No, You Don’t Need to Send Vector Files.

Why Sending Your Art as Vectors is Usually Unnecessary and Probably a Bad Idea

I never expected to write about vector files, but here we are. The reason? I’m actually pretty fired up about how, contrary to conventional industry wisdom, vector files are rarely necessary. That artists must send vector files to their clients and printers is outrageous — especially for illustrators (myself included) who don’t even work in this format.

Read this if you want to learn more about:

• The differences between raster and vector artwork;
• Why certain silkscreen and letterpress printers (especially T-shirt printers) needwant you to send your art as vectors;
• Why the 3 most important qualities for such printing have little to do with vectors.

Read all the way to the end, and I’ll give you one very good reason why you should rarely send vector files to your client, even if you illustrate in a vector style.

Also, just to be clear, I’m talking about illustration here, not design. In most design contexts, you should probably create your work in vector format. That applies to logos, branding assets, documents and layouts, and almost everything else. (But that doesn’t always mean you send your client the working files.)

What is a Vector File?

First things first: A vector file is a file format, like EPS or AI, which is native to apps like Adobe Illustrator, CorelDRAW, and Affinity Designer. Artists who work in such apps make vector-based art. Vector-based art (or just vector art) is constructed using mathematically generated paths to define lines and shapes. You can usually identify vector art right away: it has a clean, digital look to it. Shapes are flat and colours are solid. Lines and edges are crisp. Almost anyone can tell it was made on a computer. Many contemporary illustrators, such as Olimpia Zagnoli, Mateusz Napieralski and Malika Favre, have a style that is vector-based.