You’ve heard of "raster" and "vector" before, but what do they really mean? And why should you care?
Simple.
Raster graphics = photos.
Vector graphics = sharp, scalable designs.
Graphics digitizing bridges the gap between the two, making your designs sharper and ready for any use. Understanding both can save you time and headaches. And this blog post breaks it all down for you. So, keep reading!
The process of converting artwork, photos, or designs into a digital format for editing, sharing, or project usage is known as graphics digitization. Let's say you want to utilize a hand-drawn sketch on a T-shirt or a website. That’s where digitizing steps in!
It transforms your design into high-quality, usable digital art. And it can be done in two main styles: raster and vector graphics.
They are made of tiny pixels and great for photos but don’t scale well.
Made of mathematical shapes like points, lines, and curves. No pixelation, and they look sharp at any size.
| Feature | Raster Graphics | Vector Graphics |
|---|---|---|
| Composition | Made of pixels | Made of mathematical shapes |
| Scalability | Loses quality when resized | Retains quality at any size |
| File Size | Larger | Smaller |
| Best For | Photos and detailed artwork | Logos, illustrations, and large prints |
Graphics digitizing combines the strengths of both raster and vector graphics to create amazing results.
Let’s see how this works:
When you digitize a photo, it’s usually in raster format. This is because photos rely on tiny details and shading that pixels handle well. However, if you need to create a logo or a clean illustration from that photo, you can convert it into a vector format. This makes it more versatile and scalable. And many people use raster to vector conversion online for this purpose.
You can digitize a sketch on paper by scanning it as a raster image and then tracing it to create a vector artwork conversion.
The result?
A sharp, clean design that works on a business card or a billboard.
For certain tasks, the highest quality of each category is required. For example, You could use a raster background (such as a lovely photograph) with vector shapes or text overlaying on top. And this combination can make your designs stand out.
Each type of graphic has its own perks, and using both gives you flexibility and creativity.
To digitize your graphics, you’ll need some handy tools.
Some tools work well with both raster and vector formats:
Graphics digitizing is the bridge that connects raster and vector graphics. And having a strong grasp on both formats can seriously level up your game no matter what you’re up to. You may now explore the realm of digital design by grabbing your favorite tool and getting to work digitizing!
Keep the creativity flowing!
Yes, many projects mix both, like using vector logos with raster photos in a brochure.
Photoshop works with both—edit raster photos and open vector files as smart objects or rasterized layers.
Use vector for scalable designs like logos, and raster for detailed photos or complex color blends.
Raster is quicker to load, but vector gives more precise and scalable results.
Yes, they often start with raster sketches and convert them into vector logos or branding elements. For instance, they might convert the logo to vector format to ensure it stays crisp at any size.
Embroidery professionals use embroidery digitizing online to convert vector designs into stitch patterns for custom apparel.