Good to know
What is vector artwork?
The short answer
Vector artwork is drawn with lines and shapes instead of a grid of pixels. Because it is shapes, it can be made any size, from a pen to a banner, and stay perfectly sharp. A logo should be a vector file: usually an AI, EPS, or SVG, or a PDF saved from a design program.
Vector and raster
There are two kinds of image file.
A raster image is a grid of tiny colored squares, called pixels. Photos are raster. So are JPG, PNG, and GIF files. A raster image looks right at the size it was made, and turns soft or blocky when it is stretched larger.
A vector image stores the shapes themselves: this curve, that corner, filled with this color. The program redraws it fresh at whatever size you ask for, so the edges are always clean.
| Vector | Raster | |
|---|---|---|
| Made of | Lines and shapes | Pixels |
| Enlarged | Stays sharp | Gets blurry |
| Best for | Logos, type, line art | Photographs |
| Common files | AI, EPS, SVG, PDF | JPG, PNG, GIF, TIFF, PSD |
Why we ask for it
Your logo goes on things of very different sizes: a pen, a polo, a table cover, a sign. A small JPG pulled from a website can look fine on a screen and fall apart at two feet wide.
It is also about how things are made. Screen printing, embroidery, engraving, and cut lettering all start from clean shapes and separate colors. A vector file has both. A photo of a logo has neither, so someone has to rebuild it first.
How to tell what you have
Open the file and zoom in as far as it will go. If the edges stay crisp, it is vector. If you start to see squares or fuzz, it is raster.
The letters at the end of the file name are a hint, not a guarantee. A JPG placed inside a PDF or an EPS is still a JPG. Saving a picture under a new name does not turn it into vector artwork.
Where to find your vector logo
Start with whoever designed the logo, and ask for the original vector file in AI, EPS, or SVG. It is often in a folder of brand files, or attached to an old email from the designer, a sign company, or a printer who has used it before.
If you can't find one, send the best version you have. Many logos can be redrawn as vector artwork, so ask us about it.
Questions
More about artwork files
Don't see yours? Call 419.224.8747 and ask a person.
EXCELLENT4.9 from 58 Google reviews, rated 4.9 out of 5. Opens our Google Business profile in a new tabIs a PDF a vector file?
It can be. A PDF is a container: it can hold vector shapes, raster pictures, or both. A PDF saved from a design program with the logo drawn as shapes is vector. A PDF made by scanning a page or dropping in a JPG is not.
Is a PNG or JPG a vector file?
No. Both are raster files, made of pixels. A large, sharp one can print well at its own size, but it cannot be enlarged without losing quality.
Can I turn a JPG into a vector file by saving it as an EPS or SVG?
No. That only wraps the same pixels in a different file. To become vector, a logo has to be traced or redrawn as shapes.
What files should I send for my logo?
A vector file if you have one: AI, EPS, SVG, or a PDF from a design program. If not, send the largest, sharpest version you can find and tell us that is all you have.
Do photographs need to be vector?
No. Photographs are always raster. What matters for a photo is that it has enough pixels for the size it will print.
What if I don't have a vector version of my logo?
Send the best version you have and ask about having it redrawn. You'll see a proof before anything is made.
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Not sure what you have?
Send the file with your request and ask. You'll see a proof before anything is made.