What’s Your Preference?

mshockley · #1 (**permalink**) 08-25-2011, 12:34 PM

Hello everyone!

Yes, I googled Vectors, and found a bunch of random information. I don't know anything about them, and was wondering if anyone here has created any vectors and could tell me what is involved, what software is used, how do you learn this technique?

As an example of what I mean I just went to Fotolia and typed in the search bar the word=telephone=vectors only---below is the page that opens.
Fotolia stock images>vectors>telephone......as just a random example of vector images....

So how do you create this type of artwork? I'm actually quite drawn to these for some reason, especially those fat looking happy blue people I see all over!

Just looking for some general input on the subject, any help or input would be most appreciated! Thank-you

Murtasma · #2 (**permalink**) 08-25-2011, 12:48 PM

Adobe Illustrator is pretty much the defacto for creating vector images. There are other programs as well that can do it but I'm not that familiar with them. I created the image below in Illustrator. Working with vectors is somewhat similar to using the pen tool in photoshop.

You basically use the pen tool to create a line and add points across the line which you can grab anchor points (or tangents) on to control the shape of the curve. Vector images are mathematically defined so it's very easy to scale them to any size without affecting the quality of the image. They are used in all sorts of artwork and even composites of 3d & photography.

OsmosisStudios · #3 (**permalink**) 08-25-2011, 01:08 PM

You can do it in Photoshop: Pen tool and Shape tool are both vector items, as is all text.

Doug Sundseth · #4 (**permalink**) 08-25-2011, 02:16 PM

If you want to try creating vector images, you can try Inkscape, which is a free open-source vector package. As might be expected, it doesn't work as easily as Illustrator, but the price is undefinably* better.

* Math joke with limited actual humor. This is true of many math jokes.

mshockley · #5 (**permalink**) 08-25-2011, 06:10 PM

Thanks everyone! I get the feeling this isn't as easy as you say though....lol.....I'm definitely one of those who needs an extended learning curve when it comes to anything mathematical, but I am interested in these, and they look like so much fun!

Murtasma your vector image is very fun!

3bayjunkie · #6 (**permalink**) 08-25-2011, 06:19 PM

A vector is just a line from A to B. Are you trying to create art? If thats the case. I took a course on Illustrator in college and we had to make a 3D image in Illustrator. It really isn't hard if you do some tutorials. I ended up doing a model of my laptop since i always had it with me. I lost all my work from back then (2002-2003) or i would share it with you

NicoleScraps · #7 (**permalink**) 08-25-2011, 06:21 PM

Try Inkscape. It is a free opensource graphics editor. It is pretty good. Inkscape is to Illustrator like what Gimp is to Photoshop. If that makes sense. Can do most of the same stuff, but in different ways. Plus there are tons of tutorials for inkscape on youtube.

DanielLane · #8 (**permalink**) 08-25-2011, 07:45 PM

Vector images rock. Their purpose is so that you can scale the image either up or down and still retain clarity. A photograph in Photoshop is a raster based image. A raster image is an image that is defined as a collection of pixels arranged in a rectangular array of lines of dots or pixels.That is why you can't scale your photos up too much before you start to lose the sharpness you want, and when you shrink the image down too much, it turns to mush.

A vector image is a graphic that uses geometrical primitives such as points, lines, curves, and shapes or polygon(s), which are all based on mathematical equations, to represent images in computer graphics. Because of this math, you can keep all pieces and parts of the image in proportion as you scale them. Don't worry though, the software does the math. You don't have to.

Vector images are the main reason you do not see company logos that are photographs very often. Most logo's are made as a vector image so they can be scaled up to the size of a billboard or down to the size of a business card and still have clean lines.

These are a few logos I have made recently. The first two are for websites, and the last is for my photo business. And yes, I created a 9 blade aperture by hand (mathematically) in Illustrator for the center. I work on vector graphics almost as much as I work on photography. Gotta pay the bills...

The Pono Photo one is over black just so you can see the text. Flikr doesn't like keyable images very much. The black space doesn't really exist in the actual logo file. I also made it two ways, black text and white text. That way I can use the appropriate one depending on the background it will go over. The Go2Hawaii is the same way, but the Hawaii Aloha Travel is actually in a white box. Thats how the owner of the company wanted it. This logo version was created for an iPhone App Button. The version for the web site is similar, just not so perfectly square.