Photoshop and Illustrator are two names that stand out in the world of digital design. These two Adobe applications are extremely popular, but how do they differ? We’ve compiled some of the main differences between Adobe products in this Photoshop vs Illustrator article to help you decide which tool is best for you and whether you can replace any of these tools with free alternatives.
But first, let’s define Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop.
What is Adobe Illustrator?
Illustrator is a powerful vector graphics editor and design tool. Adobe Inc began developing vector-based editing software for the Apple Macintosh in 1985. Picasso was the code name for the 1.0 version. This program is primarily used to design logos, cartoons, graphics, and fonts. Learn more about this app in our What is Adobe Illustrator used for? article.
Illustrator is a vector-based image editor. These are geometric shapes, lines, paths, objects, and fills that have been mathematically defined. This improves image rendering and scaling. One of the primary advantages of using Illustrator is that you can create graphics that retain their quality when scaled. Vector-based images are ideal for use in electronic presentations, infographics, and complex design work.
What is Adobe Photoshop?
Adobe Photoshop is a raster graphics editor and one of the Adobe Family of Software’s most popular programs. Adobe Photoshop, unlike Adobe Illustrator, was created in 1987 by two brothers, Thomas and John Knoll. The Knoll brothers also came up with the name Photoshop, though Thomas had intended to call it ImagePro at first. However, because the name ImagePro was already in use at the time, Thomas renamed the program Photoshop.
Photoshop was initially only available on the Macintosh, but it was made available on Microsoft Windows in 1993. Adobe Photoshop is primarily used to edit photographs or to modify previously created images or graphics. Learn more about this app in our Adobe Photoshop Review article.
Photoshop generates raster images, which are grids of pixels or color points. Raster files, also known as “bitmaps,” have file extension extensions of BMP, jpeg, tiff, and png. You can also export your Photoshop work to PDF for distribution. Raster files are ideal for work that requires little upscaling. Any significant size increase can result in blurred edges in these images.
Illustrator vs Photoshop: Raster vs Vector
Photoshop and Illustrator share some features, but there is one significant difference that necessitates their separation. Photoshop is a “raster-based” editing program, whereas Illustrator works with “vectors.”
Pixels are used to create images in raster-based editing applications. The image is composed of millions of pixels of various colors. When you zoom in, you can see the individual pixels, but they are unnoticeable from a distance. MS Paint is a raster-based application that many people have used.
Vectors are geometric shapes with perfectly smooth lines formed by “points” or “nodes.” They can be scaled to any size while maintaining perfectly clean and crisp lines. Let’s take a closer look at the differences.
The image on the right side shows a zoomed-in view of a Photoshop shape. The pixels can be seen along the edges of the black curve. In the center, we see the same object created in Illustrator as a vector.
Consider a canvas as a metaphor for the differences between the two. Raster is analogous to painting with a brush. From a distance, it appears clean, but up close, you can see the texture and any irregularities in the brush strokes. A vector is similar to cutting out a shape from paper and gluing it to a canvas.
Photoshop vs Illustrator: When to use each application
Adobe Creative Cloud provides graphic artists and photographers with the tools they need to create and edit their work. This includes both graphic design software for creating new work and editing software for making content such as photos and video footage look their best.
Although both Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator work with images, they are very different applications. The main distinctions between Photoshop and Illustrator are the file types that each program supports and whether you’re editing graphics or photos.
When to use Illustrator
Illustrator is a graphic design program. Illustrator is used by graphic designers to create vector graphics. Vector graphics and images are made up of points, lines, shapes, and curves based on mathematical formulas rather than a fixed number of pixels and can thus be scaled up or down while maintaining image quality. As a result, vector artwork can be scaled up or down without losing detail.
Vector art can be used on anything from large banners to wallet-sized business cards and everything in between. This makes Illustrator an excellent choice for graphics that will be printed on signs or banners.
Illustrator allows designers to create graphics and images freehand by using a stylus and digital drawing tools. Illustrator allows artists to create with virtual brushes, pens, inks, and other powerful tools on a variety of digital surfaces, which is a powerful asset for creating distinctive images.
When to use Photoshop
Photoshop is the industry standard photo editing software, and it is used for everything from minor retouching to mind-bending photo art. Editors use Photoshop to crop photos, adjust photo composition, correct lighting, and make any subject look its best. It’s also where skilled artists can make collages and photo composites, layer images together, and create unique images from various photo files.
Raster graphics are used in Photoshop images. They are pixel-based, as opposed to vector images. Raster images have more detailed colors and shading than vector images, and they can handle detailed textures and precise edits better.
When using Illustrator and Photoshop together
Illustrator and Photoshop are both included in Adobe Creative Cloud and are intended to work together. Photoshop files can contain assets created in Illustrator, converting a vector image into a raster image. Also, a graphic design project in Illustrator can easily fit into a larger photo project in Photoshop. Other Adobe apps, such as video editing and animation, can be integrated into a single digital workspace.
Illustrator files can be linked to Photoshop files by creators. This means that while the two files are technically separate, everything in an Illustrator file will be visible in a Photoshop file.
Because the files are linked, any changes made to the Illustrator file will be reflected in the Photoshop file that references the vector. Changing the Illustrator vector graphic changes the image in the Photoshop file.
This is something that creators can do with multiple files. DIY store websites, for example, could display t-shirts, coffee mugs, stickers, and other merchandise with the same logo. The Photoshop images of the merchandise can all point to the same Illustrator file containing the logo. This is also useful for creating multipage documents or templates that must all use the same graphic, such as a logo.
Where to learn more about Photoshop and Illustrator
After you’ve tried Photoshop and Illustrator, consider which application best suits your needs. Are there any characteristics of one that you prefer? If this is the case, consider starting with that application and adding the other one later. If you believe you will require tools from both applications to complete your work, the Creative Cloud Suite may be the best option for you.
If you’re still not sure which application is best for your needs, or if you want to learn more about both applications so you can use a hybrid approach, check out our Photoshop Guide or Illustrator Guide. Udemy also has several beginners and advanced courses on both applications.
Photoshop vs Illustrator | Final Thoughts
Photoshop and Illustrator are complex applications with a wide range of powerful tools, but the primary distinction between them is raster vs. vector. Once you understand the fundamental difference, you’ll know which one to use.
