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Vector and Pixel Graphics: Introduction

You can express your design ideas in two fundamentally different ways at Spreadshop: Either as a pixel or a vector graphic. Keep reading to find out when to use which file, and how to realise your ideas in the best way possible.

### **To the point: Pixel graphics**

Today, pixel graphics visualise most of what you see on smartphones, digi cams or computers. Almost every digital photo is a pixel graphics file. The image information of the photo is saved by means of individual colour points (pixels). The smaller and more detailed the individual pixels, the sharper the photo. But if the individual pixels are too large (meaning the resolution is too low), the photo appears pixelated.

If the resolution is too low, the pixels will be clearly visible.

This is why the file size of high-resolution photos is quite large, because they’re made up of millions of individual pixels. The biggest advantage of pixel graphics is that they can be edited quickly, easily and without much previous knowledge with any smartphone, tablet or computer. Popular software to create pixel graphics include [Adobe Photoshop](https://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop.html) (commercial) or [Gimp](https://www.gimp.org/) (open source).

### **Becoming a Pixel Nerd**

| Well suited for pixel graphics are | photos or designs with a high degree of detail, as well as drawings, illustrations and designs with colour gradients. |
|----------|----------|
| Print methods: | [Digital printing](e47390a6-cb12-4a91-8b1f-c548a646c4eb), laser transfer, thermal sublimation |
| Design/structure: | Each graphics file consists of individual pixels. |
| Save/file size: | Each pixel has its individual colour information. An example: In a red circle with 1,000 pixels, the position and its colour values of each individual pixel are saved. |
| Resolution | The resolution of a design is usually provided in dpi (dots per inch). 200 dpi means that there are 200 pixels per inch (= 2.54 cm). |
| Loss of quality: | The lower the resolution of a design (the fewer pixels per inch), the more easily the individual pixels cen be detected. An enlargement of the design is only possible with a loss of quality. When creating high-resolution images from smaller images, a lack of quality will show when enlarged. |

Optimise your pixel graphics now. In this **[FAQ](652be577-21af-49db-b2e6-f0392cfdab05)** we’ll show you how to do it.

## **A line says more than a thousand pixels: Vector Graphics**

While pixel graphics are everywhere, vector graphics occupy a rather small but high-quality niche. Vector graphics don’t replicate the design with pixels, but with geometric shapes that are rendered as mathematical formulae. This is how vector graphics can be scaled without any loss of quality while remaining razor sharp. The image information is rendered for each size you replicate.

Since vector graphics only contain geometric shapes, they are very small when compared to pixel graphics. But their processing is much more demanding and requires special graphics programs. The most popular software is [Adobe Illustrator](https://www.adobe.com/products/illustrator.html) (commercial) and [Inkscape](https://inkscape.org/) (open source). The examples illustrate what benefits vector graphics hold for your designs.

### **Becoming a Vector Nerd**

| Well suited for vector graphics are | less complex designs and geometric shapes such as fonts, logos or comic style graphics with 3 colours max. |
|----------|----------|
| Print methods: | [Flex and flock printing, digital direct, thermal sublimation](4dd0142b-02e3-4b2a-8290-1c384dc7cc90) |
| Design/structure: | The image contents consist of geometric shapes that are rendered mathematically. |
| Save/file size: | Only stores the information necessary to render the image mathematically. The image of the red circle shows that only the position of its centre, its radius and the fill colour is defined and stored. |
| Scaling | Vector graphics don’t just get enlarged, but scaled to the desired size. The image content is recalculated mathematically. |
| Loss of quality: | won’t happen. Vector graphics can, theoretically, be infinitely scaled without any loss of quality. |

Optimise your vector graphics now. In this **[FAQ](201a0b9c-02e6-4121-827a-2f0eacc09961)**[ ](948a85fd-1daf-4d9b-9cdf-fdaa2c356f77)we’ll show you how to do it.

