Vector versus Raster

Before we move on to look at the vector drawing tools, it’s important that you have a basic understanding of the difference between vector and raster formats.

Vector images are not made up of pixels. Instead, they are composed of mathematical instructions that draw an image. This has several advantages over pixel-based images. First, every object is stored as a separate item in an image. This information stores data such as position, width, height, and color, to name a few. Vector-based images are resolution independent. That is, they can be freely resized without losing image quality. You may wonder how a monitor, which uses pixels, can display these mathematical computations in a manner we understand. The vector images go through a process so that the monitor can see them. The rasterized images can then be displayed on the screen.

A raster file is composed of units of light, each of which is called a pixel. By grouping these pixels, a raster image can be created. The pixels can be blended to create smooth transitions for objects, which makes it good for gaming. Raster images are resolution dependent. That is, you specify the resolution and pixel dimensions when you create the image. If you later decide to increase or decrease the image, this can have a negative impact on the image’s quality.