Raster vs vector images: Whats the Difference?

That is why you’ll sometimes hear someone refer to the lines, shapes, and curves of a vector-based graphic as vertices and paths. Nonetheless, worry not as this does not mean you’ll be dealing with calculus during editing. It simply means that your image will retain its quality regardless of how you enlarge it. Other than, you also need not worry about extra space because even when enlarged, a vector-image uses relatively less space. Thus, vector images are composed of lines, curves, and points (anchors), all mapped out on a grid. Instead, they use mathematical equations to capture the shape, border, and color that build an image.

• The main disadvantages are that vector graphics demand professional design software and the ability to use it.
• If you’re editing photos with multiple colors, choose raster images.
• As you may have guessed, the more pixels in the image and the higher the resolution is, the higher quality the image will be.
• Raster graphics also known as bitmaps is a grid of individual pixels of color.

While raster images are arranged with pixels or dots, vector images are based on mathematical formulas that define points, lines, curves, and paths. The vector image used a mathematical calculation from one point to another to take shape and also color in an image. Zooming in a vector image doesn’t cause cracked feelings because they are composed of true geometric primitives so that they can represent a more structured image.

Raster vs Vector Images: What’s the Difference?

License this cover image via Westend61 on Offset, Lithiumphoto, olga_wanderer, and oxygen_8.

When these images are uploaded online, the end result is a raster image. To edit these images, you need access to raster-based programs like Adobe Photoshop or Shutterstock Editor. For design work, it’s best to use these programs for photography and imagery only. The main difference between vector and raster graphics is that raster graphics are composed of pixels, while vector graphics are composed of paths.

Vector Image Applications

Vector graphics are commonly used for logos, illustrations, technical drawings, 3D graphics & animations. Learn how to come up with your own poster design ideas and see the process of bringing your idea to life in an online image editing tool. Vector programs include Adobe illustrator, sketch, and CorelDRAW.

Generally, vector graphics are less detailed, they contain fewer gradients and less diversity of photo color. Vector graphics are highly used to create such kinds of image versions that are needed to be used in different sizes. In vector graphics, one can easily maintain crisp, sharp edges of an image even if it is enlarged significantly. Without losing quality vectors can be infinitely scaled and it is best to use them for logo design, illustration, engraving, etching, product artwork, etc. Vector graphics consist of anchor points connected by lines and curves based on mathematical equations.

Vector Images Explained

Vector graphics can be scaled to any size without losing quality. A pixel is a single point or the smallest single element in a display device. If you zoom in to a raster image you may start to see a lot of little tiny squares. Raster images are suited for digital photos and large, high-definition prints. Below, the image breaks down the look of pixels and vectors when you zoom into their respective images. Even if your file extension suggests that the piece is a vector graphic, it may not be; it could have been a raster graphic that was opened in Illustrator and saved, for example.

It is a lossy format of raster images, and their size is denoted by the width and height of the image in pixels. With clarity on raster and vector differences, you are all set to experiment with your photos, designs, and illustrations using the correct methods. Read the frequently asked questions on vector and raster images below to learn more about the subject. Any screenshot of a screen, pictures from digital devices, and online JPEGs are all raster images.

What are Raster Graphics?

For example, if we scale a raster image to enlarge it, without changing resolution, it will lose quality and look blurry or pixilated. This is because we are stretching the pixels over a larger area, thus making them look less sharp. This is a common problem but can be remedied by using raster image editing programs such as Photoshop to change resolution and properly scale images.

Because these graphics are not based on pixels, they are known as resolution independent, which makes them infinitely scalable. Their lines are sharp, without any loss in quality or detail, no matter what their size. These graphics are also difference between raster and vector device-independent, which means their quality doesn’t depend on the number of dots available on a printer or the number of pixels on a screen. Because they consist of lines and anchor points, the size of the file is relatively small.

Raster vs. Vector What’s the Difference?

The most popular raster editors are Photoshop (which has limited vector capabilities) and GIMP. Now that you know the key features of each format, what are the key differences between bitmap and vector? Knowing when to use raster and when to use vector in specific applications is an essential skill for anyone engaged in graphic design.

That’s why brands like CorelDRAW and Adobe offer suites of products — to equip designers with the tools they need for any digital project. Raster graphics allow for incredibly detailed, crisp, clear images — as long as files are exported at a high resolution and displayed on a high-resolution screen. Modern display technology, including 4K screens, can display stunning HD photographs and videos with complex details like small, dense textures and vivid color gradients. They’re perfect for creating designs using simple and solid colors.

Vector vs Raster Graphics: What are The Differences?

A vector image or graphic is defined and created on a plane by connecting lines and curves. You can see clear lines, points, and curve when you zoom in on the image. Vector graphics are used by all types of artists, design experts, and creative professionals. It makes creating illustrations, logos, and other types of designs for printing on big objects easy. You would have heard or observed many graphic designers talking about converting the images to vectors before printing. Images are created on the platform using pixels, and hence Photoshop is widely used for working with digital photographs.