An Explanation of Vector Art
(created most often in Adobe Illustrator)

Vector graphics is the creation of digital images through a sequence of commands or mathematical statements that place lines and shapes in a given two-dimensional or three-dimensional space. In physics, a vector is a representation of both a quantity and a direction at the same time. In vector graphics, the file that results from a graphic artist's work is created and saved as a sequence of vector statements. For example, instead of containing a bit in the file for each bit of a line drawing, a vector graphic file describes a series of points to be connected. One result is a much smaller file.

• Vector images are created using mathematical equations and bezier curves.

• They are not photographic. (Photographs are made up of bits of information referred to as raster artwork.)

• Most commonly used software designed to create vector graphics is Adobe Illustrator

The Advantages of Vector Artwork

Resolution Independent
This means that the vector graphic will successfully "output" or print through any quality of imagesetter or printer. The resoultion quality will be as great or as minimal as the output device quality.

Small file size
Regardless of the size of the vecotr image, 1 inch to 100 inches, the image size remains small.

Can resize without losing quality
Because the vector image is created through mathematical equaltions, a vector image can be scaled exponentially without losing quality or the integrity of the image

The Challenges of Vector Artwork

Printer issues

Since vector artwork is written in the Postcript language, the information needs to be "read" by a postscript printer. Most inkjet printers do not have RAM (Random Access Memory) which would contain the Postscript description language to read the vector file format. As a result, if vector graphics are printed on non-postscript printers (inkjets) the screen image (a PICT low resolution raster image) is what prints.

Therefore, you will usually get a poor quality vector image if printing from InDesign, PageMaker or QuarkXpress to an inkjet printer.

Take note that all images (vector and rastor) MUST be LINKED properly to an InDesign document to print correctly to a postscript printer.