Raster Animation vs Vector Animation in Flash

Okay, you’ve just jumped into Adobe Flash and you need to animate a corporate logo, do you animate the a gif/jpeg image of it or a vector version of it? I’ll take a look at the pros and cons of each type.

I define a raster file as a file where pixels are set. That would mean any GIF, JPG (JPEG) or PNG file A vector file is a file where pixels aren’t set, in its place is a series of complex mathematics that helps the program (or printer) render the vector crisply at the desired size. Most EPS and AI files are vector files. Shapes drawn or text typed in Flash is also considered a vector.

Advantages of Raster Animation

• Compression – Flash provides an easy way to change the file’s compression (Right-click the raster file, select Properties)
• Easier on the CPU – Compared to vector animation, raster animation takes less CPU time
• Assurance – You know exactly what your raster image will look like in Flash, in the case of vector animation, you’re handing that responsibility over to the program
• Smooth – At the expense of CPU time, you can Allow Smoothing on files that will be lightly resized (Right-click the raster file, select Properties)
• Faster Effects – When filters or alpha is applied, a raster graphic will perform faster then a vector graphic

Advantages of Vector Animation

• Compression – Flash provides an easy way to smooth otherwise complex curbs to help shave uneeded detail (Select the shape, Modify -> Shape -> Optimize…)
• Scalability – Vector graphics can be scaled or blown-up if needed in your animation. Raster files leave much to be desired
• Smooth – Vector graphics, when lightly resized, will appear smoother then raster animation
• File size – Since vectors are made up of mathematics instead of pixel data, vectors are typically lighter in file size

That’s all for now, I hope that helps.

PS. I apologize for the post on Tuesday instead of Monday. I had a little bit of stomach discomfort, but I’m feeling great now.

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