Raster images are made up of tiny coloured squares called pixels. Each pixel stores colour information, allowing raster images to display detailed photographs and complex artwork. Because raster images have a fixed number of pixels, enlarging them too much makes them pixelated.

Vector images are defined by mathematical formulas. This allows them to be resized without losing quality.

Raster images are better for artwork with complex details, textures, and colour variations. Because each pixel can store its own colour information, raster images can capture subtle shading and realistic visual effects that would be difficult to create using vector graphics. They are commonly used for digital photography, photo editing, and detailed digital paintings and illustrations.

Vector images are better for graphics that need to be resized without losing quality. They are commonly used for logos. Vectors can also be used for illustration, these are often characterised by clean edges, smooth curves, and clearly defined shapes rather than subtle shading, textures, and fine details.

If you choose Procreate, you will be working only in raster images. However, Procreate can be a better choice if someone wants to focus more on shading and painterly effects.

If you choose Affinity Designer, you get more flexibility because the software allows you to work with both vector and raster graphics in the same environment. You can start by building a clean, precise base of the illustration in vector (for example: shapes, outlines, geometric structure), and then switch to raster tools to add shading, textures, and small details that feel more painterly and organic.

And now head over to the official Affinity and Procreate Instagram accounts to see what kind of effects you can achieve with each of them:

@affinity

@procreate