Four Seasons: 2008

Raster

Vector

uses pixels to create an image

resolution dependent, which means that the images can not change to a different size without some loss of quality

typically used for the web which vector graphics are not as easily supported

uses lines and curves based upon mathematical equations to create an image

have no set resolution which allows image to be displayed with the highest quality, even when resized

most commonly used in printing as well as 3-D modeling

Raster Image (found at: http://farm1.static.flickr.com/225/491252482_0f897e877f_o.gif)

Vector Image (found at: www.cureless.net)

Resolution

What is it?

Resolution describes the amount of detail an image contains and can be applied to digital, film, and many other types of images. When it comes to resolution in digital images there are a few different ways in which it can be described. There are pixel, spatial, spectral, temporal and radiometric resolutions, some of which are only found on computer screens and others on high-speed movie cameras.

DPI (which stands for Dots-Per-Inch) is a measure of printing/and or display resolution. Digital images are made up of many square dots known as pixels. The more dots an image has (meaning the higher the DPI), the clearer the image will be. This is the reason why it is important to use an image with a high DPI, a high resolution image, for tasks such as printing. A picture with a sufficient DPI will appear clear, not pixelated, when printing. DPI targets are used to determine the maximum and minimum resolution to be used for printing. These guidelines are helpful in choosing a resolution that will allow the best quality during printing.