What Is Vector Artwork and Why Do I Need It for Printing?
If you've sent artwork to a printer, you've probably been asked at some point: “Do you have that as a vector?” But what does that actually mean?
Vector artwork is a type of digital artwork that can be made bigger or smaller without losing quality. This makes it ideal for logos, illustrations, text and other graphics that need to be reproduced at different sizes.
Vector vs JPEG or PNG
JPEGs and PNGs are made from pixels. If the image is large and high resolution, that's not necessarily a problem. But if you take a small image and enlarge it, you'll eventually start to see it becoming blurry or pixelated.
Vector artwork works differently. Instead of being made from a fixed number of pixels, the shapes and lines that make up the artwork can scale to virtually any size while remaining sharp.
That means the same logo could potentially be used on a small chest print, the back of a T-shirt or a large piece of signage without losing its sharpness.
What file types are vector?
Common vector file formats include:
- AI – Adobe Illustrator
- EPS
- SVG
- PDF – providing the artwork inside the PDF is actually vector
It's worth knowing that simply saving a JPEG inside a PDF doesn't make it vector artwork.
Why do printers prefer vector artwork?
Having vector artwork gives us much more flexibility when preparing your design for production.
We can resize it accurately, separate colours, adjust elements where necessary and prepare it for processes such as screen printing, DTF printing, embroidery, signage and other forms of print production. It also helps ensure that logos, lettering and other graphic elements remain clean and sharp.
What if I don't have my logo as a vector?
This is extremely common. You might only have a JPEG or PNG, or perhaps the original designer is no longer around and all you have is a logo taken from your website.
At Vektor, you can send us whatever files you have and we'll take a look. If the artwork isn't suitable for what you're trying to produce, we can explain why and, where possible, recreate or prepare it in the correct format for production.
So if a printer asks you for a vector file and you have no idea whether you've got one, don't worry — send us what you have and we'll help you work it out.