Photoshop vs Illustrator for Design - What's the Difference?

Learn about the differences between Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop!
Check out my Photoshop and Illustrator kits! 🦄 bit.ly/3aWqZpF
This video goes over when to use Adobe Illustrator vs. Photoshop. Ultimately both programs are super versatile, so it's likely that you can accomplish whatever you're up to in either program. That being said, each program also brings certain strengths and weaknesses to the table when doing design work, so it's helpful to consider those when taking on new projects.
Illustrator is a fantastic vector program and Photoshop is a fantastic raster program, and I'll walk through what that means and why you should care about it. :)
Have any questions about what you've seen in the video? Feel free to leave a comment!
#photoshop #illustrator #illustratorvsphotoshop

[@MattBorchert]

I also make Photoshop and Illustrator kits and textures to help you make amazing things! Check them out here: bit.ly/3aWqZpF

[@vincentpolizzi764]

This was extremely helpful! As someone learning a new skill this video has given me a place to start. I look forward to learning both platforms.

[@Notb6d]

did u learn it? after 3 years ...

[@langianimations416]

It's simple, Photoshop is good for painting and illustrator is good for designing.

[@noticemesin4571]

Illustrator is good for vector and photoshop is good for effects

[@dumpmuch]

@@noticemesin4571 Yeah that's a better explaination

[@shanchar]

Photoshop is best for photo editing and adding different sorts of effects and also good for digital painting But illustrator is best for desining vector arts for different purposes

[@umazingg4954]

Yeah now everyone come and give their own definations lol

[@okbnkstr9751]

It’s simple. Photoshop is good for shopping for photos and illustrator is good for illustrating.

[@lordvillon7180]

Both programs are useful to one another, you just have to practice it more, to create a better outcome. A Illustrator is best for vector image or flat illustrations in which Photoshop is best for Photo Manipulation, Editing, Effects and Digital Graphics

[@RoxyandChris]

This is the exact comment i was looking for ily gang

[@dubiousjesse]

This comment helped me make my decision to sign up for the Adobe CC. I am barely starting my graphic design journey for my t-shirt business.

[@bio_meta4055]

Bruh both I will use for artistic things lol

[@abeerkhaledmansour8428]

Finally I understood ! I've been watching several videos to initially get the main concept behind these 2 tools and I couldn't get it until just now. Thank you so much.

[@MattBorchert]

Awesome! Glad they've been helpful to you. :)

[@fairymaiden.666]

I like working with photoshop better while drawing, i like to erase my drawings to make them more clean hut in illustrator you can't really erase your lines. And i have way more brush options in photoshop

[@taimdala]

Thank you for this clear and concise comparison. NOW I can understand why developing brushes for Illustrator seems so important and has taken over certain sections of my favorite graphics resource shops online. ;) I have gained a new respect for Illustrator and can see how I can integrate it into my Photoshop work. Thank you for this! ♥

[@MattBorchert]

Glad it was helpful!

[@taimdala]

@@MattBorchert It was! Thank you!

[@teabagNBG]

i work with illustrator for the last 10 years making decals stickers and stuff... once in a while i use photoshop... but recently i started to make alot of 3d text stuff with images or photos... i think the text options inside of photoshp is a little bit better to bad its not vector

[@bou2220]

Yes, this video is basically for people to decide who are budget conscious or should not buy services if one can do the job. I like seeing what illustrator can do. It definitely seems best for logo work. My workflow is becoming web design. For that use case I am having a hard time making a choice. Both would be optimal of course, but resources are very limited especially around the holidays. I appreciate your thoughtful video showing the differences. Very well written and executed. Take care.

[@EM-is9ti]

Fantastic, clear, easy to understand video. Answered a few questions I had. Had to love when you said, "look at this beautiful thing..." that you made. That was endearing.

