Adobe Photoshop vs. Adobe Illustrator for Graphic Design

Adobe Photoshop vs. Adobe Illustrator for Graphic Design

It can be a daunting task to know and choose the best software for creating a graphic design if you are a newbie. Therefore, it is vital to know the differences between different graphic design software. It is also essential to understand why and when to use them for various projects. We will be looking at the two most used graphic design software worldwide; Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator. This will give you a fair idea of how and what kind of tasks and work it can do.

Adobe Photoshop

Adobe Photoshop was released on Feb 19, 1990, and was designed by John and Thomas Knoll. It is an editor for raster graphics. Photoshop is one of the most popular go-to tools for graphic enthusiasts. It is preferred over its competitor for its ease of use and speed. It can produce the best patterns and prints according to your wants and needs.  

Adobe Illustrator

Adobe Illustrator was developed in 1985 and was marketed and designed by Adobe Inc. it is an editor for vector graphics. Illustrator is a graphic design software used in vector art to create icons, typography, logos, sketches, and even complicated illustrations.

As stated above, Photoshop is for editing images, and Illustrator is for creating images. Now let us see which software to use, and when should we use it?

Features of Photoshop and When to Use it

  1. Easy to use
  2. Excellent editing and transformations
  3. Covers a broad range of devices
  4. Free-handed creativity

Photoshop is used basically for enhancing or editing an image. It also allows you to correct errors such as re-touch, removing mistakes, adding a border, etc. It can also modify simple and basic vector art. If you are dealing with raster-based graphics, then Photoshop is the way to go.

Features of Illustrator and When to Use it

  1. Work on any given scale (up/down)
  2. Create innovative text designs
  3. Collaboration with other Adobe family tools
  4. Creating through dynamic ways

Illustrator can be used when you want to create or design an image from scratch. It has tools to bring your ideas to life, even if it is a complicated artwork or an illustration. It is best suited for creating logos and designs with smooth edges or without resolution issues. Illustrator is also helpful if you need to work on projects with zooming capabilities. It can be an excellent choice to make brochures or annual reports.

Conclusion

Photoshop and Illustrator are both different graphic design software. One is to create an image, and the other to edit or modify. Both can add plugins to enhance their performances and give out better results. Therefore, it would be unfair to adjudge one better than the other because they are different. Knowing a product before using it is essential because you do not want to regret buying the wrong product. Graphic designers should opt for either according to the project requirements and not based on popular beliefs.