Understanding different file formats and mediums is essential to help you communicate effectively. Raster images and vector graphics have different purposes in design, and it is essential for you to understand raster and vector graphics when and where to use them for the right purpose. While attribute data is always represented in tabular format, geospatial data is a bit more varied, as it can be represented in either vector or raster forms.

• Common vector creation and editing programs include Adobe Illustrator, CorelDraw, and InkScape.
• In this post we take a look at the key differences between these two types of spatial data and discuss when it is more appropriate to use one or the other.
• We use algorithms that compress images to help reduce these file sizes.
• As a visual communicator, it is your job to put together the best, most professional products to deliver the right message to the right audience.

This comes in handy when there are restrictions to file sizes or image storage. While a vector image file has many advantages, there are compatibility issues when shared. You must have access to vector-based programs in order to edit the native files.

Raster vs Vector Data

We’ve covered the key differences, advantages, and disadvantages between raster and vector graphics in their respective explanations; now, let’s break them down for comparison purposes. Here are the three most important differences between raster and vector. Though raster images can’t be scaled up, they can be scaled down; which is typically the case for web images, often saved in smaller sizes and at resolutions of either 72ppi or 96ppi. It’s nevertheless, close to impossible to get a real-life graphic representation in a vector-based image. This is because you will need to create a new shape every time you need to make a slight color or shade change.

When you take a picture with a phone or camera, the image is recorded as pixel data. 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. Choosing the wrong format can result in a loss of quality—a degradation of individual pixels that lowers image resolution.

Pros and Cons of Raster Graphics

However, they render a lot like vector data; each “cell” in the grid is an individual feature which acts more like a polygon. They can be used for both vector-based analysis (like running intersections and spatial joins) and raster-based analysis (like slope or hotspot analysis). Another handy design resource is Shutterstock Create, a free raster-based image editor that lets users create and edit high-quality images on any device. Converting a raster image to vector formats can be done, but in specific contexts. For example, converting a raster image to vector is best reserved for simplistic designs rather than photographs and portraits. Instead, vector graphics are comprised of vertices and paths.

Therefore, whether you decide to use a vector or raster, it all boils down to the nature of your work. For instance, if most of your work revolves around digital photography, then raster file formats are for you. But if your project requires minimal details and may need to be scaled in the future, then vector images suit you better. Whichever format rocks your world, it’s also wise to have a high-quality program for media conversion such as Movavi Video Converter.

Vector Graphic Common Uses

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. Color blends can be created in vector programs but they are actually raster effects so this image is NOT 100% vector. The raster effects will show up as rectangle or square “boxes” when the graphic is imported into specialty software.

Vector graphics are also extensively used in web design, animation, and interactive media. Each vector object is described by geometric properties such as position, direction, and magnitude. These properties are saved as mathematical equations that can be changed and manipulated without changing the image’s quality. This makes vector graphics perfect for creating logos, illustrations, and other images with simple forms and solid colours. Compression can help minimize those file sizes, but compared to vectors, rasters take up a lot of space. Since vectors rely on calculations to be performed by the programs that load them, the only information they need to contain are their mathematical formulas.

How to Make a Photography Portfolio to Showcase to Clients

This is a dilemma that even the most experienced photographers, graphic designers, or webmasters face every once in a while. So if you’re a newbie to the mentioned fields and find yourself in such a tight-spot, fret not. Instead, take time to fully understand what each file format brings to the table. While at it, also ensure you get a high-quality video converter like the one from Movavi for more straightforward file conversion. Having a clear understanding of the perks of each format makes choosing the perfect one for your project seamless. It also makes it easy for you to explain to a client why it’s not possible to enlarge their regular family photograph into a ten-foot canvas.

Vector art, on the other hand, is deeply rooted in mathematical equations or geometric shapes; hence, its data is more about lines, points, and polygons. Since each raster cell represents just one value or attribute, it’s much easier (and faster) to do mathematical calculations and modeling with raster data. Plus, while vector models tend to do a poor job storing and displaying continuous data, the grid surface of a raster model is well suited for doing so. Since raster images are pixel based, they are resolution dependent.

Paths can be combined and altered to create complicated shapes and designs. Before we get to the differences, what is a vector vs. raster image? Unlike points, vector lines are used to represent linear features such as roads, streams, and trails, and since they have a start and an endpoint, you can measure their length. And finally, vector polygons are used to represent the boundaries and area of a feature.

If you want to display continuous data as a vector, it would require substantial generalization. Although topology is useful for vector data, it is often processing intensive. With a lot of features, vector manipulation algorithms are complex. Raster images are capable of displaying a myriad of colors in a single image and allow for color editing beyond that of a vector image. They can display finer nuances in light and shading at the right resolution. Vector images are scalable, so that the same image can be designed once and resized infinitely for any size application – from business card to billboard.

When it comes to displaying linear paths and feature boundaries, vector models are by far the better choice. To start, the graphical output tends to be much more aesthetically pleasing, especially considering that raster models can end up looking rather pixelated when scaled. In contrast, vector points, lines, and polygons can be scaled up or down without sacrificing quality. Plus, if you have multiple data fields and attributes to store, vector models will once again be the better choice, as vector data points can have as many attributes as you choose. Raster images are used in photography and digital applications.