus, we can easily rescale the vector image without losing the quality of the image. By understanding the difference between these two image types, you’ll be able to create better-quality graphics for your projects. They are photographs of some sort, which makes JPEGs raster images. It is a lossy format of raster images, and their size is denoted by the width and height of the image in pixels. The most common example of a raster file is a digital photo you take on your phone camera or DSLR.

Because vector images are flexible mathematical formulas, they are resolution-independent. This means they can be scaled to any size without any sacrifices to image quality since there are no fixed pixels. Image detail is instead determined by the amount of shapes and colors the artist chooses to include.

Because raster images are more readily available in common file formats, they’re more accessible across multiple applications. They’re also easier to view and share online, especially on social media and through web image browsers. However, you can rescale the vector image infinitely without losing the quality of an image.

• To tell whether an image you’ve sourced is raster or vector, look to the file extension.
• Image formats like jpeg and gif are common compressed image formats.
• Adobe Photoshop is one of the most popular raster-based editors available and has been used to edit photographs, create graphic designs, and illustrate.
• High-end cameras can capture images at an extremely high resolution.

Take a look at the image of the black panther illustration below. Technically, they are both raster images now, but for demonstrative purposes, the native file of the one on the left was a raster JPG and the one on the right was a vector EPS. As you can see from the zoomed-in views below, you can begin to see the individual pixels that make up the picture on the left, giving it a blurry – or pixelated – appearance. Meanwhile, no matter how much you zoom in on the panther on the right, you will always see smooth lines. The nature of a PDF file depends on the program used while creating the document. PDFs are mostly vector files, and only sometimes are they raster files.

This gives businesses another reason to use them in their promotional content. Design like a pro with an AI-powered editing platform for the everyday creator. Designers, webmaster, and marketers that are starting out find it difficult to understand the difference between Raster and Vector graphics.