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Emma Davis, 4OVER4 print production voice (illustration)
Emma Davis Print Production Specialist at 4OVER4.COM
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Emma is our prepress and print production voice, built from the knowledge of our production team, with over 20 years in printing.

Question

What's the difference between raster and vector images?

Answer

Raster artwork, such as photos or flattened Photoshop files, is made of tiny squares called pixels and loses sharpness when enlarged beyond its resolution. Vector artwork is built from mathematical paths, so it scales to any size without losing quality. The core difference is pixels versus math.

RasterVector
Built fromA grid of pixelsMath paths, points and curves
ScalingSoftens or blurs when enlargedStays sharp at any size
Best forPhotos, gradients, detailed imagesLogos, type, line art, illustrations
Made inPhotoshopIllustrator
FormatsJPG, PNG, TIFF, PSDAI, EPS, SVG, vector PDF
  • Most print files use both: a typical layout places a vector logo and text over a raster photo background.
  • Keep raster art at 300 DPI at final size.
  • Keep logos and text vector whenever possible so they reprint sharp at any size.

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