Support-Optimize vector-jle

Optimise vector graphics

Vector hc/en-us/ are a prerequisite for [plot printing](4dd0142b-02e3-4b2a-8290-1c384dc7cc90). [Flex and flock printing](00fb8351-c71b-41b0-86c6-d5ae679c245c) are plot printing methods. Here, the design is first punched out of coloured printing foils by a plotter. Then a Spreadshop employee extracts the design by removing excess foil. Once the design has been extracted, it’s placed on a T-shirt, then heat and pressure are applied to make the design stick. The backing film is peeled off and the T-shirt is good to go.

Vector graphics are the best fit for designers who value maximum flexibility when designing products. Handy: when using a vector graphic, the colour of the design can still be changed after uploading it to the Partner Area. This is great if you value a high colour contrast between product and design. It also helps if you want to avoid light designs on white products and dark designs on black products.

### Minimum requirements for plot printing

Your vector hc/en-us/ can be printed if they meet these requirements:

* Possible files: **.ai** or **.svg**

* Minimum size: **10x10 cm**

* Maximum size: **38x38 cm**

* Minimum diameter for lines or design details: 1,5 mm

* Max. 3 colours, created separately on one layer

* No colour gradients

* Texts and forms are converted into completely closed paths

**Tip**: Your file meets the requirements but uploading still isn't working? Then save your .ai file as a .svg file with these settings: Open the SVG options, go to "Advanced Options" and select "Presentation Attributes" in the CSS Properties.

Our printers are currently able to use **.ai files** up to the **C18** version, and **.svg files** without CSS styles. If you have created your designs with the newer Illustrator software, you need to save the finished file as an older **.ai version**. And with **.svg files**, the CSS properties need to be changed to **presentation attributes** when saving the file. We’re already working on improving the upload options for vector files.

### Measuring and adjusting line thickness

To prevent the flex or flock film from tearing in the extraction process, the line thickness of the smallest design elements must be at least **1.5 mm**. In addition, the distance between the individual elements should be at least **1 mm** so that the excess film can be easily removed.

**Measuring line thickness:** To check if the lines of your design are thick enough, create a circle with a diameter of **1.5 mm** and place it over the thinnest line of your design. If the whole circle fits on top of the line, the line thickness is big enough. You can do the same with a **1mm** diameter circle to measure the gaps between the lines. If the smallest gap can accommodate the whole circle, it’s big enough.

## Closed curves

When the design is punched out by the plotter, it’s cut out of the printing film with its curves as the outline. The plotter will try to close an open curve whenever it detects one. The plotter looks for any nearby anchor point and then cuts a straight line to that point. Curves need to be closed to prevent faulty design prints.

### Converting into paths

Your design can only be printed flawlessly if all objects are converted into paths. It’s important to embed all elements as paths. Fonts are a classic example here. These should first be saved as text fields, meaning all elements need to be embedded as paths. To do so, use the functions "Combine", "Merge" or "Convert" in your hc/en-us/ program.

### Self-help tips

Do you have further questions or concrete problems with a certain detail? No problem, we’ll find a solution together. On our [community](https://www.spreadshop.com/community/) you’ll get help from other Designers and our experienced moderators. It’s a great place to exchange tips and tricks. You’ll also get new inspiration for fresh design ideas.

Support-Optimizing pixel graphics-jle

Optimising pixel graphics

Pixel graphics are photos or images that consist of a [combination of pixels](2b7b0680-7ff3-46e9-9ee3-4d59c524184a). Each pixel holds colour information, the sum of which compose the digital image. Spreadshop uses pixel graphics in [digital printing](e47390a6-cb12-4a91-8b1f-c548a646c4eb), laser transfer and thermal sublimation. In the following, we’ll give you tips for perfect print results and creation of pixel graphics.

### Important for a perfect print: Data format and resolution

Your designs can be printed if they meet these requirements:

* File formats: **PNG, JPG, BMP** or **GIF**

* Size limit: max. **10 MB**

* Resolution: at least **1000 pixels** on the shorter side, or min. **4000 pixels** on the longer side

* Design has no background

Although we accept several file formats, we recommend you create your designs in **PNG** format. The big advantage: Only .png files support transparent backgrounds.

