Vector vs raster: which to use for print
Every image you put in a print file is one of two kinds. Raster images are grids of coloured pixels — photos. Vector images are mathematical paths — logos and type. Using the wrong one is why a logo prints fuzzy or a photo refuses to scale. The distinction decides sharpness at every size.
Raster: pixels on a grid
A raster image stores a fixed grid of coloured dots. Photographs are always raster — JPEG, PNG, TIFF, PSD. Because the pixel count is fixed, enlarging a raster spreads those pixels out and it goes soft or blocky. This is why raster artwork has a maximum sharp print size, governed entirely by its resolution. Our DPI guide covers exactly how big you can print before it blurs.
Vector: maths, not pixels
A vector image stores shapes as equations — points, curves and fills. Formats are SVG, AI, EPS and vector PDF. Because it's described mathematically, a vector redraws perfectly crisp at any size, from a favicon to a billboard. There's no resolution and no blur. The trade-off: vectors can't represent the continuous, photographic subtlety of a real image.
| Vector | Raster | |
|---|---|---|
| Made of | Maths / paths | Pixels |
| Scales | Infinitely, no quality loss | Blurs when enlarged |
| Best for | Logos, type, line art, icons | Photos, complex shading |
| Formats | SVG, AI, EPS, PDF | JPEG, PNG, TIFF, PSD |
| File size | Tiny for simple shapes | Grows with pixels |
Which to use, in practice
The rule is simple once you know it:
- Logos, icons, type, line art → vector. They must stay razor-sharp at every size, and only vector guarantees that.
- Photographs and painterly images → raster, supplied at adequate resolution for the print size.
- Mixed designs → place vector logo/type over raster photos in a layout app; keep each element in its native type.
A classic mistake is exporting a logo as a small PNG, then scaling it up for a poster — it blurs, because no amount of enlarging adds detail to pixels. Keep the original vector.
Type should almost always be vector
Text set as live vector type prints with crisp, clean edges. Text flattened into a low-res raster looks fuzzy and is the fastest giveaway of an amateur print file.
How each becomes ink on paper
On press, both ultimately become halftone dots — even a solid vector shape is screened as ink. The difference is that a vector's edges stay mathematically sharp up to the press's resolution, while a raster's detail is locked at its pixel count. If you want to see how solid art and photos alike are rendered as dot patterns, the halftone generator shows the mechanism, and our halftone explainer goes deeper.
Frequently asked questions
Can I convert a raster image to vector?
Partly. Auto-tracing (in Illustrator or Inkscape) works well for simple, high-contrast logos and line art, recreating them as paths. It cannot meaningfully vectorise a photograph — there's too much continuous detail. Always keep the original vector if one exists.
Is a PDF vector or raster?
It can be either or both. A PDF is a container: it may hold live vector paths and type, embedded raster images, or a mix. A PDF exported from a layout app keeps your vectors sharp; a PDF that's just a scanned page is raster.
Why does my logo look blurry in print?
It's almost certainly a low-resolution raster version being scaled up. Replace it with the original vector (AI, EPS or SVG), or with a raster exported at full print resolution. Pixels can't be enlarged into sharpness.
What format should I send a logo to a printer in?
Vector — AI, EPS, PDF or SVG — so it prints crisp at any size. If you only have raster, supply the largest, highest-resolution version you have and confirm it meets the DPI needed for the print size.
When in doubt, vector
Almost every 'why is my logo fuzzy' ticket we get traces back to a raster file scaled up. Keep logos and type as vector and the problem simply never starts. Reviewed June 14, 2026.