When it comes to preparing a file for printing, it is important to use the correct image format. Whether you are creating a brochure, business card, poster or any other printed material, using the wrong format can lead to blurry images and pixelated prints. So how do you decide which format to use? Enter raster and vector images.

A raster image is made up of thousands of tiny pixels arranged in a grid pattern. This type of image is best used for photographs, complex graphics or artwork that contains gradients, textures and shading. The most common raster formats are JPG (short for Joint Photographic Experts Group) and PNG (Portable Network Graphics). Raster images have a fixed resolution—meaning they cannot be enlarged without losing quality—so it’s important to make sure your image is large enough to begin with. Otherwise, when you try to enlarge it later on, your image will become blurry or pixelated.

A vector image is composed of shapes and paths that are created using mathematical equations instead of pixels. This allows them to be scaled up infinitely without losing any resolution or quality. Vector images commonly use EPS (Encapsulated PostScript) and SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics) formats which work well with logos or illustrations made up of lines and shapes. Unlike raster images, vector images often require specialized software such as Adobe Illustrator in order for them to be edited correctly.