| Graphic images on your computer come in two | | | | magnification. Vector files, since they are formulas |
| different forms, raster images and vector images. | | | | instead of information on millions of individual pixels, |
| Raster images are made by programs such as | | | | tend to use less memory than raster files. |
| Photoshop and Corel Photopaint. Vector images are | | | | The edge of a circle, rendered as a raster image, may |
| produced by Adobe Illustrator, Freehand, and | | | | look smooth initially, but eventually as you zoom in you |
| CorelDraw. While the results from these different | | | | will see a jagged stairstep edge of the individual |
| programs can look similar, the ways in which they are | | | | square pixels that make up the image. A lower |
| made are very different. | | | | resolution image will look jagged or pixellated much |
| Raster images are made up of millions of individual | | | | sooner than a high resolution image. A circle's edge in |
| squares, or pixels, of various colors. The more pixels | | | | vector form will always be smooth no matter how |
| you have, the better the image will look. The number | | | | close you zoom in since it is recalculated each time |
| of pixels, or resolution, is usually expressed in dots per | | | | you change the view. |
| inch (dpi). Images on the Web are shown at 72 dpi. A | | | | Raster based programs are best at working with |
| high-resolution image would run 300 dpi or higher. | | | | photo-realistic images and make subtle (or bold) |
| Some types of printing can get into the 1600 dpi range. | | | | changes in color, shadow and texture. Vector based |
| Much like a mosaic, a raster image can look smooth | | | | programs excel at easy control of edges and tend to |
| from a distance but as you zoom in closer you can | | | | produce a more graphic style of art. Regardless of the |
| see the individual pixels. | | | | type of image, higher resolution is always better for |
| A vector image is drawn from mathematical formulas | | | | producing a good result. While your image may be |
| for lines and curves and is redrawn each time you | | | | vector or raster, or even a combination of the two, the |
| zoom in for a closer look. The quality of the image | | | | Art Staff at will work hard to translate it into the best |
| stays the same regardless of the level of | | | | textile printing possible. |