Let’s break down Photoshop vs. Illustrator and when to use both in design. Photoshop and Illustrator are both great tools, and each plays an important role in the world of design. Artists use both programs to create beautiful and moving artwork, as well as technical graphic artistry, such as logos and vector art. You can use Photoshop to fix shadows, adjust textures, and fix imperfections in quick time. For this reason, Illustrator is best for logos. This post contains affiliate links. Most of the time this is going to make the most sense. … leading some to think it’s the only graphic design program you need – which couldn’t be further from the truth. They each play a unique and important role in the world of graphic design. The real answer, of course… is that it depends on the project. Vectors are points that create a smooth, straight line, so when you zoom into the image, you’ll see a straight line instead of small boxes, like if you used Photoshop. Read our full disclosure policy here.). How Do I Calibrate My Cricut Maker Or Explore Air 2? If you …, Amazon PRIME Day 2020: Cricut, Craft, & Heat Press Deals. And if you’re a creative professional – it can be incredibly frustrating receiving artwork or designs that weren’t made with the right software to begin with. When in doubt, here’s a simple guide that explains which application is the best choice in different situations…. The handling of layers and vector shapes is much "clunkier" than how Illustrator does it. This means that you can add graphics, animations, filters, text, and other effects to video clips easily. We hate SPAM and promise to keep your email address safe. We are independently owned and the opinions expressed here are our own. If you are creating scaleable shapes and print designs, then Illustrator will offer the best quality overall. It works easily to create banner ads, email graphics, social media images, and similar graphic designs. Want to be part of something awesome? But the thing is, when doing graphic design… there are many times when Photoshop just isn’t the right option. The following illustration demonstrates the difference between raster and vector images. Adobe Photoshop is the program of choice when it comes to manipulating and enhancing photos. This one is actually pretty easy to tell because of the name… Adobe Photoshop is best for editing photos. Photoshop is the best application for adjusting a photo so that it shines. This application is for more precise drawing, or for when you want to be able to scale artwork later for different sizes. If that’s not enough, there tons of stylized add-ons you can find or purchase to help you take your designs to the next level. Subscribe to receive the best tips, tools, and resources for content creators! Adobe Illustrator is a vector-based graphics design program. This however has thrown up more questions as I am very often asked when is the right time and place to use Adobe Illustrator Vs Adobe Photoshop Vs Adobe Indesign! Working with raw photos or regular images, Editing or enhancing photographs for print, Creating a simple video, animation, or GIF, Putting together multi-page brochures or newsletters, Creating branding marks, logo designs, icons, or fonts, Making any artwork that may need to be scaled up, Designing magazine, newspaper, or book layouts, Making newsletters, booklets, and brochures, Designing magazines and newspaper layouts. If you use these links to buy something, we may earn a commission, but it doesn't cost you anything. You can use Photoshop to do vector work very effectively. Envato Elements: The Ultimate Creative Digital Assets Subscription? Artwork created in Illustrator can be scaled down for mobile screens, or scaled up to billboard size (or bigger!) When deciding which software to use – the most important thing is knowing what your end goal is; including where and how your design is going to be viewed. Need to create a quick image for social media? The work flow is much slower and less intuitive than Illustrators however. For instance, try scaling up a company logo for a billboard design if it wasn’t made in a vector-based program! PDF’s use vectors. Everybody’s heard of “Photoshoping” an image, right? Hint: It’s in the name. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. eval(ez_write_tag([[580,400],'howtoheatpress_com-box-4','ezslot_7',126,'0','0'])); While Illustrator is a powerful tool just like Photoshop, there are some limitations within the program that you won’t like if you are just looking to simply edit a photo. eval(ez_write_tag([[580,400],'howtoheatpress_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_1',124,'0','0'])); So when should you use Adobe Illustrator, and when should you use Photoshop? Designs created within Illustrator will always look the same whether they are on a vehicle wrap or business card due to the way that designs are created within the program. I’m not ashamed to admit that in the past, I frequently chose the wrong program for the job… and it was almost always because I was not familiar with the one I should have been using. Raster images, on the other hand, are composed of millions of tiny individual colored squares, also known as pixels. Learn how your comment data is processed. It’s for photo editing! I will be sure to bookmark it and come back If you need to create an image, symbol, shape, or other design that has to be scaled to multiple sizes, you’ll need to know how to do it in Illustrator. While the idea makes sense, in practice, it can actually be a bit of a nightmare. Artists use both programs to create beautiful and moving artwork, as well as technical graphic artistry, such as logos and vector art. …choosing the right tool for the job can make all the difference. We’re here to help you choose the first way. So, whether you’re building a house, fixing a bike, enhancing a photo, or designing a flyer…. There’s no better application than for creating typography than Illustrator. Let’s start with something we can all agree on:  You wouldn’t use a screwdriver to do a hammer’s job. Illustrator also works differently than Photoshop. Adobe Illustrator Vs Photoshop: which should you be using? Joel Simser is a creative writer, entrepreneur, and all around video maestro. You can blow up a logo to any size by creating an SVG, for example. Let’s break down Photoshop vs. Illustrator and when to use both in design. This is how we are compensated for our time. This is why we have two formats. It can also manipulate the image by adding objects to the image. When saving your logo, it’s best to get it in as many file versions as you can. This means that graphics and images can sometimes look a little jagged especially when scaled up – since raster images are made up of individual colored squares, or pixels. InDesign was originally created for the desktop publishing market, with the purpose of laying out design for print. Adobe Illustrator CC | Graphic Design Software Overview, How to Use Text Animators in Adobe After Effects. Things To Consider When Refreshing Your Website. However, there are some things about Photoshop that don’t make it the best option for certain types of design, particularly when you are creating something for high resolution or print. In addition, you may not want to use Photoshop when you have to layout pages with lots of text and need specific measurements for copy, it’s probably best to use a program like Adobe InDesign. InDesign puts the focus on your design’s layout. In addition, when you think of print designs, you should only use Illustrator to create layouts and design elements, and you can post images from Photoshop within your layout to retain their shape and quality. There’s no better tool to do this due to all of the effects, from smudging to touch pressure painting with a digital Wacom tablet, than with Adobe Photoshop. Or maybe you’ve avoided one of these programs because you’d never used it before? PNG’s are great because they have no background color, so you can place your logo anywhere without having to worry about a white box encasing it. Learn the right way and grow as an artist and designer, or continue to do things the wrong way. But if you are new or have never used one of the programs before, it may seem like there isn’t a huge difference between them. Thankfully, you don’t have to know the math behind vectors. Indesign Vs Illustrator: Which Should You Use? Filed under: Learn New Skills, Graphic Design Tagged with: Adobe Creative Cloud, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop, Graphic Design, Graphic Design Software, Photography.