: Difference between PSD paths and AI paths Bit of a noob question, but I've only recently discovered Illustrator. I've always worked with Photoshop to edit images. Can anyone tell me the difference

@Murray664

Path remains path. There is no difference between them.

Illustrator can be open the .psd files and works with Photoshop shapes, but the reverse is not true. Photoshop doesn't open (in editable vector) the ai, eps, pdf or any Illustrator file format.

But using the "copy-paste" commands, it works both ways.

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@Turnbaugh909

Short and generalized answer—The paths are the same, the output is different.

There are great explanations of the difference between vector and raster images here:


What are the differences between vector graphics and raster graphics?


Slightly longer answer—It depends...

Adobe Illustrator is a vector graphics program. Everything you create in Illustrator is a vector, all of your colors and strokes and shapes are vector (although you can import raster images and use raster effects).

Adobe Photoshop is a raster image editor. It works exclusively with pixels. Paths in Photoshop are vectors, but what is output and what you see is a raster image based on that vector data. They are only vectors inside Photoshop, as soon as you export your image they are no longer vector. You can export an EPS from Photoshop which will retain some of your vector paths, but any fills in those paths will be raster images.


Is a Photoshop EPS file a vector format?


You can save as a Photoshop PDF too (not a regular PDF), which will retain some vector data, but other things will be rasterized (I believe any faux type styles are rasterized, for example).

If you want vector images, create them in Illustrator, not Photoshop.

But, if you already have artwork in Photoshop that was created with paths and shapes, not drawn pixels, you can resize your artwork in Photoshop with no problem.

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