Question
What's the difference between raster and vector images?
Answer
Raster based artwork such as photos or flattened artwork from Adobe Photoshop is made up of tiny squares called pixels, and depending on your resolution it can lose sharpness when enlarged. Vector artwork is built from mathematical paths, so it scales to any size without losing quality. The core difference is pixels versus math.
| Raster | Vector | |
|---|---|---|
| Built from | Pixels (tiny squares) | Math paths and curves |
| Scaling | Softens or blurs when enlarged | Stays sharp at any size |
| Best for | Photos and detailed images | Logos, type, illustrations |
| Made in | Photoshop | Illustrator |
| Formats | JPG, TIFF, PSD, PNG | AI, EPS, SVG, vector PDF |
For print, keep raster art at 300 DPI at final size, and use vector files for logos and text so they stay crisp.
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