Raster and Image Vector Data in Photoshop

Raster and Image Vector Data in Photoshop:

          This video lesson, titled “Learn about Raster and Vector Image Data in Adobe Photoshop: A Training Tutorial,” shows you the difference between raster, or pixel-based, image data and vector image data in Photoshop. This video lesson is from our complete Photoshop tutorial, titled “Mastering Photoshop Made Easy.”

Overview:

            Photoshop documents can contain raster data, which is also called bitmap or pixel data. Separately, they can also contain vector data. These two types of image data, however, are not mutually exclusive. For example, a single Photoshop document may contain both raster and vector image data within it. To use Photoshop effectively, you must understand the basic difference between these two types of image data.

Raster Image Data:

            Raster image data uses pixels to represent image data. Each pixel in the image is assigned a color and position. When editing raster image data, you are changing the individual pixels that make up a larger image. Because raster data can show subtle color changes, it is most often used for photographic images on computers. However, raster image data is resolution-dependent, most often measured in a number of pixels per inch or pixels per centimeter. This can make raster images appear jagged or blurry if resized or displayed at a lower resolution than the resolution at which they were created.

Vector Image Data:

            Alternatively, vector image data is created from lines, or vectors, defined by mathematical algorithms. So, vectors describe image data based on its geometric characteristics. For example, if you drew a smiley face shape within a Photoshop document as a vector graphic, you can then move, resize, or otherwise change the vector shape without changing its quality. This is because vector image data is resolution independent, unlike raster image data. Because of this, vector image data is used to create images and objects within Photoshop documents that require clean, crisp lines at any display resolution, like text or geometric shapes.

A picture of a Photoshop document that contains examples of both pixel-based image data, in the flower photos, and vector image data, in the accompanying text.