If you read my last article, you know how important the basics are. The first example I shared with you was about file formats. If you don’t recall, here it is.

Me: Hey, can I get the SVG file of your logo?

Client: Didn’t you get that in the email?

Me: No, it only has the JPEG version. Your designer must have given you different file formats of the logo, right?

Client: Ahh… no… this is the only file I got…

While JPEG or PNG files are the most commonly used formats, they aren’t always helpful for designers or developers. They can limit usability, force us to go the extra mile to make them work, and sometimes even cost you extra money.

Before we dig into different file formats, let’s look at the bigger picture of how they’re categorised. I’ll keep it as simple and short as possible so you can easily remember it.

In broad terms, we can group image formats into two main categories:

• Raster Graphic Formats

• Vector Graphic Formats

Raster Graphics:

Raster graphics, in simple terms, have a fixed size. JPEG/JPG, PNG, and GIF are some everyday examples. Because of their fixed resolution, you can’t enlarge them beyond a certain point without them becoming pixelated.

For you, raster graphics usually aren’t a major issue. Most platforms we use every day, especially social media, rely heavily on JPEG, PNG, and GIF for images (excluding videos).

The real challenge is for designers and developers. For something like a huge billboard, we need a version of your logo that doesn’t lose quality when scaled to a very large size. This is where vector graphics come into play.

Vector Graphics:

Unlike raster graphics, vector graphics are mathematical in nature and don’t pixelate or lose quality, no matter how much you enlarge them. EPS, SVG, PDF, AI, and CDR are some examples. You may not have heard of a few of these because end users don’t work with them much, apart from PDFs.

Most designers use vector-based applications like Adobe Illustrator or CorelDRAW to create your logo and brand elements. Because of their flexibility, a 10px × 10px vector file can be scaled up to 10,000px × 10,000px without losing a single bit of quality. That’s great, right?

However, these formats may not feel very useful to you directly because many everyday applications don’t accept vector files. They’re mainly used for creating websites, flyers, brochures, brand collateral, and other marketing materials—in short, they’re used by designers and developers to produce content for your business.

How it affects your business:

Vector files are like open, editable source files. They keep everything—layers, colors, typography, and shapes—separate and easy to access and edit.

Imagine you have a poster, flyer, or business card designed last year, and now you need some fine-tuning—maybe a color tweak or updated text—before sending it to print. But you only have the JPEG version, and you no longer have access to your previous designer. That’s a problem, and it happens a lot.

For the new designer, the job becomes unnecessarily difficult. Even a small change in color or text may require them to recreate or trace the design just to make it editable. Naturally, that extra work means extra cost for you.

With a proper open or vector file like AI or CDR, making small edits is quick and simple, often without any additional charges.

My suggestion:

Whenever you work with a designer on any project, always make sure you receive the vector or open files along with your JPEGs and PNGs. They’re critical for the next designer or developer and can save a lot of time, hassle, and money.

That’s all for today. Feel free to comment below with any suggestions or points you think should be added.