Illustrator Vs Photoshop: Which One Can Work for You?

illustrator vs photoshop

Adobe Illustrator is compatible with Adobe Creative Cloud products like Photoshop, Adobe InDesign, and Adobe XD. Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop are the most widely used graphic design programs. While the two programs are pretty similar in what they can do, they each have their unique characteristics and features. This article will discuss some important details related to Illustrator vs. photoshop.

What is Illustrator?

Illustrator is a progressive vector graphics editor and also a design program. This tool mainly produces logos, cartoons, graphics, and fonts.

adobe illustrator vs photoshop

When do you need an illustrator?

When do you need adobe illustrator? Most people who use graphic design software are familiar with Adobe Illustrator. It’s been around almost as long as other graphic design software and is still going strong today. But, what is it that makes Adobe Illustrator so popular? You can use Adobe illustrator when:

  • You require to create images and also style elements from square one.
  • You need to work with any vector-based tasks.
  • You wish to have smooth borders.
  • You are dealing with a print task.
  • You require much more adaptability.
  • You need to make a logo.
  • You need to be creative with some text.
  • You require to work with any other vector-based projects.
  • Your work will have to be shown in varying sizes.
  • You require to produce scalable photos that never shed their high quality if scaled up or down
  • You need to create brochures, publication layouts, digital magazines, electronic styles, annual reports, and so forth

What is Photoshop?

Photoshop is a raster graphics editor and among one of the most popular Adobe families.

The name Photoshop was created by the Knoll brothers, even though Thomas initially prepared to call it ImagePro. However, since the name ImagePro was taken at the time, Thomas determined to relabel the program Photoshop.

illustrator vs photoshop for drawing

At first, Photoshop was available on Macintosh, but it became available on Microsoft Windows in 1993. Adobe Photoshop is mainly utilized to modify images or edit existing photos or graphics.

When do you need photoshop?

There are several different ways you can use Photoshop to edit your images. For example, you can use Photoshop to remove images from backgrounds, replace backgrounds with different ones, or add objects to an existing background. There are many other editing options as well. Another widespread use of Photoshop is creating graphics for websites or other projects. You can use Photoshop to create custom graphics quickly and easily with the proper knowledge and training. One of the most exciting things about using Adobe Photoshop is printing your edited photos in various ways, such as on canvas prints or even coffee beans! It would help if you used Adobe photoshop when:

You need to edit photos and raw images

You need to modify or make image changes

Your project will not have set dimensions

You do not intend to have smooth sides

You require to modify pictures that will be displayed in Magazines, electronic publications, electronic styles, Books, Internet sites, and more.

Using Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator Together

Each graphic designer or Illustrator has a collection of software they use for every one of their jobs. For example, suppose you have Adobe Photoshop but need to develop a logo design; you will squander your energy and time attempting to make any logo with Adobe Photoshop. The same goes if you buy Adobe Illustrator.

indesign vs illustrator vs photoshop
Pixabay

However, you need to modify and change images periodically. That’s why it is recommended to utilize both adobe illustrator and photoshop of these items if you have the chance to do so.

What is the difference between Illustrator & photoshop?

When comparing Adobe Illustrator with Adobe Photoshop, we should compare raster graphics with vector graphics.

adobe illustrator vs photoshop for drawing

As we saw earlier, Adobe Illustrator is vector-based editing and enhancing software, while Adobe Photoshop is raster-based editing and enhancing software.

Raster Graphics

Raster-based modifying programs such as Adobe Photoshop use pixels to produce pictures. What does this indicate? It suggests that Adobe Photoshop utilizes millions of tiny squares of different shades to make up each picture.

drawing in illustrator vs photoshop
Graphic Mama

Zoom in on a picture on Adobe Photoshop. You will see how various pixels are combined to create that picture, specifically if you consider the photo’s edges. These pixels, however, are not visible when viewed from afar but become visible once you focus to the required degree. typical raster file extensions are TIFF, JPEG, BMP, CMG etc.

Vector Graphic

Adobe Illustrator creates gorgeous vector graphics using mathematical constructs. For example, each Vector in Adobe Illustrator is not a line made up of pixels yet is formed by two dots attached utilizing a computer system algorithm. Each of these lines is also called a vector course, and also together, they compose vector things. Common vector file extensions include EPS, AI, and SVG.

Adobe Illustrator is a powerful device for producing logos, photo editing, pictures for print, or anything else that needs to be published or shown in various dimensions. For instance, if you create a logo design, it is crucial to ensure that it is a vector image, so it will not lose its quality whether it is utilized for business cards or giant posters.

File Formats

Compare the different file formats since you know the main distinctions between raster and vector graphics.

As anticipated, raster and vector graphics come with their document formats.

Advantages of Illustrator over photoshop

Illustrator is much better than Photoshop if you want to create anything other than basic graphics such as logos and flat images. For example, you can use Illustrator to create a graphical image and export it as an image file in various formats, including JPG, PNG, or TIFF.

when to use illustrator vs photoshop
Vectornator

You can also utilize Illustrator’s powerful shape editing tools to manipulate images created in Photoshop and other image editing software.

