What is the difference between vector and bitmap artwork?

A vector image uses geometrical formulas (maths) to represent images. It is not a file type, but describes what your design is made from. This is why you can easily save most file types as a vector.

Bitmaps are photos or images that are made of pixels. You have seen these before when you zoom into a photo you've taken - little dots that make up the larger picture.

We prefer vector images because the scale infinitely and our designers can change any element using a programme such as Adobe Illustrator or Corel Draw.

The mage below shows the difference when zooming in:

Either file type is ok.

If you are using bitmap images, try to have the highest resolution possible so when you want to scale, it doesn’t go blurry. We prefer 300DPI (dots per inch) at 1:1 scale. So if you want a 5x5cm sticker, export it at 5x5cm size.

Typical vector file types

Typical bitmap file types

JPG / JPEG
PNG
PS