File Types Demystified

Sometimes, Graphicways clients ask us to place their existing logo on a new print project like a brochure, a billboard or a promotional product. When that happens, we request a vector file and if they don't have one, we may need to recreate a vector file for them.

Vector vs. Raster Images: What's the Difference?

There are two main type of image files: Raster and Vector. Raster images are made of pixels and are found in photos or scans you might make or something you create in various software. Raster programs are best for editing photos and creating continuous tone images. Raster files are used mostly for web applications Some examples of raster files are  .BMP, .TIF, .JPG, .GIF, and .PNG

Vector graphics, files that designers need to reproduce your logo, are created with software like Adobe Illustrator and are used for images that will be printed. Vector programs are mathematical calculations that form lines and shapes. If you zoom into a vector graphic it will always look the same. Vector shapes can be scaled and printed at any size without losing quality. You can use the same file type for a business card or a billboard. Common vector images are .SVG, .EPS, .PDF or .AI.

When Graphicways designs a logo for our clients we always make sure to put together a complete package of file types needed for future projects. We'll also include CMYK, RGB and B/W. This way you'll have the master file you'll need for any project, be it print, email or web.

It's just one of the ways that Graphicways does to go the extra step for our clients!