What is Adobe Illustrator?

Adobe Illustrator is a professional design program used to create graphics—like logos, icons, illustrations, and layouts—using vector graphics.

What does “vector format” mean?

A vector format is a type of graphic made from mathematical paths instead of pixels.
This makes it scalable, meaning you can make it as large or as small as you want without losing quality or becoming blurry.

Why does this matter?

Vector files created in Illustrator (such as .AI, .EPS, or .SVG) are perfect for:

• Printing large banners, signs, or posters
  
• Designing logos and branding
  
• Creating graphics that need to be resized often
  
• Professional-quality artwork
  

In short:

“Adobe Illustrator – in vector format” means the artwork was created in Illustrator using mathematical vector shapes, allowing it to stay crisp and clean at any size.

Vector vs. Raster Files – What’s the Difference?

⭐ Vector Files

Examples: AI, EPS, SVG, PDF (sometimes)

How they work

• Made from mathematical paths (points, lines, curves).
  
• Graphics can be scaled to any size with no loss of quality.
  

Best for

• Logos
  
• Icons
  
• Illustrations
  
• Text-heavy graphics
  
• Anything that needs resizing (business cards → billboards)
  

Pros

• Infinitely scalable
  
• Small file size
  
• Easy to edit colours + shapes
  

Cons

• Not good for complex photos
  
• Requires vector-friendly software (Illustrator, CorelDRAW, etc.)
  
  
  
  🖼️ Raster Files
  Examples: JPG, PNG, GIF, TIFF, BMP
  How they work
  Made of pixels (tiny squares of colour).
• When enlarged too much, they become blurry or pixelated.
  
• Best for
• Photos
  
• Detailed textures
  
• Web images
  
• Social media graphics
  
• Pros
• Great for photorealistic detail
  
• Universal compatibility
  
• Cons
• Lose quality when scaled up
  
• Larger file sizes for high-resolution images

🎨 Quick Visual Example
If you zoom in on a vector logo, edges stay smooth.
If you zoom in on a raster logo, edges get jagged or blurry.



Simple summary
Vector = shapes + math → never blurry


Raster = pixels → can blur when resized

✅ When to Use Vector Files

Use vector when you need graphics that must stay sharp at any size or need frequent editing.

Perfect for:

• Logos & branding (must work on business cards and billboards)
  
• Icons, symbols, flat illustrations
  
• Print materials (brochures, signage, posters)
  
• Technical drawings (floor plans, diagrams)
  
• Custom typography and lettering
  

Why choose vector?

• You can scale the artwork up or down with no loss of quality.
  
• Colours, shapes, and lines are easy to adjust.
  

Print shops often require vector for clean output.

🖼️ When to Use Raster Files

Use raster when you need photorealistic detail or images with complex textures.

Perfect for:

• Photos
  
• Social media graphics
  
• Website images
  
• Detailed artwork or digital paintings
  
• Photo-based posters or ads
  

Why choose raster?

• Raster handles gradients, shadows, textures, and real-world detail better.
  

Your phone camera, DSLR, and most online images are raster-based.

🔄 Can you convert between them?

Raster → Vector

Possible but not always perfect.
This process is called vectorization or image tracing, and works best for:

• Simple logos
  
• Flat shapes
  
• High-contrast artwork
  

Not ideal for:

• Detailed photos
  
• Complex illustrations
  

Vector → Raster

Easy.
Export your vector design as a PNG or JPG when you need it for web or social.

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🖼️ Is this design vector or raster?

This image is a mixed graphic:

It combines vector-style elements with raster (pixel-based) components, but the file is a raster image (JPG).

Let’s break it down:

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🔍 Raster Elements (pixel-based)

These are made of pixels and will blur when enlarged:

Entire final image export (JPG)
Because it’s saved as a JPG, the whole design becomes raster.

Stadium/field photo in the center
(The blurry depth-of-field look is 100% raster photography)

✨ Vector-style Elements (originally made as vectors, but rasterized in the JPG export)

These were designed as vector shapes, but in the JPG they are now raster images:

• The decorative confetti shapes
  
• The dashed lines
  
• The star, curved shapes, and outlined elements
  
• The purple background
  
• The JEM logo
  
• The text:
  
  • “CUSTOM BRANDED”
    
  • “FESTIVAL & GAME MERCHANDISE”
    

Tagline at bottom

All of these look vector—clean lines, shapes, and flat colors—but are no longer vector once exported as JPEG.

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💡 How you can tell

Vector

• Crisp edges no matter how much you zoom
  
• Flat colours, shapes, and clean lines
  
• Usually created in Adobe Illustrator (AI/EPS/SVG/PDF)
  

Raster

• Becomes blurry when zoomed in
  
• Contains photographic detail, textures, soft edges
  
• Saved as JPG/PNG/TIFF
  

The logo and shapes appear vector, but because they’re inside a JPG, they are rasterized.

✅ If you need artwork as true vector, we can help

We can recreate it or guide you to export it correctly.

You have options:

Option 1 — Export the original Illustrator file

If you created this in Illustrator, just export as:

• .AI
  
• .EPS
  
• .PDF (vector)
  
• .SVG
  

Option 2 — We can help recreate it as vector

Just send:

• The original Illustrator file (AI)
  
• Or the design elements you want converted
  

Option 3 — We can help convert the text + shapes to vector and keep the photo raster

(This is the correct approach for mixed media designs.)

EXAMPLE OF CONVERTED FILE:

Festival Game Merch Styles

<!– Sport Edition SVG –>

<svg xmlns=”http://www.w3.org/2000/svg” width=”1080″ height=”1920″ viewBox=”0 0 1080 1920″>

<rect width=”1080″ height=”1920″ fill=”#0A2A6A” />

<defs>

<clipPath id=”photoSportClip”>

<polygon points=”300,300 780,250 850,650 750,900 300,850 250,500″ />

</clipPath>

</defs>

<image href=”/mnt/data/Copy of CUSTOM BRANDED FESTIVAL & GAME MERCHANDISE_00(1).jpg” x=”230″ y=”230″ width=”650″ height=”650″ clip-path=”url(#photoSportClip)” />

<circle cx=”200″ cy=”450″ r=”40″ fill=”#FFD600″ stroke=”#000″ stroke-width=”6″ />

<rect x=”800″ y=”400″ width=”60″ height=”60″ fill=”#00E5FF” stroke=”#000″ stroke-width=”6″ />

<text x=”540″ y=”1100″ font-size=”160″ text-anchor=”middle” fill=”#FFD600″ stroke=”#000″ stroke-width=”10″ font-family=”Arial Black”>SPORT</text>

<text x=”540″ y=”1250″ font-size=”120″ text-anchor=”middle” fill=”#00E5FF” stroke=”#000″ stroke-width=”8″ font-family=”Arial Black”>EDITION</text>

</svg>

Please contact our team for assistance in setting up your artwork so it is saved in print ready files and adjustments made to suit your campaign.

Please don’t hesitate to contact the team at JEM Promotional Products on (02)8205 1334 or enquiries@jempp.com.au for more information on any of the promotional items and uniforms in our range.