I’ll first give you just a bit of a background so you understand the full picture. There are two main ways of representing graphics on computers: vector and raster.

Mathematical precision of vector graphics (left) and discrete nature of raster graphics (right).

Vector graphics describe the image with mathematical equations, usually representing things such as lines, curves and shapes. Raster graphics instead describe the image as an array of color values that are positioned one after the other into a grid pattern.

The second distinction in computer graphics is between representing 2D and 3D space. Together with vector/raster divide this gives us 4 quadrants to look at:

Everybody loves quadrants!

Vector graphics

In 2D vector graphics, each point on a line or a shape is described with a vector that has two components (x and y). That’s what makes it 2D (two components—two dimensions).

This is how 2D vectors describe all points in 2D vector graphics.

Below is an example of a so called low-poly 2D vector image.

Uluru the Mighty Dreamer, Anh Tran, 2015

It is constructed completely out of 2D polygons (in this case triangles). The term low-poly means the amount of polygons used to make the image is relatively small, low. This makes the triangles easily noticeable.

Let’s add a dimension. In 3D vector graphics the situation is the same, but each vector uses three components (x, y and z). Three components—three dimensions.

Let’s take a look at a 3D low-poly artwork.

Racetrack iOS Game Concept, Timothy J. Reynolds, 2013

The big difference between the 2D image of the Ayers Rock above and the 3D racetrack here is that we can look at the racetrack from any place we want.