More design options

Adobe’s Illustrator has long been the standard-bearer for vector graphics and illustration. Many artists who use Photoshop to do their raster work will still create their sketches in Illustrator. As Photoshop and Illustrator are parts of the Adobe Creative Cloud, they share standard features and similar user interfaces.

Vector Graphics Editor

Adobe Illustrator, like CorelDRAW and Inkscape, is a vector graphics editor. Vector graphics editors are different from raster graphics editors like GIMP or Photoshop because they work with mathematically defined objects instead of pixels. This has several advantages, but there are many raster-to-vector conversion tools to produce raster images that allow you to bypass the need for an actual vector editor. However, these tools often didn’t work well or were incompatible with certain kinds of images, and they sometimes even had bugs that would prevent them from working at all! Adobe Illustrator, like CorelDRAW and Inkscape, is a vector graphics editor.

what is adobe illustrator vs photoshop
Make Tech Easier

Vector graphics editors are different from raster image graphics editors like GIMP or Photoshop because they work with mathematically defined objects instead of pixels. This has several advantages other than image editing. Still, there have been many raster-to-vector conversion tools in the past that allowed you to bypass the need for an actual vector editor. However, these tools often didn’t work well or were incompatible with certain kinds of images, and they sometimes even had bugs that would prevent them from working at all!

Faster and easier to trace or copy artwork

Illustrator offers similar functionality at a much lower price as an image vector-based editing software alternative to Photoshop. It seems like the perfect solution for designers who want to get started with vector art without spending tons of money on software.

adobe illustrator vs photoshop for logo design
Pluralsight

However, there are still several reasons to use Photoshop—especially if you’re working on a project that involves photo manipulation—and there are plenty of pitfalls to avoid if you decide to go the Illustrator route instead.

Scalability

The images are infinitely scalable and can be shrunk to the size of a postage stamp without losing any of their visual quality. Illustrator creates images with mathematical formulae. In contrast, Photoshop creates images using pixels and small units of information that become blurry and lose definition when scaled down.

illustrator vs photoshop for logo design

This makes Illustrator great for producing large prints or images used on the web. Although it still can’t match the superior quality of high-end printing presses and big-screen TVs, it can have a far better print than one created in Photoshop and looks great on a computer screen or a small print. Another advantage is that Illustrator doesn’t have any layer masks or “channels” like Photoshop does. Instead, it has vector masks, which are much easier to work with and give you more flexibility when editing your image.

File Formats

While Photoshop’s file formats are more versatile, allowing you to edit and save your work in multiple formats and resolutions, Illustrator’s native file format is more efficient. In addition, it saves you time by doing so internally within the program.

Typography

If you need to work with existing typography or logos, it will be easier to use Illustrator because it has built-in tools for doing so. And if you’re looking to create logos yourself, Illustrator’s pen tool makes the job easy compared with Photoshop’s lasso tool.

Adobe Illustrator has been my go-to application for many years now. I use it to manage my logo and create vector illustrations. It’s also where I do all of my logos, icons, and illustrations. If you’re not familiar with Illustrator, it’s a vector graphics editor that allows you to manipulate shapes and paths. Using Illustrator over Photoshop to create images will enable you to scale it up or down without losing any quality.

Layers

If you’re used to working with Photoshop and are curious about Illustrator, a few things might surprise you about this program: The app does not use all the layers—instead, all objects live on their own “layer” in the graphics editor. As a result, you can’t add text on top of a thing like you would in Photoshop. To get around this limitation (and layer-like functionality), you can use Illustrator’s nested symbols feature. The symbol feature allows you to make one object into a template, which can be used throughout your illustration as a miniature version of itself. Adobe Illustrator is famous among web designers because it’s compatible with the image formats used on the web. Illustrator is better than Photoshop for many reasons, but most importantly, it makes it easy to modify images without losing quality.

illustrator vs photoshop for logo

For example, if you were to make two circles in each program and fill them with a solid color, Illustrator would keep both objects as circles no matter how large or small you created them. But in Photoshop, if you zoomed in on one of the circles (making it larger), it would stay the same size while the other circle shrunk to maintain its original proportions. This is because Photoshop uses pixels, while Illustrator uses vectors to display images. The result is that when you zoom into an object in Illustrator, it retains its quality, but in Photoshop, when you zoom in on an image, it becomes grainy and pixelated.

Many people decided it was better to stick with raster graphics editors like Photoshop when working with bitmap images. However, Adobe has recently released a new plugin for Photoshop called “Photoshop Export for Illustrator,” making it even easier to do raster-to-vector conversions in Illustrator. This plugin allows you to open any image file and convert it into a fully editable vector graphic in Illustrator within seconds!

