Illustrator vs. Photoshop

Illustrator vs. Photoshop Existential doubts about which one you should use to have a perfect design without last-minute problems? Send those doubts on vacation because with this brief -but revealing- explanation of the differences between Illustrator and Photoshop, your life as a graphic artist will be 25% easier. 

Before we begin, we will give you the definition of what both platforms are so that you do not go swimming without a lifeguard through the paragraphs of this article.

Photoshop vs. Illustrator: An Introduction to These Key Design Programs

Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator are two of the most popular and widely used graphics programs from Adobe.

Although both have very similar workspaces, windows, menus, tools, and you can also create great design projects, there are relevant important differences for you to know about.

If you have just started a new project, you probably have some doubts about choosing which of the two is the ideal program that will best meet your design goals.

Superficially, Illustrator and Photoshop seem very similar, but the truth about these is that they are different; The great thing about these design tools is that the two complement each other! and allow to achieve a better result.

We want to help you in the process of discovering which is the most suitable tool for your work. That is why we have gathered the necessary information so that you can get started.

Differences Between Illustrator and Photoshop: Top 10 Differences

1) Illustrator is vector-like Photoshop is a pixel

This difference makes the two programs so different because you can enlarge or shrink the images as many times as you want without losing any of their quality with vectors. With pixels, on the other hand, you will have no choice but to work with limited sizes. 

2) Illustrator prints in any size, Photoshop ... not

As you can already notice, since they are images that do not alter their quality when resizing, Adobe Illustrator (AI) is perfect for printing in GIANT sizes. If you want to print an image in Photoshop, make sure you do it to the size of your file ... or you'll regret it.

3) Blurred images? Never ... but only in Photoshop

Surely you have heard that they say, "the image is pixelated." This phenomenon - not natural - is because an image is not in the resolution in which it was exported, something that does not happen with AI because they are vectors. Photoshop: you are still cool, but you are losing this game.

4) Editing objects is not easy with Photoshop. Another point for Illustrator

You won't be able to edit shaped objects using Photoshop (it's not the kind of editing you're thinking of). I'm talking about modifying lines directly or modifying the shape of an object. With Illustrator, you have the option to modify even the smallest point of which your design is composed, which gives you control over the rounded corners thanks to the pen tool.

5) Adobe Illustrator is lighter, and Photoshop gets heavy

Here we refer to the moment of saving the images and the weight of the files. Photoshop, when working with pixels, generates much heavier files, and these can increase their size quickly while you add changes. With a good Illustrator, you won't have heavy files while working with vectors. If you add images with pixels to your work table, you will increase their weight.

6) With Illustrator, you will learn faster; Photoshop requires more knowledge

If you are starting in the world of design, Illustrator will be easier to learn. Photoshop is not that simple, as it has different levels of editing that could give you a headache (if you are a beginner).

7) Make Ctrl + Z almost unlimited with Adobe Illustrator ... Photoshop can also

You can go back a sufficient number of times if you mess up while designing Illustrator. With Photoshop, you only have one try if you apply CTRL + Z, but you can trick the program to do it like in Adobe Illustrator if you add the ALT command, like this: CTRL + ALT + Z

8) Photoshop limits you to your artboard; Illustrator doesn't

In AI, you can do whatever you want outside of your work table (the delimited space you do the design). With PS, you can only work within the area given to you. Although it is not a disadvantage, creative men and women sometimes prefer to work without having "limits."

9) Master highlight and shadow control with PS ... not everything is AI

As it is editing on pixels and not vector lines, you can generate incredible effects with shadows and lights in Photoshop, something that in AI would look very flat or difficult to achieve.

10) Better organization of elements in Photoshop thanks to layers

Not all good things happen in Adobe Illustrator, as having a large number of objects on an artboard can make organization a bit chaotic. In Photoshop, thanks to the layers, you will have better organized all your design elements.