Basic Guidelines for Setting up Vector Artwork

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Raster Images

Pixels are individual blocks of unique colours placed together to make up a raster image. Pixel-based images can come from a digital camera, scanner, or downloaded from the internet.
Individual components of these images cannot be separated or altered, and resolution diminishes when enlarged. While an image may look fine distorted when the size is increased.
If an image is enlarged and it gets blurry or you can see the individual blocks of colour, it is a raster image.
Raster images commonly have the file extensions: .bmp, .jpg, .png or .tiff.

Vector Images

Nodes are the points in computer drawn lines that make up a vector image. Lines can be curved or straight, and make any shape that is desired. Node-based images are usually created in a graphics program such as Adobe Illustrator & Corel Draw.
Individual components of these drawn images can be separated, colours can be changed, and the size can be increased with no loss of resolution.
A vector image can only be truly manipulated in a vector graphic program. If you are given a file with a graphics program extension, it must be checked to make sure it is true vector art. For example, a bitmap can be saved as a graphic file, but when it is opened it is not vector art, it’s still a bitmap inside the file.
Common examples of vector images have the file extensions .eps, .ai, .cdr and .pdf.