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Vector Illustrator | Cartoons | Characters | Graphic Designer

Illustration, Cartoons, Character Creation, Mascot Design, Graphic Design

  • Home
  • About
    • About
    • What to expect
    • What is Vector Art
    • Illustration Licensing
    • Prices
    • Testimonials
    • News
    • Using EPS Files
    • Content Licence Agreement
    • Terms & Conditions
    • History
    • News & Eye Treats Newsletter
  • Shop
    • Stock Vector Shop
    • T-Shirts & Merch
    • Amazon Shop
  • What I do
    • Vector Illustrator
    • Children's Book Illustrator
    • Character Mascot Design
    • Greeting Card Illustration Design
    • Cartoon Strips
    • Logo Design
    • Graphic Design
    • Colouring Books
    • Beer Label Pump Clip Design
  • Clients
    • Clients
    • Leicester Tigers
    • The Healthy Mutt
    • Gorilla Tubs
    • Gala Bingo
  • Advice
  • Gallery
    • Illustration
    • Character Design
    • Cartoons
    • Logo Design
    • Graphic Design
    • Videos
  • Contact Me

What is vector art?

What is vector artwork?

Vector artwork is a term that describes any art made with vector illustration software like Adobe Illustrator. Vector artwork is built from vector graphics, which are images created with mathematical formulas rather than colourised pixels. Almost every example of my artwork you see on this website was created using Adobe Illustrator as is 100% vector artwork.

Vector images and vector graphics

I create all almost my final illustration and design work in a vector format, which can also be referred to as vector graphics or vector art. Vector graphics are designed with curved points and lines which create a clean, infinitely scalable picture. Vector graphics are based on mathematical formulas rather than square pixels, allowing for a crisper display. Don’t worry though, there’s no actual mathematics to need to be concerned about.

The main benefits of using vector art

  • Clean (designed with curved points and lines which creates a perfectly clean finish)

  • Scaleable (made from mathematical equations so easy to scale)

  • Infinite resolution (enlarge vector art to any size without negatively affecting its appearance)

  • Adaptable (changing and editing is really simple)

  • Functional (responsive art and designs that adapt to varying screen sizes etc)

  • Lightweight (less information means a smaller file size)

  • Easily manipulated (so easy to adapt at any stage)

  • Easily reusable (easy to break down and reuse or repurpose existing artwork)

  • Multipurpose (used in multiple ways and can be adapted for multiple purposes)

  • Can be animated (easy to animate)

  • Can be edited with code (easy to code)

What are vector graphics?

Vector graphics are made up of lines, curves and points designed to retain their quality and avoid blurring when enlarged. They use colours that are separated into different types and sizes. Whereas regular pixels in different forms of illustration, or photographs are blended together to form a colour. This makes changing colours really simple when editing vector graphics.

What’s the difference between vector and raster graphics?

In contrast to vector graphics which are made from mathematical equations, raster graphics (also referred to as bitmaps or raster images) are created with colourised pixels. Enlarge pixel-based art in a raster file too much and it looks jaggy - whereas you can enlarge vector art to any size without negatively affecting its appearance. 

Why are vector graphics better than raster graphics?

This resolution independence allows vector art to be used in a variety of forms, from small illustrations to large billboards. The consistent appearance of vector artwork, at whatever size it is displayed, means it is generally used to produce the highest-quality artworks available. Any professional artwork made using vector graphics will not only have an amazing end display, but will also keep things simple during the design stage.

The rise of vector graphics.

Some of the first types of computer graphics were vectors, as the computational power necessary to create raster images was too expensive. Early computers used vector displays in the 1960s and ’70s; video games like 1979’s Asteroids also used vector graphics. This practice continued until the 1980s, by which point most displays had switched to raster graphics.

Due to the need for art that prints at multiple sizes and responsive web designs that adapt to varying screen sizes, vector files are a necessity of modern design. They create clean, scalable images that allow for exciting visual possibilities with the added bonus of functionality.

Modern typography is almost exclusively created using vectors. The text you’re looking at right now is a product of vector graphics. 3D modeling and the computer graphics (CG) we see in blockbuster superhero films are the direct consequence of developments in vector art and illustration. 

Why are vector graphics and artwork needed?

Vector graphics and artwork is clean, camera-ready and can be scaled infinitely without loss of quality. Lower resolution files don’t offer the same display standard – whether digitally or printed.