[@MattBorchert]

Hah, thank you Erin. :)

[@deividasburba1572]

on photoshop go in --> filters --> camera raw filter and you there can fix a bit pixels ;)

[@ejmn7347]

Thank you! This helps me a lot since I want to begin using both apps :)

[@barathchandar5492]

About the HUE\ SATURATION to image in illustrator can't be done directly but i hope we can achieve it by 1. Tracing the image by IMAGE TRACE option. 2 . Then EXPAND the image ( which convert the image into vector ) so we can apply hue by selecting the vector of same fill and apply the color.

[@migozei6487]

definitely diving into your videos. Thank you so much for taking the ti to teach us that are green in the field. Have a great day

[@ritik8234]

Thank you soo much mate! That really helped me a lot. Now I'll use Photoshop for digital art and logos for illustrator

[@vicalt8619]

Very helpful and very clear. Thank you!

[@solidlexus5716]

It’s okay to feel that why. I felt like that sowhat at the beginning. Just use the love you have for making soft to overpower that feeling

[@joel9909]

I plan to also learn graphics design in addition to web and Ui/Ux. As a freelancer that will be perfect. Good video, I am sure that I need both now

[@dgdg6143]

This is a great instructional video that fully answers the question portrayed in the title and fulfills its mission undoubtedly

[@Red-lk7ow]

If I want to make a book cover, which one could I use? My sister told me adobe illustrator, but I do not know...

[@MattBorchert]

For a book cover it shouldn't matter. It's more preference for which one you want to use. If your cover is going to use a photo, have lots of textures, etc, then use Photoshop. If it's more illustrative and you want clean, crisp shapes, then Illustrator. If it's primarily text, I'd personally use Illustrator.

[@wallace4932]

Enjoy your videos immensely Matt. But for this particular video you only went one way (AI to PS). I sometimes go PS to AI to get that scalable result. Your thoughts?

[@MattBorchert]

Thanks Wallace! I think that makes total sense to me. For whatever reason I've just always started designs in AI and then finished them in PS, I think primarily because I would use PS for the final touches (texture, slight color adjustments, adding in images etc.) If you use PS to prototype out the design and then finish it in a vector for format in Illustrator, that's a great way to work too. :)

[@rmunoz5439]

Thank you, this helped me a great deal. I have never used any photo/drawing editing and would like to learn. I am starting to learn screen printing and I understand I will need to use the vector style images to use on the transparency Sheets. How would I benefit from using both and not just illustrator? Hoping you can point me the right direction. Thank You........

[@thiefpg1269]

Nice video man, clear and concise explanation! Thanks a lot!

[@Ducto758]

i used both of them illustrating a frame and send it to photoshop for filling colors. but my favourite is adobe illustrator Cuz the normal illustrating brush kinda looks one of adobe flash brush

[@haziqq]

This is what i do for something like a poster, the individual logos and elements should be created in illustrator and then mash it together in Photoshop for effects and stuff like that. Easier for collaboration.

[@tonythompson1720]

Thanks for this video! VERY informational, and clear!

[@GoodVibes-cx2xj]

Thanks for this video Matt! For a social media instagram account, does illustrator or photoshop have scales made to scale for a post size? I wanted to create sm posts from scratch using just one software and hoping photoshop and illustrator has a lot of photos and things I can use as I cannot draw haha :)

[@helencrossing5375]

Really clear presentation - thanks so much

[@MinhNgoc-ni6zi]

thank you so much!!!! this is extremely helpful

[@R4CHEL__]

I’m a traditional artist learning (or trying) digital art, I’m using illustrator and it’s such a challenge. And wasn’t quite what I was looking for I don’t think. I remember using photoshop several years ago (I mean SEVERAL) and I always found it fun to use. But I used it for photo manipulation, not painting. Now I’m a traditional painter, watercolor/acrylic/sketching, etc. and so illustrator was not at all what I was expecting 😅 it’s fun! But I’m finding myself very frustrated because I want to try photoshop too but don’t want to pay for both programs together right now as a beginner…. I’m wondering if maybe Photoshop might be a good idea to try though and see some tutorial videos to help me decide.

