Vector or raster artwork
Use vector for logos, type and line art, and raster for photographs. Most good large format files hold both, each doing the job it is suited to.
The difference in one paragraph.
A raster image is a grid of coloured pixels with a fixed number of squares. Stretch it and the squares get bigger. A vector image is a set of mathematical instructions that describe shapes and curves, and it is redrawn crisply at whatever size you ask for. That is why a logo can go from a business card to a building, while a photo has limits.
| File type | Usually | Note |
|---|---|---|
| AI, EPS, SVG | Vector | But they can contain pasted-in pixels |
| Either, or both | Depends on how it was made | |
| JPEG, PNG, TIFF, HEIC | Raster | Always pixels, whatever the file name suggests |
| PSD | Raster | May hold some vector layers |
| Word, PowerPoint | Mixed | Logos are often small pasted images |
Three quick tests.
- Zoom in. Open the file and go to 1600% or higher. Vector edges stay clean. Raster edges break up into blocks or blur.
- Click on it. In Illustrator or a similar tool, a vector logo shows paths and points. A raster logo selects as a single rectangle.
- Check the transparent background. A logo in a white box when placed on colour is almost certainly a JPEG.
The trap: a logo pretending to be vector
Pasting a JPEG logo into Illustrator and saving it as an EPS does not make it vector. It is a raster image wearing a vector file's clothing. The same goes for a website logo placed into a PDF.
Ask your designer or brand team for the master artwork. If nobody has it, a logo can be redrawn. Automatic tracing can help with simple shapes, but it rounds off corners and wobbles on curves, so check it closely. Our design team can redraw it properly if you need that.
Which jobs need vector?
- Cut vinyl lettering. The cutter follows paths, so raster artwork will not do.
- Contour-cut shapes. The cut line needs to be a vector path.
- Very large banners. Vector type stays crisp when a layout is scaled up.
Which jobs need raster?
Photographs, scans and painted textures are raster by their nature and can't be turned into vector without looking like a cartoon. They need enough pixels for the size: see image resolution for large prints.
Putting them together
Lay out a design in InDesign, Illustrator or Affinity with the photo placed as a raster file and the type and logos left as vector. Export it as a PDF, and you get the best of both. If you flatten the whole layout to a JPEG, your sharp type becomes pixels too, and it can no longer scale cleanly.
Sharp lines and photographs together.
Your questions.
Can you convert my JPEG logo into vector?
Yes, our designers can redraw it, as long as it is clear enough to follow. Tell us what you have and how it will be used.
Is a PNG good enough for a logo?
For small uses it may be. At large sizes it depends on the pixel size, and most PNGs made for websites are far too small.
Does a vector file need a resolution?
Not for the vector parts. Effects such as shadows and any placed photos do have a resolution, so check those.