Find the Best Vector Graphics Software

What is Vector Graphics?

Vector graphics are simple computer graphic images that are defined in terms of 2D points connected to form various shapes. All the points on a vector graphic image have a specified position on the x and y-axis of the work plane. The position determines the direction of the path, with each path having various properties, including values for stroke, shape, curve, and thickness.  Presently, you can find vector graphics in PDF, SVG, AI, or EPS file formats. Vector graphics should not be confused with more commonly used raster graphics that are used in file formats like JPEG, GIF, APNG, and MPEG4. 

What is Vector Graphics Software?

Vector graphics software is a tool that allows organizations to create high-definition graphics using geometric and mathematical commands without detrimental to the quality aspect.

Vector graphics editing software enables you to design and modify computer images using mathematical and geometrical commands instead of clicking and stroking as you do in drawing software. Vector images, when created using these software programs, can be scaled infinitely without losing quality. These tools are mostly used to create HD images for several purposes, such as PDF, web content, games, etc. 

All in all, you can use a vector graphics design software to create images that are high-quality, colorful, and detailed. These graphics are made by several lines created by commands and algorithms instead of individual pixels. Thus, the images formed are highly scalable and high in quality, making them ideal for creating logos, PDFs, and illustrations. 

Features of a Vector Graphics Software 

1. Image editing

With vector-based graphics software, you can illustrate by joining a series of shapes, lines, and colors. These tools enable you to scale up for large images such as billboard designs and banners and scale down for smaller images such as logos. You can also adjust the colors and gradients of the image within the platform, along with customizing the other subset of tools as per your needs, such as sizes and styles of the brushes. 

2. Typography tools

Vector graphic animation software offers features to create new fonts and add them to graphics. 

3. Templates

These tools include pre-built templates as a source or starting point to build images. These templates range from stock images to logo shapes. 

4. Image previews

You can preview any changes made to an image before submitting it, thereby ensuring that the change fits your preference. 

5. Image history

Several scalable vector graphics platforms enable users to periodically save images, which allow them to revert back to the previous forms of the image. This feature comes in handy in situations if you pivot an idea and are willing to make a change during the process. 

6. File export

You can also export images to different file formats, including typical vector formats like SVG and EPS, as well as other formats, such as PDF, PNG, JPG, etc.

Types of Vector Graphics Software

Vector graphic editing software can be divided into a few categories based on your applications. For example, a common way to categorize vector graphics software is:

• Programs that offer page layout, desktop publishing applications, and word processing

• Software that features presentation and professional illustration

• Programs with digital printing and web publishing functionalities

Another way to subdivide vector graphic software programs is by the type of users using them. Here are a few types of vector graphic design software based upon the different subsets of the designers that can use them. 

1. For logo designers: These programs have robust logo designing features for creating sharp, smooth, and blur-free logos. These tools ensure logos that can be scaled without losing image quality. Thus, logo designers should look for vector graphics software that offers powerful logo designing functionalities. 

2. For illustrative artists: Illustrative artists, similar to logo designers, need a software program that offers blur-free, scalable images. However, these designers need to find software that offers more color and design options alongside scalability.

3. For typographers: Lastly, typographers also use vector graphics software programs for designing new fonts and editing the existing ones, along with incorporating them into vector images. Typographers need to look for tools that ensure the quality and scalability of their fonts. 

A few years back, different programs were used for the above functions, but lately, various vector graphic tools have arisen that offer a collection of all the features mentioned above. 

Advantages of Vector Graphics Software for Designers

Vector based graphics software enables you to create vector graphics, which are very different from raster images and offer a significant edge over them. Let's take a look at the advantages of using a vector graphics program. 

1. Helps you save storage

Vector software helps you create images that require less disk space compared to platforms like bitmap. Since they include flat colors or simple gradients, they do not need a lot of disk space. Thus, they are preferred the most over any other image form. 

2. Create indefinitely scalable images

Images produced from vector graphics animation software programs are infinitely scalable, and they do not lose quality irrespective of how far you scale them up or down. It is a significant advantage over matrix images as when you scale them, after a point, pixels become visible. For vectors, the quality (quality control software) is much higher. 

3. Easy modification and storage

With vector graphics tools, the images can be modified and saved with ease. The process is simple, and the changes can be managed without difficulty. And, even in the case of modified files, the resulting files will not occupy a lot of space. 

4. Easy to use

The process of using vector graphics tools is also simple. Even if you want to get complex vectors, you can do so by using simple drawings. These programs are simple and user-friendly.

However, these software programs do have some disadvantages, such as:

• Although these software programs support mixed compositions, they are not suitable for encoding pictures or videos from the real world. 

• You will need powerful machines to process the data used for describing images made by these programs. If the size or volume of data is large, the rendering process will slow down. 

• Since the images produced are highly scalable and do not lose quality, even the smallest of the errors will be visible if the images are enlarged to an extent. Thus, the image quality can be affected, especially when used in animation. 

Keeping aside these disadvantages, vector graphics editing software programs are used in various sectors, such as architecture, computer graphics, engineering, and a lot more. 

The Industry of Vector Graphics Software

In spite of the rise of 3D modeling, vector graphics have not lost popularity and rightfully so. This has led to the increasing use of vector graphic design software, such as Inkscape, Vectr, and Illustrator. These programs enable designers to create vector graphics quickly, easily, and efficiently. These images do not consume a lot of space, are highly scalable, and easy to produce, making vector graphics software programs a must-use for every 2D designer. 

Currently, vector graphics are used for various business purposes, such as logo designing, creating brochures, and illustrations. Additionally, these tools are also used for creating e-books, advertisements, web content, game graphics, and various other 2D models you see on and off the web. Although the 3D trend is taking over, the scalability and simplicity of vector graphics will empower these tools to stick around for a while.