[@MattBorchert]

I find if you're mostly doing bold graphical work, Illustrator is a great match. If you're looking for more photo editing, or creating things like realistic paint strokes and other textures, Photoshop has a ton of power there (and a bunch of cool new AI stuff now too!). Maybe try each one for a month and see if you gravitate more towards one.

[@joshuaolunoiki5341]

Thanks man! Helpful to the core.

[@riofuentes5563]

thank you that was very helpful. more content like this again please .

[@marekkrakovsky4187]

Thank you for a very good, informative and easy to understand video.

[@CADELZOGMR]

It helped me a lot, mate! Thanks

[@MattBorchert]

No problem 👍

[@worldsobernews6791]

Which softwear is better for any image cutting for purpose of digital marketing

[@iskorokotongs]

You dont have to rasterize the logo in ps just add an adjustment layer for hue/saturation on top of the layer logo and clip it to the logo layer.

[@MattBorchert]

True! Thanks for sharing.

[@williehazel7284]

question for you....I want to create tee shirt images for my tee shirt biz. Which software should I use to get those type of crisp images?

[@ghost37666]

Very informative and detailed. Thank you.

[@paragbharadia2895]

learned a lot thank you , your video was amazing

[@merakinne]

Great video, thank you!

[@MooseX2012]

so if im trying to draw something, which one should i use?

[@MattBorchert]

Depends! If you want to do very crisp lined illustrations, then Illustrator is likely better. If you want more of a painterly / natural effect, then Photoshop is probably better for you.

[@MooseX2012]

@@MattBorchert thank you sir!

[@AliceInCrazyland]

I told my friend once that AI is better than ps at the quality of your design and she replied u just need a new version , now I have to find her after this 😂😂 I think there’s way to play with the photos looks by blending 2 photos or any object in make a mask (appearance then opacity), it’s not like in photoshop of course but u got to work with what u have anyway 😅 Thank u so much for this very helpful video 🙏🏻♥️

[@MattBorchert]

Of course, I'm glad you found the video interesting!

[@GurpreetSGulati]

very very informative.gratitude!!

[@DaylinFarrow]

Awesome video - thanks for sharing.

[@Hamiltron_]

This was a great explanation. I’m literally watching this the day that I really used Illustrator for the first time as intended 😅 Not as that I hadn’t wondered or searched this before. I simply don’t know that it would make sense until you have a practical application for BOTH in the same project. Thank you much.

[@arieschin6119]

good explanation!!!! very helpful for my work!! Thank you so much!!

[@lanieand]

Thanks this helped a lot!

[@MattBorchert]

Glad to hear it Elaine. :)

[@davidsouza973]

Thanks for the explanation 👍

[@patrikvengrin7907]

For creating ads and info graphics. Example for a club or festivals. which will be better for me to pay?

[@MattBorchert]

If you intend to use photos quite a bit, I personally find Photoshop to be more powerful for manipulating those etc. If it's all graphical, then I prefer Illustrator. I also personally prefer doing typography work in Illustrator.

[@patrikvengrin7907]

@@MattBorchert thanks. :)

[@djjohnyg]

Thank you for the advise great video!

[@TallysPsych]

soooo now that you put the image from illustrator into shop to edit it, wont you have that same problem when you zoom in where its not crisp?

[@MattBorchert]

What matters is that when viewed at 100% everything is crisp and clear. So what really matters when moving something from Illustrator to Photoshop is making the Photoshop document is sized correctly for whatever your final output is.

[@Bellossom101]

Thanks for the help

[@gabrielrahmih4712]

I'm gonna design posters, logos, flyers, social media posts, I need something for "company branding" what should I use?

[@MattBorchert]

Illustrator will likely be the better option.

