In the world of graphic design, it’s really important to know the difference between a vectorized image and bitmap.

The vectorized image, is a mathematical description of a geometric form that is defined with many dots. Since they are mathematically described, the vectorized outline don’t show any quality degradation when deformed by resizing. You’ll notice that the borders will remain smooth and unbroken.

This way, the shapes that compose the image will be defined in the file with a series of lines and dots with curves, a filling and a contour of defined color.

A bitmap, is composed of little dots. Each of these dots or squares, called pixels have their own chromatic and luminous value, independently from the rest of pixels that form the image in it’s groups of color and luminance. The group of pixels make up the whole image.

To be continued…

Source: Instituto de Artes Visuales {Visual Arts Institute}