Bitmap file formats are a perfect example of this. For example, whenever a .PDF, a .JPG or a .GIF file is resized for an artwork, it will generally become more jagged in its appearance. Pixels become more prominent and the result is a blurry, poor-quality end product.

By using vector graphics, you can display artwork as big or small as it needs to be. Vector graphics can be saved as .AI, .EPS and .CDR. Using these file formats will enhance the quality of your work and make design and illustration much more simple.

Vector graphics are lightweight (small file size)

Vector files have less information in the them than, for example, pixel files (such as a picture taken by a phone or digital camera). They only contain in them a bunch of coordinates instead of more complex information, like the thousands, or even millions, of pixels in a digital photo.

This comes as an advantage of vector files, since they can have very compressed drawings in them that require less information to produce. What does this mean? You can have a very complex vector drawing, with many shapes, text, colors, and gradients, and still have a very lightweight file. Moreover, you could increase the dimensions of the object and still have a light file.

The same drawing in pixel format would require much more information and, therefore, would create a heavy file (in terms of resolution).

tags: Vector, Vector Art
categories: Illustration & Design Advice
Wednesday 10.18.23
Posted by Nathan Shelton
 

The Health & Safety Fails Collection - These 2 guy

I’ve been creating illustrations of these two silly, crazy, idiotic guys for several years. They’re two characters I created to convey a message about health and safety in the workplace, and basically how NOT to do it! I recently created a load of new illustrations which you can see in the slideshow below. I've also just added them to my Behance site.

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Here’s a link to the project on Behance, and if you get a chance I would love to know what you think.

BTW ALL of these illustrations are also available to purchase individually via my iStock portfolio, or feel free to get in touch with me at nathan@antcreations.co.uk and I'll be happy to discuss selling them direct either individually or as a set.

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tags: Behance, Cartoons, Fails, Funny, Health & Safety, Vector, Workmen, istock
categories: Health & Safety, Illustration / Cartoons, iStock
Monday 05.19.14
Posted by Nathan Shelton
 

Boardgame created for Northern Rail - Rambutan

"All aboard(game)!". I recently created this illustrated board game for Northern Rail whilst working with a great company from Market Harborough called Rambutan. The final vector based artwork was designed to replicate a generic roll the dice type of boardgame, with a beginning (GO - which represents now) and an end point (WIN - representing the future and beyond). The journey represents a train track and each 'place/square' represents a month of the year which also states a different company goal/target for that month. There were some success cards added to continue the boardgame idea which stated some important company targets etc. And to personalise the whole thing all the characters and surrounding artwork represents Northern Rail and/or the company in some way.

The end piece was printed up to A2 and used in their management conference to quickly and simply explain the companies journey for the next couple of years and beyond. Apparently it went down very well in the conference and hopefully helped explain the company vision in a fun and simple way.

The final artwork is below and some close ups to show you the details. I've also added a couple of the early sketches I created which were used to sell/explain the idea to the client.

As usual I would love to know what you think and any feedback you may have. Cheers and enjoy!

    

tags: Boardgame, Game, Northern Rail, Rambutan, Trains, Vector
categories: Behance, Corporate, Illustration / Cartoons
Thursday 05.01.14
Posted by Nathan Shelton
 

My Great New Vector Themed Tattoo!

I thought I would share this with the world after I decided to prove my love of all things vector by getting a tattoo!

I've been working with vectors for many, many years now and therefore decided to prove my love for vector artwork by dedicating the inside of my right forearm to this little design I 'knocked up'.


Any vector enthusiasts out there will no doubt recognise the pen tool icon from Adobe Illustrator. To fully personalise the tattoo I added a little 'smiley' face complete with vector style points and beziers to symbolise the last joy filled decade or so of my life.

Feel free to let me know what you think...and yes I do realise this ink will be with me for life. I am obviously a fan of tattoo's and this one is meant to represent a great chapter of my life. That will never change and I am very happy to be reminded of it on a daily basis!

tags: Tattoo, Vector
Tuesday 06.14.11
Posted by Nathan Shelton
Comments: 4
 

Lucky Langton Pump Clip!

This is the latest design for a pump clip for a regular client of mine the Langton Brewery.
The beer is called 'Farrier' and is available in many pubs throughout the area.
Here is the design you'll see clipped to the pump on the bar advertising the beer...