[@bidhanry9740]

Sir I have created a logo in illustrator,. After exporting as transparent bg in png 24 , I checked the logo was in High quality, but when I use that logo in a video then when I zoom it it gets pixeleted at edges. It should not be pixeleted as I have created in Adobe illustrator . What I know is logos created in illustrator wonts get pixeleted on zoom( I might be wrong please correct me)

[@MattBorchert]

PNGs are no longer vector. Try to import your logo as a ln illustrator file instead being sure to preserve the vector. If .ai doesn't work, export as an svg

[@bidhanry9740]

@@MattBorchert sir, if i use it as svg then can i use it it in videos and pictures? if not then do u have any option?

[@MattBorchert]

@@bidhanry9740 For videos you want to maintain a vector format. For web use, then you'd use the PNG.

[@stevenlrussell]

Solid video. Thank you

[@MattBorchert]

No problem 👍

[@gotmysneaks]

Good stuff.. thanks!

[@Odolwa2]

i use adobe animate to draw, then i open it in illustrator to process (print/cut-plot). illustrator should start integrating adobe animate tools, like bendy lines. the anchor tool is not useful for what i do. any way to get adobe to implement this in their next release? also get rid of the mirror tool and just put a literal flip function. illustrator could be so much better.

[@cabrondemente1]

A billboard as big as a planet... sounds like Futurama.

[@timmyteen1]

Great video i learned alot

[@hmnghzl5242]

Big takeaway i had from here: I can rasterise(?) Vectors

[@SuAlteza92]

I am a complete newbie. Thanks for this, Matt! So Illustrator should be used to create images and Photoshop to manipulate the images, correct? So is it photoshop that people use when they take someone's images and add stuff that wasn't there to make people or something look funny or doing something like adding a door in the middle of an open field in an outdoor image?

[@MattBorchert]

Photoshop is very often used for manipulating images that already exist, but it's also great if you want to paint inside it, for example, with very realistic effects. It's a super powerful tool.

[@cdylan]

Great video, thank you

[@isabellejourdan]

Hi which one is better for creating NFTs? I want to create NFTs from the photos I take from my artwork. Do I need to take the photos in a specific format e.g.RAW or is a "normal", un-edited photo enough. I would appreciate your advice as I am new to this. Thank you

[@ruendheart]

Neither

[@sodavidsam2770]

thank for the good explanation

[@jessicahall2617]

Hey, great tutorial - thank you! When using a mixture of both softwares can you just copy/paste your object between the two? For example you design a logo in Illustrator but then want to add textures and or gradients to it, can you then copy the logo across to Photoshop?

[@MattBorchert]

Yep! At least I very commonly move objects from Illustrator to Photoshop just by copy and pasting.

[@jessicahall2617]

@@MattBorchert Brilliant, thank you

[@JungGeumbi]

brilliant! thanks a ton.

[@marlborogorila]

Thanks mate!

[@alejandrocastro7758]

Very very helpful

[@merouanehoceine6709]

thanks brother was ckean explanation

[@GetOffMyy]

I wanna teach myself this for my business but it just seems like too much 🤦‍♂️

[@abhijeetsinghkushwah799]

Is there any difference between Pen Tool in Illustrator and Pen Tool in Photoshop???

[@MattBorchert]

They function in very similar ways, but I personally find using the pen tool in Illustrator to be a much better experience. For lack of a better way of explaining it, I feel like I have more control in Illustrator, and it's easier for me to quickly select and adjust points using the direct selection tool.

[@jbarrera20]

If I want to make a logo, like using existing images from the web. Or even edit a current logo that was made by someone else, which do you recommend? For example, I’m a firefighter and want to create a new or edit an existing logo to then have printed into stickers and patches. Which would you recommend?

[@MattBorchert]

Definitely Illustrator!

