For best print quality which format should I design in, vector or raster?

Which of the two file format is better, a vector or raster format?

Majority of the beginners end up in confusion as to which one has to be used when the design has to be printed. Rummaging on various grounds about the very same we decided to blog about it and throw some light on this.

Vector Images are mainly built using geometrical shapes unlike a raster image that is built with pixels. So the vector images are pixel independent and also they do not capture photo-like images as they are mostly different block of colors that are put together to form an image unlike the raster that is built with pixels giving us the intricate details of the photo.

The vector image by far is the best medium used to create logos, website icons and buttons. The purpose of choosing the vector or raster graphics to create a pictograph for a company or a website is to maintain the quality as it was at the time of creation and also when the picture is viewed/printed at dynamically higher resolution.

Eventually when a vector image is zoomed at an incredible resolution, they do not lose their fine quality and there are no pixels evident. The vector images maintain the quality of the image at a higher resolution while the raster image tends to become unstable and reveal the pixels from which they are built.

The visual explanation of how the above mentioned images work when zoomed

After the design has been created the vector or raster images are saved under metafile which accepts both the vector and raster format. The process of saving the vector image .jpeg format rasterizes the vector image but not affecting the quality of the image.  The popular metafiles used are .eps and .pdf .

These portraits are a perfect example of vector images.
If you will notice,they are built with just shapes and do not rasterize.

Thus far,the vector images by far produce a better quality in print as they are devoid of pixels and are preferable for print design  whereas the raster itself posses different set of importance such as its needs in the web design area and the photographic field.