Vectors Explained: What They Are & How to Draw Vector Art

Today, the speed of decision-making and adaptation plays a crucial role in many businesses. Because of all-embracing access to the Internet and the abundance of social media, new trends emerge every day, prompting brands and companies to quickly adapt their communication to stay on top of trends and attract the attention of their customers.

Because brands typically use text and visuals as their creative medium, it is essential to use tools that will help quickly adapt existing and produce new content. Vector graphics often help with this task, as they are easy to resize, and scale, and are light in weight. What other advantages do vectors have? Learn about it in this article, along with five simple steps that will assist you in creating your own vector-style illustrations.

What is a vector drawing?

A vector drawing is a digital image consisting of mathematically defined points, lines, and shapes created using computer software, such as Adobe Illustrator or CorelDRAW. The most common image formats used for vector graphics are SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics), EPS (Encapsulated PostScript), PDF (Portable Document Format), and AI (Adobe Illustrator).

Vectors can be stretched infinitely, making them superior to pixelated visuals, which lose quality when scaled. Therefore, creators often use vector graphics in digital design to create pictures that’ll be resized in the future. These include web graphics, brand collateral, logos, and billboards.

When creating a new design or concept, most graphic designers download several vector art illustrations from stock content platforms like Depositphotos. Browsing  https://depositphotos.com/stock-vectors.html, you can find rich collections of original vector files at low costs that can be used for commercial purposes. Creators then borrow existing forms or design elements to speed up the creative process. Independent artists, on the other hand, draw vector art from scratch. Such images are later used alone or as a part of marketing campaigns, creative concepts, or other formats.

Advantages of working with vectors

#1 Scalability

Many creators prefer vector graphics over pixel-based images because they are more suited for design projects requiring scalable visuals. Mathematical formulas encoded in vector graphics allow an image to retain its high quality regardless of how much the designer scales it up or down. As a result, vectors are an integral part of modern digital design, including responsive web design, which ensures that the same content looks good on screens of varying sizes.

#2 Editability

Vector files are easily modified, allowing designers to quickly edit text, colors, shapes, and many other design elements. In addition, vectors are simple to duplicate, making it easier to copy features from one image to another.

Editability is crucial for marketing campaigns and creative projects with tight deadlines that require extensive editing. Typically, visual and promotional materials from the same project are scaled to fit varying sizes of screens, banners, billboards, and merchandise.

#3 Compact file size

Unlike raster graphics, which consist of pixels that carry a lot of weight, vector files are small in size. This is because of the construction of the file itself. Vectors only consist of mathematically defined geometric shapes, like points, lines, and curves, that are expressed in code. Therefore, when talking about storage, they take up less space.

The size of a vector file also affects its loading speed. Designers can transfer and load vector files to various devices and applications much faster than other graphic files. The loading speed makes vectors preferable for mobile and web graphics that benefit from small file sizes.

#4 Multipurpose

The most significant advantage of vector art and drawings is that they are versatile and can be used in practically any digital or creative project. Resolution independence, small size, and ease of editing make them ideal for logos, icons, illustrations, animations, infographics, brand collateral, web graphics, UX/UI, and computer-aided design. Moreover, they are available in various formats, including AI, SVG, EPS, and PDF, supported by the most popular computer design software, like Adobe Illustrator, CorelDRAW, and Affinity Designer.

Learn how to make a vector drawing using Adobe Illustrator

1.    Make sketches

To have an idea of how your final design will look, it’s best to plan your creative assets in your sketchbook. Also, decide which color palette will suit your artwork: bold and bright or minimalist and muted.

2.    Import your sketch to vectorize it

After you’ve created your sketch, use it as a reference to speed up the creative process. Working from existing shapes is easier than using a pencil to make new ones.

To vectorize an existing image, use rectangle, circle, and pen tools. They will help block out big shapes. Duplicate certain elements afterward to avoid drawing them twice; this will speed up the process and save time.

3.    Add colors to your shapes

Once you’ve finished drawing lines and shapes, you can add colors to your picture. Limit your palette to achieve greater efficiency and control over your time. In addition to making your final artwork more harmonious, using a limited color palette simplifies the creative process.

4.    Refine the small details

Pay attention to small details when all the big work is done. Add accents and touches that will make your work stand out. It can be patterned on clothes or reflections in the water.

5.    Repeat the process to make more vector art

You can repeat these steps over and over to create a complete picture for your next project. However, download ready-made vectors on stock platforms if you want to simplify the process. Edit them to your liking or borrow some essential elements for your vector art illustration.

To sum up

Although vectors are not always the best choice for complex graphic displays, they are still versatile enough to be used in many cases, including web design, animations, and infographics. Consider using vector graphics in your next projects to quickly adapt visuals and text to shifting trends and customer needs.