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February 8, 2004
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What Is Vector Art?


Vector Art is a technique, not a style.

Perhaps a better term would be "vector-based art," meaning art created in a vector-based program. Vector art consists of creating paths and points in a program such as Illustrator or Freehand. The program keeps track of the relationships between these points and paths.  Vectors are any scaleable objects that keeps their proportions and quality when sized up or down. They're defined as solid objects, and can be moved around in full, or grouped together with other objects. Vectors can be defined by mathematical and numeric data.  So vector art is anything that's created in Illustrator, Freehand, Corel Draw, Flash or other "vector" illustration programs.

(Vector programs: Illustrator, Freehand, Corel Draw, Flash, etc.)

The other side of the coin is raster art. Raster art consists of pixel information, where every pixel is assigned a RGB or CMYK value. This can create smoother and more detailed images for photos and paintings, but if the image is scaled, the program has to create new information resulting in that distorted look.

(Raster programs: Photoshop, Painter, Fireworks, MS Paint, Gimp, etc.)


What is Not Vector Art?


Just because something is "cell shaded" or "flat colored" does not make it a Vector. The use of filters (cutout, etc.) creates a raster-based image and thus is disqualified from ever being considered a vector image. Only a vector program such as the ones mentioned above can create a vector image.

A vector takes time to create. The artist makes decisions on how much or how little detail to include. The artist makes decisions on colors to use. These are the same decisions one makes before sitting down with conte crayons, pastels or oil paint.

I understand that these days there is some program overlap. Photoshop has some vector tools and Illustrator has some raster tools, but if you use the lasso and the paint bucket, you are not creating vector-based artwork. If you run a filter you are not creating vector-based artwork.


What Does Vector Art Look Like?


Long story short: Vector is not a "style" like Anime, but a "medium" like charcoal. Asking what vector-art looks like is like asking what an oil painting looks like. It could look like Rembrandt, Picasso, or a fifth grader's fingerpainting.

Vector doesn't automatically mean flat shaded, just like "painting" doesn't mean high detail. Vector-based programs include tools for use with gradients and meshes, and thusly can be used to create high detail illustrations.


Vector Art Examples

:thumb5090085:

BS Full Torque by `turn2002 | Neon Japan by `drownsoda | Xenomorph by `sirspy


I would like to thank ~esodesign for providing the majority of this clarification/submission guide.</b>
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:iconpwney:
~Pwney Nov 1, 2012  Hobbyist General Artist
isnt vectoring pretty much tracing except that you dont even freehand trace over it because you have a program that will create the curve/line for you with a "point a to point b" method?
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:iconviobear:
*viobear Mar 2, 2013  Student Digital Artist
Yes it is exactly that simple. It is just simply tracing where the program creates the art for you. There is no talent in it. Anyone can create masterful pieces with simply tracing. *cough*
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:iconpwney:
~Pwney Mar 29, 2013  Hobbyist General Artist
Yeah that's what I thought. I don't like that...
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:iconviobear:
*viobear Mar 29, 2013  Student Digital Artist
You're retarded. Check out my time-lapse video and tell me its that easy. [link]
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:iconakitakat:
~AkitaKat Apr 15, 2013  Hobbyist Digital Artist
lol that's nice
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:iconviobear:
*viobear Apr 15, 2013  Student Digital Artist
Indeed.
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:iconpwney:
~Pwney Apr 18, 2013  Hobbyist General Artist
Jeeze I was just asking. No need to get your panties in a bunch. Usually I would see videos of people layering their vector over another previously created image. Thereby they were tracing the image. And I don't know if creating your picture is easy or not because I haven't vectored. But I can confidently say that drawing the picture without the aid of a program that creates the lines and curves for you is a lot harder..
deviantART muro drawing Comment Drawing
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:iconviobear:
*viobear Apr 18, 2013  Student Digital Artist
I don't wear panties.
Also, no serious artist publishes work that a program created for him/her. Your accusation is very immature and incredibly uneducated.

You said that you don't know if creating a picture is easy or not because you haven't vectored, yet you have a strong opinion on how easy vectoring is. You are not a smart person, or you need to grow up.
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(1 Reply)
:iconmyetony:
Mood: Wow! ~Myetony Oct 6, 2012  Student General Artist
This was so useful, thanks! :D
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:iconjust-terrific:
This will help me identify art a lot better now. Thanks
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