Vectorization Guide

While raster images are acceptable for some of the services available on Artisaire Studio, vectors are always preferred when possible. For your custom engraving orders of Wax Seals, we will only be able to accept fully vectorized artwork in a PDF format.

You can tell if an image is a vector if you are able to zoom all of the way into the design and it still appears smooth, without any visible pixels. Vectors are created by algorithmic lines and curves, whereas rasters are made up by a definite number of colored pixels, meaning the quality of these images is influenced (and can be compromised) by their scaling. 

This guide will outline the necessary steps and considerations for vectorizing raster images so they are suitable for use by our Production Artists in preparing your custom engraving orders. It can also come in handy for your other orders for your various stationary needs. 

Selecting a Reference Image 

The most important consideration to keep in mind when selecting an ideal rasterized reference image is that the best vector traces are created from simple, high-resolution rasters. We recommend selecting reference images with a minimum resolution of 300ppi whenever possible for the best result. Raster images which include metallic, 3D or traditional artwork effects, gradients or extremely fine details can result in a poor quality final vector. Look for basic silhouettes and limited colours palettes to achieve the best possible result from the vectorization process. Once you've established a vector foundation for your image, details can always be added in or modified in your preferred vector-based graphics program. 

Once you've selected a suitable reference, save your desired raster image to your desktop, preferably in a JPEG or PNG format, as other formats can create excessively large file sizes. For security reasons, we are not able to open attachments or files located within Drives, Dropboxes, iClouds, or zipped folders, so it's best to be conscious of this while you're working.

Importing Your Reference File

Set up your workspace in Adobe Illustrator, which is our preferred vector-based graphics program. For preparing design files for any of our available products, we highly recommend downloading the available templates from our website, as we have fully set up prep files, viewable dielines and instructional resources for all of our products which are currently offered! These are in a full vectorized PDF format, and can be opened directly into Adobe Illustrator or your program of choice. Using these templates ensures that you will be designing in scale, which is especially important while ordering.

Import the raster image via File > Open and selecting the file, or by directly dragging and dropping the file into your Illustrator window. 

Vector Tracing

Once you've imported your reference file, expand the size of your raster image to be the largest possible within your workspace, without covering the artboard. Proportions of the image can be maintained by holding Shift while sizing. Enlarging your image is not a necessity for tracing, however, we strongly recommend expanding the image, as this often results in a better vector result. 

Under the "Windows" tab of your upper left menu, select "Image Trace", which will bring the panel up. 

While selecting your image, choose the preset in the Image Trace view. If you're not actively selecting your raster image, you won't be able to access any of the options or features on this panel. 

For single-color reference images (i.e.. black-and-white rasters), we recommend using the "Silhouette" function and then adjusting the threshold, paths, corners and noise to get your desired result. You can also simplify your vector from this panel by selecting "Simplify" and manipulating the number of anchor points. When tracing, remember to also select "Ignore White" to produce either a black silhouette or black-and-grey result. 

We don't recommend using colorful reference images, but for limited-palette rasters, you can use the Greyscale function to achieve a vector result. Restrict the number of grey shades to as few as possible (while still creating a complete result) and play with the threshold, paths, corners and noise to reach a suitable image. For your engraving orders we are only able to accept reference files in black-and-white, with a maximum of 2 additional shades of grey to indicate alternate engraved depths. For color options you should also be able to select the preset of "3 Color", which will also create a limited palette color result. We recommend starting only with black-and-white images and assigning fill to avoid using too many shades. 

When it comes to fonts, generally, we recommend creating an original vector text file rather than attempting to trace from rasters. While there are rasterized text images which image trace nicely, often the process of vectorization removes enough detail to make text characters feel rounded and dense. Keep in mind though, this is entirely dependent on the font, as uniformly-weighted block fonts can create a fantastic trace. It is mostly serifs, loops and curves which can impact the success of your vector result. 

When you're happy with your vector image, select "Expand" on the bottom half of the panel or in your Properties tab. You now have a vector image which can be modified, stretched or shrunk (without degrading the quality) by our Production Artists.

Exporting

When exporting your finalized image, ensure that you are exporting to a file format which is able to support vector data. Saving to a JPG or PNG will compress the image, undoing all of your hard work. When in doubt, export to PDF, as this file format is able to store both vector and raster data simultaneously and is also the required format for Artisaire Studio orders.