#Graphic design vector vs raster how to

#Graphic design vector vs raster how to

Related Post –> How to Ensure Your Graphics are NEVER Pixelated (Understanding Image Resolution)Ĭanva – Never should be used for logo design Illustrator – The industry standard for logo designīecause of the whole raster vs. With that being said, Illustrator* allows you to save the designs you create as BOTH raster AND vector files, whereas Canva only creates inherently raster graphics. Vector images are also easily editable because these paths create shapes that can be changed, re-colored, or re-configured at any time you want. Vector images, however, are made up of what I like to think of as magical, computer generated paths that when resized or edited the paths are automatically recalculated, ensuring that they never become pixelated or blurry – meaning they’re always in the highest resolution possible. (Pro tip – please don’t print raster files unless absolutely necessary). The downside of raster images, however, is that they cannot be enlarged without becoming pixelated, they’re not easily editable, and if they’re not saved a high enough resolution they’ll look terrible when they’re printed. This allows them to be smaller in file size and are the type of graphics file that is used for digital output (anything on the internet or that will be used/seen on a screen). Raster images are graphics that are made up of pixels.

The biggest and probably most important distinction between the two programs is that Canva only creates raster images, whereas Illustrator creates vector images.įor those of you who think I’m speaking another language right now, let me explain. With that being said, let’s get into the major differences between Illustrator and Canva.Ĭanva – Creates raster images Illustrator – Creates vector images (with the ability to also create raster images) It does have a bit of a learning curve compared to Canva, but once you understand the basics of the program, its easy to use and super robust – you’ll honestly never want to use anything else ever again (trust me – because I know how to use Illustrator, using any simplified design program makes me want to throw my laptop out a window 😉).ĭepending on your goals, what you’re creating, and your current/desired career path, this will dictate which of these two programs you should be using or learning for graphic design. Illustrator, however, is an industry standard program for graphic design that allows for completely custom graphics for your clients, your blog, or your business. Overall, Canva is a great option if you’re looking to create simple graphics and documents that require little design skill. Anything marked with an asterisk is an affiliate link – I promise I only promote products I use myself!īoth Canva and Adobe Illustrator* are design programs that are widely used by designers, business owners, and bloggers alike.Ĭanva is a great, easy-to-use, drag and drop online design program that is mainly used by small business owners and bloggers.