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Raster and vector

Understand the differences between raster and vector graphics.
Published
Upper left: Raster images lose detail when scaled larger. Lower left: Vector images stay crisp when scaled larger. Right: Raster (beets, wood) and vector (farm logo) graphics are in this image; saving it as a raster image causes it to pixelate when scaled larger.

Raster

Raster images (BMP, JPEG, PICT, PNG, PSD, or TIFF) consist of a grid of pixels, as in a digital photograph, and lose detail when scaled.

Vector

Vector images consist of lines, shapes, and other graphic components stored in a format that uses geometric formulas. When scaled, edges remain crisp and sharp.

Contributor

Erica Larson