As you probably know, we are primarily a fine art and printing lab. Which means most people are submitting highly detailed images. JPG and TIF files are ideal for this and are the most common. But we also have a lot of artists and illustrators who may use popular graphic designer tools like Adobe Illustrator or CorelDRAW to create their artwork from scratch and save the artwork as a vector image.
So, What is a Vector Image?
Before we proceed further, I should probably point out the difference between a non-vector image, like a photograph taken with your phone, versus a vector image. The non-vector or more common file on your phone is composed of thousands of tiny colored squares called pixels. If you zoom in on this type of image, you’ll see those squares, and the image will start to look blurry and jagged. We call these raster images. The most common formats are probably JPG, BMP, TIF, and PNG.
A vector image is quite different. It isn’t made of pixels. Instead, it is composed of a series of mathematical instructions that tell the software you are looking at it with, where to place points, or coordinates, and how to connect them with lines and curves. An easy way to think of it is like one or more “connect-the-dots” shapes. These might be filled with a solid color or a color gradient.
You might say the file is not really an image at all, but instead instructions explaining where these dots and colors appear. The great thing about this is that when it comes to enlarging the design, math handles recalculating where to place these points, so the lines and curves retain their position relative to each other, keeping a perfectly smooth and sharp appearance.
This is why logos and illustrations are often created as vector images—they can be used on everything from a business card to a billboard and will always look crisp.
Before we could accept these vector files, a typical workflow would be to convert the vector file to something like a JPG at the size you want to print and then upload it for your prints. And, if you wanted to print a larger version later while retaining the shape, you would have to create another larger version JPG as well.
But now, by accepting vector files, this saves you the trouble of having to do that extra work. Simply use the same vector file for all your printing needs, regardless of whether it is a small or large print.
Can You Embed a Raster Image in a Vector
This is a common practice, and there can be valid reasons for doing so. As an example, you might create a certificate of authenticity and add a photo of the artwork.
When you embed a raster image – like a JPEG, TIFF, or PNG- into a vector file, the vector program doesn’t convert the raster data into a vector. Instead, it simply places the pixel-based image inside the vector file as a separate object. Think of it like placing a photograph on a page in a book—the photo itself doesn’t become text, it’s just an element on the page.
The vector part of the file (the shapes, lines, and text) remains infinitely scalable, while the embedded raster image retains its fixed resolution. This means that if you enlarge the entire vector file, the vector elements will stay sharp, but the embedded raster image will become blurry and pixelated, just as a regular photo would when enlarged.
However, the critical thing to remember with raster images is resolution. The image’s resolution, measured in DPI (dots per inch), must be high enough for the final print size to avoid a blurry or “pixelated” result. A low-resolution image that looks fine on a computer screen will look terrible when stretched across a large banner.
Should You Convert Raster Images to Vector?
Now you may be wondering if you can convert your JPG to a vector and upload those., Programs like Adobe Illustrator allow you to actually do this, but before you do, we don’t usually recommend this. The reason is that vector images are not always optimal for depicting photorealism. Printing it may not achieve the results you hoped for. And if the image has a lot of subtle color gradients, textures, or shadows, such as a photograph or even a scan of an original art, displaying the millions of colors and subtle details could require an incredibly complex vector file, which could become difficult to work with and might still lack some of the subtle nuances of your original raster version.
In the end, understanding the difference between vector and raster images is key to getting the best possible print from our lab. For photographic prints and complex, photorealistic art, a high-resolution raster file (like a TIF or JPG) is the clear winner. However, for any design that requires clean lines, sharp text, or the flexibility to be printed at any size—from a small sticker to a massive banner—a vector file is your best choice. By submitting the right file type for your specific project, you ensure that your artwork is printed exactly as you envisioned it, without the risk of pixelation or a loss of detail.
Acrylic Glass Prints
Transform your space with our sophisticated Acrylic Glass Prints, featuring exceptional clarity and durability to showcase photography, art reproductions, or commercial applications with modern elegance.