Understanding File Types Used in Sign Design

The following guide will help you to get the best results possible when doing your own design for your sign. The most important thing is to have a basic understanding of the two types of artwork.


Raster files - Raster files are files comprised of pixels and are typically found in things like digital photographs and in files created in programs like Adobe Photoshop. Most files found on the internet are raster images as well. Some common file extensions for raster images are: .jpg .tif. .gif .bmp


With raster images, you cannot enlarge your image without getting distortion. As you enlarge the image, you also enlarge the pixels causing a "stairstepping" effect to your image. This is something to keep in mind when creating your file as you will need to start with a large file if you want a large sign. Most images available on the internet are not large enough for use on signs.



Vector files - Vector files are comprised of "lines and curves" called vectors that are, more or less, mathematical equations that represent your images. What this means is that these files can be enlarged to any size without any distortion. These files are most commonly used by graphic designers and in files created in Adobe Illustrator and CorelDraw. Some common file extensions for vector images are: .ai .eps .cdr


With vector images, you do not get the "stairstepping" effect when you enlarge your images. They can be resized to any size and they will not lose detail however high quality design programs that use vector artwork are not as common as those that use raster.


Below illustrates the differences between vector and raster images.










At first glance, the two images appear to be the same quality.


Click image to see detail

As the images are enlarged, you can see the "stairstep" effect in the raster image while the vector image still appears sharp.

Click image to see detail






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