When it comes to graphic design, or digital art of most sorts, the first thing that comes to the mind of the average person is “Photoshop”. This is because said software is very versatile and is used to create countless artistic effects. But a program that gets slightly less acknowledgment among lay people is Adobe Illustrator, which is part of the Adobe Creative Suite right along with Photoshop. So, I’d like to give a little acclaim to Illustrator, which is just as pivotal to graphic design as its counterparts.
First, I’ll provide an explanation of Illustrator: fundamentally, it’s a program that relies on vectors (math) rather than pixels. This means that it generates a much sharper image quality than Photoshop. If you’ve ever magnified an image like a JPEG or a TIF to several times its original size, you will be able to see the pixels. A better example…have you ever seen a clearly Photoshopped image where there was a white border around the figure or object? Those are pixels, and they can become distorted and crappy when the image gets enlarged.
With Illustrator, an image can be constructed using vectors and can then be stretched and constricted as many times as the artist desires. A picture can be made as small as a buddy icon, or as large as a billboard. Neat, isn’t it?
Vectors are also used commonly in a magazine layout, professional and freelance graphic design jobs, and especially for logo designs. While digital art is in demand for many aspects of graphic design, vectors are preferred for a crisp, non-pixelated image. This is why logos and quite a few web layouts always look so sharp and clean.
And this isn’t just limited to images – text can also be vectorized. The type in magazines is typically vector (but may be used via InDesign), and the text used in logos and on business cards is also vectors. This is because pixelated type is worse than a pixelated picture…if you can’t read an article, a name, or a service, you’ll lose interest and look for someone who has taken the time to make a legible design.
This is just the tip of the vector iceberg – Illustrator has several functions, just as Photoshop does, and it can produce several sorts of artwork. Give this software a little love now and then when you see a business card or read a magazine.
Related posts: