VECTOR GRAPHICS Vs BITMAP GRAPHICS

Roaster graphics

These are pixel based.They are the array of pixels of color that form an image.Each paint dot in a pointillist painting might represent a single pixel in a roaster image. When viewed as an individual dot, it’s just a color; but when viewed as a whole, the colored dots make up a vivid and detailed painting. All the images we take from our digital cameras (including camera of our smartphones, DSLR etc) all produce roaster images. Since Roaster Images are made up of dots it’s quality depends upon size. By size of the roaster image I mean how many pixels are stored in an inch expressed as pixel per inch(ppi) and the resolution of the image refers to the number of pixels in an image.If I talk about quality of the image two terms resolution and size of the image come into play and both have different meanings.

• The pixel dimensions affects the physical size but not the resolution.
• The resolution affects the pixel dimensions but not the physical size.
• The physical size affects the pixel dimensions but not the resolution.

By increasing the physical size of image we try to store more inches in a pixel thereby reducing its ppi and hence decreasing it’s quality. In general higher the ppi higher quality of the image.

If we continue about roaster images some software's that deal with roaster graphics are GIMP, Adobe Photoshop. GIMP being free software is easily accessible but Photoshop has a much more user friendly interface which makes it better than GIMP.

Vector Graphics

Vector graphics are all about mathematical curves. It deals with points in 2-D or 3-D world. Vector means a line with direction.Playing with these graphics is much more user friendly. User never losses the quality of the image while editing unlike in roaster graphics which significantly looses its quality.It has the ability to reshape,connect and control points(or better called as Nodes in Vector Graphics world) to create any artwork.It is very easy to zoom in or out while editing with vectors without loosing quality which is one its significant advantage over roaster graphics.

Difference between image quality between Vector and Roaster

One of the most popular application of the vectors is logo creation.Creating mathematical objects or shapes is much more easy with vectors.Extent of manipulation provided by vectors is unbelievable.From manipulation of single point(node) in a object to shape-builder tools to merging basic shapes into exciting stuff en-thrills users to bleed more creativity.

Swirling Infinity Logo Created with Vectors

One last thing that we shall discuss here is file formats in which vector and roaster graphics are saved.

Roaster graphics can be saved in:-

1. JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group)/JFIF-It is a lossy compression of the image meaning it does not preserves perfect copy of the image.It provides the variable compression that trades image quality for file size.
2. PNG(Portable Network Graphics)-It is lossless compression of the image meaning it preserves the perfect copy of the image.It is best suited when image is being saved for editing process.
3. BPG(Better portable Graphics)-It replaces the JPEG extension when size is an issue because of it’s excellent compression ratio.It does not preserve perfect copy of the image.
4. GIF(Graphics interchange format)-It is not suited to save a photograph with a blend of colors,it is much more suited to save a simple logo,shapes or a character maybe a cartoon.

Vector Graphics can be saved in:-

1. SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics)-It is developed by W3C. It is most standard extension and is used in most of the vector graphics uploaded on web pages.

Other extensions for 2-D vectors are:

2. AI(used by Adobe Illustrator)

3. CDR(used by Corel Draw)

4. VML (Vector Markup Language)

Other extensions for 3-D vectors are:

5. XVL

6. dwf

7. dwg

Different Image Formats

At the end it’s about what you are editing and what output is required.Vector Graphics mostly fails to play with colors that is where the use of Photoshop starts. Since every image can be converted into both roaster and vectors it depends upon the editing to be performed .Playing with colors ,brightness,shadows,saturation etc Photoshop does it better while in cutting and pasting vectors are much more accurate.On a more large scale vectors are hardly used to edit and are usually used to create stuff and depict creativity on the other hand roaster based software's are only used for editing.