What is a Vector Logo?

A vector logo is a basic and determining element of your brand. That’s why is important to understand what is it and why is so important.

Vector logos are files in bi-dimensional graphics format with information of coordinates and math expressions to form lines, shapes, and images.

Points (know as nodes) are connected with curved & straight lines to form a shape. Each shape and line can have different properties like stroke thickness, fill, and color. Any vector graphics format is based on this same principle.

To better understanding this graphic format, I would like to compare it with another type of image, the bitmaps (also called raster graphics).

Bitmap images vs Vector images.

Bitmaps use pixels to form images, one pixel is one color. The ensemble of all those pixels forms an image. The more pixels, the bigger can the image be, but also the heavier the file is.

When you have an image, for example, 100 x 100 pixels and you need it for your Facebook profile, it needs to be at least 360 x 360 pixels, you are missing 260 pixels per side. The software needs to invent those pixels and there is when the image starts losing sharpness.

On the other hand, since vector graphics format is information in math formulas and numbers, it doesn’t need more, or fewer data to create smaller or bigger images. Your vector logo does not depend on resolution, therefore, there is no problem scaling, rotating, or moving it. This is one of the most important reasons why your logo must have a vector file version.

So far, we can understand that having a vector logo allows you to scale it to any size. But also this gives you great flexibility of using it in any application, from a website to a big billboard keeping the quality of the shapes.

One more advantage is the facility to modify colors to international standards and adjusting to exact physical dimensions.

The Vector files formats.

There is plenty of software to create, open and edit vectors. Some of the most popular are Adobe Illustrator and Corel Draw. And other less known but also very helpful and inexpensive or free like Inkscape, which can be more than enough for occasional users.

For logos, today’s most accepted standards between designers are EPS (Encapsulated Postscript) & SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics).

If you have your vector logo in any of these two formats (.eps or .svg), you are good.

Despite there are many other formats for vector logos like .AI, .CDR, or even, .PDF, is not very common to use them as final formats for logos.

Some more words about vector logos.

A vector file format for your logo is a master file that can be converted to many other formats.

To give you an idea, to upload your images to your social networks, you will need a JPG or a PNG file, which are bitmaps, and is the same if you want to add your logo to a text document or spreadsheet.

For this reason, it’s always a good practice to have your logo in more than one format, not only EPS and not only JPG logos.

In summary.

• A vector image has the advantage to scale it to any size.
• Vector logo format has the flexibility to modify, edit, and place almost anywhere.
• A vector logo file is a master file to use in any professional way and to convert to any other format.
• There are many formats for vector logos, but the most commons are .eps and .svg
• Vector images and Bitmaps images are different, but they complement each other. It’s good to have your logo in both formats.

Hope this information was helpful to you. Please leave your comments below. Thanks for being here.

If you need a Graphic Designer to work for your business, contact me. I will gladly assist.

This article was originally published on the VectorYourLogo.com‘s blog.