For optimal print results, a sufficiently high resolution and size of your design is crucial. Our recommendation is: Set up the longest side of your design with at least **4000 pixels**. This allows your design to be scaled razor-sharp on any print area – regardless of the product, without loss of quality.

If the resolution is too low, the pixels will be clearly visible.

### Designs without background

Printing photos on T-shirts is extremely popular. Show photos to their best advantage and remove disturbing elements in the background – i.e. have the actual design without a distracting background. It is not enough to simply make the background white, because the white area will show in the print. It will be visible on both coloured and white products. The background of an image needs to be transparent so that our printers can ignore it. That's why it's important to save your cropped image as a PNG.

### No colour transitions with transparencies

To make sure that your design can shine on coloured products in its full brilliant glory, our printers spray a white top coat on the product before printing. Your actual design will then be printed on this layer. This is why your design must not contain any transparency transitions, meaning colour transitions from transparent to opaque. Why is this? In the semi-transparent areas, not only the product colour but also the white layer would shine through. Adjustment tip for advanced users: To create an effect similar to transparency transitions, use raster and halftone effects in your graphics program, such as "dissolve" or "dither”. You can find more tips on our [community.](https://www.spreadshop.com/community/)

### Consider colour differences in the CMYK and RGB mode

On a monitor screen, colours often appear brighter than on the printed shirt. To make the [colours of your printed T-shirt](f9fc338a-a2e2-427f-96d5-e5aafd563277) look as intense as on the monitor, try the following:

* Increase the brightness of your design. The printed product will never come out as brightly as the same image on the monitor. Please remember, that the monitor has its own light source whereas the print only reflects the light.

* Increase the contrast and saturation of your graphics to a very high degree. What may look a bit ”too much” on the screen will look just right in print.

* Always upload your graphics in RGB mode. Our software systems work with this colour scheme, and that's why smaller colour deviations are to be expected with RGB files when compared to CMYK files.

### **File templates**

To make creating designs really easy for you so you can print them, we provide templates for a variety of products. You will find further instructions in the file templates.

| Format | Product examples | Illustrator template | Photoshop template |
|----------|----------|----------|----------|
| ![](https://image.spreadshirtmedia.net/content/v1520524977/FAQ/article/1-1.png) | Men’s Premium T-Shirt Mug unicoloured Baby T-Shirt Aprons Tote bags Pillows Stickers | [![](https://image.spreadshirtmedia.net/content/v1520524977/FAQ/article/Ai.svg) Download](https://image.spreadshirtmedia.net/content/v1607689379/FAQ/assets/Templates/Pixel%20Graphics/Illustrator_Design_Template_Spreadshirt.ai) | [![](https://image.spreadshirtmedia.net/content/v1520524977/FAQ/article/Ps.svg) Download](https://image.spreadshirtmedia.net/content/v1607689283/FAQ/assets/Templates/Pixel%20Graphics/Design_Template_Spreadshirt.psd) |
| ![](https://image.spreadshirtmedia.net/content/v1520524977/FAQ/article/3-2.png) | Snapback cap Panorama mug Lunchbox | [![](https://image.spreadshirtmedia.net/content/v1520524977/FAQ/article/Ai.svg) Download](https://image.spreadshirtmedia.net/content/v1607689379/FAQ/assets/Templates/Pixel%20Graphics/Illustrator_Design_Template_Spreadshirt_panoramic.ai) | [![](https://image.spreadshirtmedia.net/content/v1520524977/FAQ/article/Ps.svg) Download](https://image.spreadshirtmedia.net/content/v1607689286/FAQ/assets/Templates/Pixel%20Graphics/Design_Template_Spreadshirt_panoramic.psd) |

### **Self-help tips**

Do you have more questions or particular problems? We’ll find a solution together! On [our community](https://www.spreadshop.com/community/), you’ll get help from other designers and our experienced moderators. People share valuable tips and tricks that may come in handy. You’ll also get new inspiration for fresh design ideas.

