What is a Vector File and how to use them.

Vector Art, or Vector Graphics, are how we process all production-ready designs for Metal Cards in silkscreen printing and metal etching / engraving.

In our world, it’s very important – and for good reason – A Vector Image is 100% Lossless. Meaning quality, zero degradation, extra-high quality artwork. It also converts directly into our production process for silkscreen printing, laser etching, and custom-cut metal cards.

Vector is very different from Raster or Bitmap images, and there is no easy “conversion” process.  JPEGs, GIFs, and BMP images are NOT vector, but rather Raster (aka Bitmap). Vector graphics are not made up of a grid of pixels, like Bitmap. Instead, vector graphics are made up of paths, defined by a start and end point, along with angles, points, and curves along the way. A path is usually a line, a square, a triangle, or a curved shape – and is actually defined by mathematical equations. These paths can be used to simple artwork or complex drawings, and are the perfect format for branding and logos. Paths are even used to define the characters of typefaces – in fact, nearly all typefaces are actually vector (that’s how they scale at different point sizes on your computer).

Vector Art Contains The Data Required For Output In Production Processes Like Silkscreen, Etching And Engraving. Because Vector Files Can Contain Bitmap Art – “Saving As” A Vector File Does Not Create The Data Needed For Vector Art.

Vector File extensions: .AI, .EPS, .DRW, .SVG

Bitmap File extensions: .JPG, .PNG, .GIF, .BMP, .PSD

Is there a simple way to convert a bitmap file to vector art?

No. Because bitmap files are defined by pixels, that data will stay pixels. When you “save as” a bitmap file, the pixel data will remain even if you give it a vector file extension. This unfortunately does not give us the vector data required for metal card production. The only way to accurately create the vector art data from a bitmap file, is for a professional designer to hand trace the lines and rays (vectors) on top of the art. This is why it is always best to start with the original or “raw vector art” from a design. Every professional designer in this day and age create logos, icons, and production art such as metal business cards using Vector Art, which can only be contained in a Vector File.

Why is Vector Art so great?

Because they aren’t comprised of dots or pixels to form an image, but rather mathematical equations, they can be scaled to a larger size and not lose any image quality. If you blow up a raster image, it will look blocky, or “pixelated.” When you magnify or scale a vector graphic, the edges of each object within the graphic stay smooth and clean. This makes vector graphics ideal for logos, which can be small enough to appear on a metal business card, orscaled up to fill an entire billboard. Common types of vector graphics include Adobe Illustrator graphics, 3D/CAD art, Macromedia Freehand, and EPS files. Most Flash animations are also vector graphics, since they scale better and typically take up less space than bitmap images.