Adobe’s track record speaks for itself: this plugin will likely be one of the best ways. Adobe Illustrator is the perfect tool for designing vector graphics. It’s the best tool for creating logos, icons, brochures, and any other type of artwork that requires precise lines. Its intuitive interface and simple tools let you focus on building your designs with little distraction.

Advantages of Photoshop over Illustrator

Photoshop is also widely used for online graphics, photo editing, and graphic design. It’s also a versatile tool that can be used in several ways. Adobe Photoshop offers you to create a variety of design styles.

Adobe Photoshop offers a raster graphics editor that allows you to work with images in various formats. So if you’re trying to make a poster for a play, an advertisement for a product, or even a logo, Photoshop is often the ideal choice. In Photoshop CC Essential Skills, you’ll learn how to choose from thousands of fonts and colors, change the shape and size of your images, and make your images pop using lighting, shadows, and other effects. As graphic designers learn photo editing in Photoshop CC Essential Skills, you will also master proper techniques across multiple Adobe products, including InDesign, Illustrator, etc.

Any designer’s job is to create a product that looks as attractive as possible and is easy to use. It can be done in several ways, but most designers will tell you that Illustrator is best for creating logos, brochures, pamphlets, and posters. At the same time, Photoshop is best for photos, web graphics, and photo-realistic images.

Ideally, a designer would use the right program for the job at hand. However, given the similarities between the two programs (and their frequent use together), it can be challenging to decide which one to use or why one is better than the other. This blog post will look at how each program works and why you might want to choose Illustrator over Photoshop or vice versa. Here are reasons why Illustrator is better than photoshop for graphic design projects:

Create scalable images

The most significant advantage of Photoshop over Illustrator is that you can create scalable images. This means that they will scale to any size without losing quality, unlike Illustrator. For instance, if you have an idea in Illustrator and want to make it larger or smaller, the quality of the image will be lost when doing so. There are ways to work around this issue. However, it is time-consuming and not ideal for large images. Flip an image in Photoshop is easy, reach out to the guide now!

Create complex shapes

Photoshop is an excellent program for graphic designers and illustrators. It can also do some things Illustrator cannot. Although Illustrator is great at creating vector art, Photoshop can create complex shapes that Illustrator cannot start.

illustrator vs photoshop guide

You can use it to create shapes with layers. It is easy to change the shape’s color using the gradients and filters in Photoshop. You can also edit and animate the shapes using photoshop. The real-time reflections in photoshop are not possible in Illustrator. This makes photoshop more popular among the artists.

Make layers of color and texture

Adobe Photoshop has so many advantages over Adobe Illustrator. The first is to make layers of color and texture editable separately. For example, you can have a background layer, a foreground layer, and a shadow layer for a photo. Then you can make all of these layers transparent or opaque on an individual basis. Another example will be if you are using stencils to make your pattern. You can make the stencil out of an image in photoshop, then put it behind another image, so it is visible through it but not too noticeable. Then when you print it out or save it as a .jpg file so that it is high quality, the stencil is not pixelated like it would be if you had just printed it straight from Illustrator.

It’s easier to work with text and graphics in Illustrator than in photoshop. Learn how to resize an image in Photoshop.

The interface of Illustrator is much more intuitive than photoshop

The interface of Illustrator is much more intuitive than Photoshop. The significant difference between photoshop and Illustrator is how you draw objects. In Illustrator, you attract things by creating anchor points and dragging them to where you want them.

In photoshop, you select an area with your mouse and click on it to add something or remove it. Illustrator lets you copy and paste or drag and drop objects quickly since they’re all anchor points connected. However, with photoshop, you can’t paste two independent images on top of each other because they don’t have anchor points that link them together like Illustrator. Check out the finest guide for how to draw short in Illustrator.

Conclusion

It’s important to note that Photoshop and Illustrator are essential to design. Adobe Illustrator is a vector graphics program that allows you to create, edit and manipulate objects (such as text) with a pen or other drawing tool. On the other hand, in details of Illustrator vs. Photoshop, Photoshop is a raster graphics program that allows you to change images by manipulating pixels. The most significant difference between these programs is how they display your work.

Last thoughts about these image editing tools, Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop, are similar in appearance, although they were designed for different purposes. However, Photoshop is more user-friendly when editing and creating images. Check out the simple steps to remove the background in Photoshop.

Designers can use a stylus and digital drawing tools to create graphics and images freehand in Illustrator. Photoshop is an excellent tool for photographers and graphic designers who need absolute control over every pixel in their images. However, the options it gives its users can be intimidating for people who want to lay out some text and make minor adjustments to an existing image.

When Adobe first released Illustrator as a vector-based drawing program, it was assumed that it was meant to be a competitor for the then-dominant bitmap-based image editor, Photoshop.

However, in the nearly ten years since, Illustrator has grown from an adequate illustration tool into a powerhouse that can rival much of Photoshop’s functionality. And Photoshop is better at editing images than creating them from scratch. Find some easy things to draw in Illustrator.


May 2, 2022
10 min read
9 reads

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