Support-Optimize Designs for Poster Print-jle

Optimise Designs for Poster Print

Designing and uploading poster designs is easy, especially if you pay attention to a few small details. We’d love to help you: Below, we have compiled the most important info and a few helpful print templates.

### Available formats

You can print your posters in the following formats on 250 g/m² semi-gloss photo paper.

* Portrait: 20 × 30 cm, 40 × 60 cm, 60 × 90 cm

* Landscape: 30 × 20 cm, 60 × 40 cm, 90 × 60 cm

* Square: 20 × 20 cm, 40 × 40 cm, 60 × 60 cm

### Requirements for your design

Once you upload your design, posters are only available for print if the following requirements are met:

* Portrait (2:3), landscape (3:2) or square (1:1) format

* Size limit: 100 megapixels

* Resolution: at least 200 dpi

* Minimum size (200 dpi):

  * Portrait: 4724 × 7087 px

  * Landscape: 7087 × 4724 px

  * Square: 4724 × 4724 px

* File formats: JPG, PNG

* Size limit: max. 100 MB

* Colour profile: RGB or CMYK

* No white designs since we only offer white backgrounds for posters.

* Additional 2 mm margin on all sides (to avoid clipping)

**Please note**: Don’t place text or other important elements 4 mm from the outer edge. A bleed allowance is necessary to protect your image from unwanted image cropping.

Please also take note that there are quality criteria for designs and pay particular attention to the following points:

* Your design is clear, detailed and sharp

* Contrast and brightness are optimally adjusted

* No faces are depicted as this may lead to a violation of personal rights

### Templates to download

With our templates, you can easily prepare your design for poster printing. Each template contains

* a layer to show you the correct size.

* a red-marked margin of 2 mm to indicate which area might be cut off.

Open the template with Photoshop or any graphics software suitable for .psd files. Then follow the checklist for poster printing (see below).

|          |
|----------|

\*If you feel like selling posters on our North American domain, please use the templates marked North America. The sizes are adjusted to meet US standards (inch).

### Checklist for poster printing

Choose and download a suitable template, open it and drag your design to the file’s work surface. Then proceed as follows:

1. Your design is in the "Your Design" folder

2. Your design fills the layer exactly (the edges disappear below the red line)

3. The red border doesn’t cover any important elements

4. The "Tutorial" layer is deactivated

5. The “Bleed allowance” layer is deactivated (no red margin visible)

6. RGB is selected as the color profile

7. Once you’re all set here, save your design under "File &gt; Save As" in .png format.

### Creating posters in the Partner Area

Once you have optimised your file for poster printing, follow the usual process for creating products:

* Upload your design in the Partner Area

* Click on the design to select the product groups you want

* As long as you’ve uploaded the right format, the product group "Posters" is already preselected for you

* All other products are disabled since the format specifications and resolution requirements contrast strongly with those of clothing and other items

In case the product group "Posters" isn’t available for you in the product selection, your design doesn’t meet the requirements for poster printing. Check the design requirements again and refer to our template for guidance.

### Handling and packaging of posters

**Express or premium delivery** and gift-wrapping is unavailable for posters. Prints in the size of 20 × 20 and 20 × 30 will be dispatched in a solid envelope, sizes 40 × 60 and 60 × 90 are rolled in a cardboard box.

### Check out the video clip

Support-Differences in Colors-monitor-vs-shirt-anig

Differences in Colours: Monitor vs. T-Shirt

Colours may look different on the printed item than they appear on your monitor. This may be due to different reasons:

* To print pixel designs, we need to render the colour scheme from RGB to CMYK and make colour corrections if necessary. This may lead to slight colour variations.

* Every screen displays colours differently. A combination of brightness, contrast and saturation can change colour effects significantly.

* The colour of the fabrics has an effect on the print result. The example below illustrates how different colours come out on white, black and different-coloured fabrics.

### **Colour chart (Kornit)**