[@tennheadhunta2350]

Which program should I use for sublimation t shirt design and what is the best laptop under $1000 is best to run the program that you suggest. Thanks

[@ZymonVlogs]

For $1000 you can go for desktop This is the specs: R5 3600 Rtx 2060 16gb ram 3200 mhz 1tb hdd 200gb ssd 700watts psu If you want laptop you can go with any brand that has ryzen 5 and decent gpu any brand is good it just need good specs you can join computer groups at fb so you can have a choice of brands

[@jdajayi92]

The difference... Illustrator: simple and intuitive for design. Photoshop: Google 9 steps on how to italicize your font, only to realize your layer was accidentally rasterized, go back to step 2 and resave the right brush pallet and effects template.

[@shiroisekai_20]

what app where i can add a gif on a photo and has a charts feature?

[@KRIZINKGRIN]

Love photoshop too.

[@mauricelee7299]

This was helpful

[@itzbatsygaming504]

Is illustrator better for digital illustration.?

[@dogoargentino7834]

I want to make a double sided postcard and a brochure for advertisment both will have text and picture which one do you recommend? Thanks.

[@MattBorchert]

Well ideally InDesign :P - but if that isn't an option, then if you don't intend to alter the photo at all, I'd use Illustrator. If you do intend to alter the photo (color changes, adding texture, etc.) then Photoshop.

[@dogoargentino7834]

@@MattBorchert thanks will research InDesign.

[@sm.2451]

i want to make magazine/poster edits with existing images already which would u recommend?

[@1kitts]

Illustrator, but your images such as photos might need to be edited in photoshop first

[@mayndset6270]

Thank you!

[@thatssolaura]

ok excuse my stupidity, but if you can export a photoshop project as a vector image (.svg file type) why not stay in photoshop?

[@MattBorchert]

Illustrator is really built around vector in a way that Photoshop is not. Just different tools which tailor to different use cases, but that's not to say that you can't do a ton of great stuff staying in one or the other.

[@HP-bk7nl]

I think Sketch is a good option, it combines PS and AI

[@tanmaylodha]

Illustrator vs Xd vs Figma vs Indesign?

[@tairiqueellis4841]

Hey if I wanted to create designs for close which one would be better?

[@user-sg3wp2qs2b]

Illustrator

[@Alex-ro2lg]

Which one is better for car wrap design?

[@MattBorchert]

Likely illustrator due to the scale at which you'll be working.

[@ciyaarahadunidaoffical5474]

Vincent beginning*

[@andrewwinoto2421]

thanks

[@TheNewDawnLeadership]

Sweet!

[@CHENOTV]

so vector has more flexibility? sounds like theres too much to do when it comes to resizing in photo shop

[@MattBorchert]

The big difference is if you enlarge in Photoshop past the original file size, you lose quality. That isn't the case when working in vector. So if you use Photoshop, it's very important to make sure that you start with a file that's large enough for your use case.

[@nessacurlsx9437]

I want to turn a picture of someone into a cartoon which one is better for that?

[@MattBorchert]

Depends on the style you want and how you want to draw it. If you want to "paint" it, Photoshop generally is better for that. If you are looking for sharp and crisp lines, Illustrator is likely the way to go. Either can definitely do it, so it will be preference.

[@Alex-ro2lg]

Thank you

[@KRIZINKGRIN]

We Love Illustrator ;-D

[@caloy05]

how can you get those software? is that for free? Or need some subscription?

[@dilbarxonabdurahimova-4572]

Hi sir. How can i contact you. I need your help in making packaging design.

[@yanis5728]

To download soft soft is the download free or do you have to pay for it?

[@user-sg3wp2qs2b]

Lol it’s very expensive software

[@elchicano187]

Thank you..

[@Mazel_Tov_888]

good job.

[@NightowlAshleyCreates]

I want to make svg's for use in my cricut design space program. Which one would you recommend?

[@MattBorchert]

Illustrator. SVGs are vectors. :)

[@fancha831]

very good