What is SVG?
Understand everything about this vector graphic file which is a solution against distorted images
SVG is a file format composed of XML that creates scalable graphics, which means that these graphics are not distorted when resized, unlike other types of images like PNG and JPG. In addition, SVG can be integrated directly into a website’s source code and mixed directly with HTML, which is a language very similar to structuring XML. SVG is the abbreviation for Scalable Vector Graphics.
SVG is a great solution for creating logos and other designs that need to be reproduced constantly in different sizes. If today you have an image file in PNG format that contains your company logo, and that image file does not have the ideal resolution to be printed on a large banner, you will have a pixelated impression, that is, you will see all the pixels that make up the image. However, in SVG format, this problem does not occur, as an SVG image can be expanded infinitely without distortion.
In addition to not having distorted graphics, SVG files take up less disk space
In addition, an SVG file can take up less space than a regular image file, such as PNG or JPG, to form the same design with infinitely better quality.
To get an idea, consider the letter S of the Seletronic logo in a PNG file with a resolution of 1080×1080 pixels, which contains the file size of 55.1 KB. The same SVG drawing contains only 2.87 KB and can be expanded infinitely without distorting the image, unlike the PNG file.
In the following example, you can see what happens when expanding a common image on the left and what happens when expanding an SVG image on the right. This example is quite common on the internet.
Vectorization of images
If SVG is a solution for creating perfect images, for sure, when creating a logo, we will choose designers who will deliver the work in this incredible format. But what if our logo has already been made in PNG format, or even worse, in JPG format or another format that cannot be resized without losing quality?
For this, there is vectorization, which consists of redrawing an image in a scalable format. Today, most graphic designers who really do a good job already know how to do that kind of work.
Vectorization and vector drawing tools
But make no mistake, a free design tool does not limit you to anything compared to a paid tool.
The free drawing tool most used today, without a doubt, is Inkscape, which is a free software for creating and editing vector images. This tool is simply amazing, and has all the necessary resources to create any design.
Other very famous but paid tools are Adobe Illustrator which is a vector image editor developed and marketed by Adobe (same company as the famous Photoshop), and CorelDRAW which is a vector image editor developed and marketed by Corel Corporation.