Photoshop or Illustrator for Website Icons?

[ConfidentManWA]

I am new to design and want to create website icons for Link removed by Moderator Should I use Photoshop or Illustrator?

[Ranjisha Sengupta]

Hi there,
Thanks for reaching out.
What kind of drawing are you trying to create? What's the final intent for the drawing? Do you want a super sharp clean edge drawing, or something more organic?

Illustrator is a vector-based application and Photoshop is an image editor. That means Photoshop works with pixels and Illustrator does not. Illustrator drawings can be scaled and printed at any size without loss of image quality. The lines are very clean and sharp, which is great for logo design and illustration. Photoshop drawings can be more similar to drawing with traditional media like pencils, or chalk, or paint.

If you draw in Photoshop it is important to plan for the final output size. If you want to eventually print your drawing at 16" x 20", then you need to start with a document that big, at a resolution of at least 150 PPI (depending on how it will be printed). When you draw in Illustrator you don't have to worry about any of that in the beginning. 

So, if the icon you are trying to create is similar to logos on websites, then my recommendation would be Illustrator.

Thanks,

Ranjisha