How Do Vector Graphics Work?

Vector graphics allow you to rescale images to any size without losing quality! How does that work?

[andriup]

That means I've been doing my logos wrong all this time. Vectors are the real thing! Thank you Linus!

[allanrichardson]

Back in the old days, some CRT displays used vector graphics to display hand drawn and mathematically generated shapes for interactive design terminals. The associated display processors, huge CRTs and drive circuits, and the need to reserve real time on large mainframes meant that they were reserved for high value functions such as radar stations, scientific simulations, and designing cars for three years in the future.
One salient device used with these displays was the light pen, a photodetector with a spring loaded spherical lens which switched the detector on when pressed against the screen, and a manual "select" button on the side to provide operator control. It would pick up the very fast rise of the burst of light when the electron beam came within its detection radius, giving its processor the X and Y coordinates on the screen, and identifying the vector instruction being drawn, thus identifying where and to which object the pen was pointed. The interface logic was later adapted to use with the mouse (the select button became the click).

[BurakBagdatli]

Vector graphics aren't necessarily smaller in file size but you're right to say that for the right use cases they tend to be smaller. I saw many line charts or scatter plots or similar things that just require more points than number of pixels and they end up being huge.

Imagine having points on 10000 places on a graph. Each of those points will require an X and a Y coordinate and some extra code to define them. It really adds up quickly. Whereas a raster image would not care about how many points there are on the graph, it'll put close enough points on a single pixel but the human eye isn't going to differentiate between really close points from each other when there are 10000 points anyway.

Nevertheless, they're my favorite method for making figures and graphs for my thesis. Yay for SVG and PDF!
And Inkscape. Thank you, Inkscape!

[taspeteris]

What if I told you that pixels are vectors that are 1x1 pixels

[CheahMichael]

Speaking of porn, TUNNELBEAR let you surf your favourite porn site ANONYMOUSLY!

You missed that chance Linus. You missed that chance.

[goodlyboony]

For a second there, I thought linus was sponsored by a porn website

[Ethanhall]

That backup cam is a cool idea, but really? $500USD?

[jasonlam]

Wait are you telling me that "enhance" thing in Jason Bourne wasn't total bs?

[TheRegalRolston]

so how are you supposed to stop someone from stealing a 500$ piece of tech off the back of your car?

[hirenmore]

Hey!! It's always great to hear you and videos are not lengthy so.. I can watch them on the go!!!

[tchitchouan]

THE *VECTREX* was ahead of its time ! such an underrated console !

[stephanieplotkin]

Thank you: this was extremely helpful. I am trying to make my blog a little nicer but didn't understand what these "vector" graphics were...you made things so much easier! Keep up the good work!

[ksells]

Anyone else notice "adress" at 4:13?

[monkeywithocd]

As someone working towards making 2D videogames, I wonder if a clever combination of vector and raster could make a 2D game look better when scaling. Probably beyond my programming expertise, but an interesting question I feel nonetheless.

[gruffyddgozali]

Jeez Linus being a savage on Taran with that billboard joke

[lHckrCmfr]

FL Studio, for example, has vectorized almost the entirety of their user interface, and you can scale it up to an obnoxious degree without it looking blurry due to linear pixel interpolation.

[WIImotionmasher]

I happened to be lucky enough to do some Vector drawing in middle-school so I happened to know about this. But I'm glad someone is covering this. It seems like most people don't understand / haven't heard of vector graphics.

[reigh]

Speaking of enhance you should cover the ways Ai is now enhancing images taking low res raster images and adding details that we're not even captured accurately or editing motion in video to take a bad dancer or even just random movements of one person and mapping them to mimic the movements of a professional dancers video.

[TorturdChaos]

Vector graphics are wonderful for signs. Also very useful for vinyl cutters and CnC machines. Don't know where my sign shop would be without them.

[choiceonlinemarketinggroup]

Finally... a crystal clear explanation of vector artwork I can use :) Linus, I hope you don't mind but I embedded your video on my site.