 

Read more »

 

tags: Beer, Cartoons, Character Design, Corporate, Farrier, Label Design, Vector
categories: The Langton Brewery
Thursday 02.24.11
Posted by Nathan Shelton
 

The Healthy Mutt - Coconut Oil Label Design

I recently designed a label for The Healthy Mutt. They are a great company based in Orange County, California who specialise in natural products for dogs. They needed a label for their Coconut Oil created especially for canines! Here is the final result...

Below is the full label as it would appear flat...

If you get a chance then please visit their site and check out all the great, natural products they supply for your healthy pooch! And as always please feel free to let me know what you think.

tags: Cartoons, Corporate, Graphic Design, Label Design, Vector
Friday 01.21.11
Posted by Nathan Shelton
 

Langton Brewery New Festive Beer Label - Welland Innkeeper

Here is the latest beer label I designed for the Langton Brewery based in Thorpe Langton, Leicestershire.
They needed a label designing for their festive beer for 2010 which is called Welland Innkeeper.
The illustration has a little bit of a biblical influence with a few festive colours thrown in.
The beer is for sale as a 500ml bottle and also on draught in certain public houses in the area.
Please feel free to comment, and if you see the bottle or the pump clip out in the real world let me know and feel free to send me a pic so I can put it on this blog with a hearty thanks!

 

A large version of the artwork

The 500ml beer label

The pump clip which advertises the draught beer in pubs

 

tags: Beer, Cartoons, Character Design, Corporate, Label Design, Vector
categories: The Langton Brewery
Tuesday 11.30.10
Posted by Nathan Shelton
 

Red Rabbit Rooter Character Design

I thought I would change things a little on this blog, and hopefully add some extra interesting content. In the past I have only put an image of the final artwork on my blog. But from now on I am going to add the earlier stages of a project too.

These extra bits of artwork could be sketches and vector development work, as well as various colour choices, shading and highlights and the adding of little details etc.
I'm hoping these extra bits of info will help paint a clear picture of how a project develops from the initial idea right through the various stages of design until the final vector artwork is created.
This first project is a character design for Red Rabbit Rooter, which is a drainage/sewer company from Pennsylvania in the USA.

Brief
: A character needed to be created based on the Red Rabbit theme. He needed to be a positive happy face for the company and show quickness and speed, he also needed to be carrying a plunger to symbolise the sewer business.

 

Initial Sketches :



 

 

Stage Two : Rabbit number 02 was chosen for development. It was decided to change the clothes worn by the rabbit to include longer trousers and a shirt.

 

Stage Three - Vectors : Next stage was to create the vector artwork. As you can see there is a major difference between the sketches and the vector artwork. Everything suddenly looks a lot more polished. I find it easier to judge a character with a little bit of colour whilst also seeing a black and white version, hence I usually send my inital colour ideas as well as a B&W version of the character.

 

 

Stage Four - Colour and Details : With feedback from the client it was then possible to develop the colours whilst adding all the little details that bring the character to life.

 

 

Final Character Design : With the shading and highlights added as well as all the little details such as his name badge and cap motif the character is now finished. All these little details really help bring the character to life and give him the personality he needs to appeal to his audience!

Here is the final character as he will appear in all his marketing and promotional duties. I am really pleased with the final outcome as was the client Jenna Peppler. I hope he does his job and helps to promote the company long into the future!

 

I introduce you to 'Red' the face of Red Rabbit Rooter...

 

 

Please feel free to let me know what you think. If you need anything from me (Nathan Shelton) then please feel free to get in touch and I will be very happy to hear from you. Cheers!

Email nathan@antcreations.co.uk or call on 01858 462779

 

tags: Animals, Cartoons, Character Design, Corporate, Design Process, Sketches, Vector
Monday 11.01.10
Posted by Nathan Shelton
Comments: 1
 

An interview with me on Vectortuts+

Wow! It's online right now. An interview with me on Vectortuts+!!
Click this link to go to the Vectortuts site and read the interview.
Please feel free to leave your comments and let me know what you think!
Woohoo!

tags: Corporate, Vector
Monday 09.27.10
Posted by Nathan Shelton
 

My latest iStock upload! 175 illustrations and counting!!

I've just uploaded my 175th illustration that has been accepted into my iStock portfolio!
Here is the image depicting a cheeky frog with a bright idea...

tags: Cartoons, Character Design, Vector, istock
Tuesday 09.21.10
Posted by Nathan Shelton
 
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