good tutorial

[taco salad]

I need some education on Illustrator. I thought simply by using Illustrator and spot color, I was automatically producing a vector graphic. But my illustrations are blured. How can a vector graphic be blured? When creating a document do you have to set up the measurment units to inches versus pixels? Is that the secret? I guess all documents created with measurments set in pixels would be a raster image? Maybe it's the file extension that determines vector versus raster. So is all jpeg and png files raster? I could use some guidlines and education. I want sharp, crisp vector, spot color graphics, without gradients, that can be reproduced at any size. Maybe you know of a good tutorial available. Please help

[Doug A Roberts]

So is all jpeg and png files raster?

By @taco salad

Yes. When you export a JPEG or PNG, you are rendering your vector file at a certain resolution. If you want to export a vector format, you might use AI files, PDF, SVG or EPS, depending on what you're using it for.

[Monika Gause]

I've written an introduction some time ago: https://www.vektorgarten.de/vector-raster-resolution-rgb-cmyk.html 

[taco salad]

I printed it on my little 3 in1 printer. I skimmed over the tutorial but
I'm going to have to devote more time to it. I think it's just what I
need....thank you for your help

[Jacob Bugge]

taco salad,

I need some education on Illustrator. I thought simply by using Illustrator and spot color, I was automatically producing a vector graphic. You are, regardless of unit and regardless of the kind of colour (also without spot colours), apart from possible raster elements, such as raster images (which need to have an adequate pixelxpixel size) and raster effects which can look ugly if your Documents Raster Effects setting is too low, see link below. But my illustrations are blured. How can a vector graphic be blured? It may be good to see a screenshot.

You can search for raster effects here,

https://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/using/effects.html

[Bobby Henderson]

The file extension doesn't always make something vector-based. Placing a JPEG image inside of an Illustrator AI file will not convert that JPEG image into a vector-based object. I deal with this problem constantly via customer provided artwork in my workplace. They send their logo as a JPEG or PNG. I request vector artwork. Then they email me the same JPEG or PNG image saved inside an Illustrator AI file. Eye-rolls and laughter ensues. Likewise, PNG or JPEG images exported from Illustrator will not retain any vector-based data. The exported file is nothing more than a flat rectangle containing a grid of colored pixels.

Like Doug said, if you're wanting to export artwork from Illustrator in other formats yet preserve the vector characteristics of the artwork you need to use the right kinds of file formats, such as AI, EPS, PDF or SVG. Usually Illustrator artwork is exported in other formats to in order to share with people using different graphics applications. It's important to know what applications they're using and what formats their software will import successfully.

Regarding spot colors, those should be applied to artwork only in certain circumstances. It's important to understand the basics of RGB and CMYK color models in relation to graphics made for electronic screens versus graphics made for printing. Spot colors are their own little "rabbit hole" relating to printing. They're often used in corporate branding. Vector-based artwork and raster-based artwork can be produced in RGB, CMYK or spot colors.

[taco salad]

Thank you so much for responding. You and Doug have both been very helpful.
I want to ask you one more question.
I working with a printer that prints RGB. Its DTG mostly and sublimation.
This doesn't have impact on a vector image, right? And because it's RGB, I
should use spot color versus CMYK, right?
Thanks again!

[Bobby Henderson]

RGB vs CMYK doesn't have an effect on vector-based artwork. It's just the color model being used in the artwork. The SVG format is often used for displaying RGB-based vector graphics on web pages. It's likely the print shop you're working with accepts RGB-based artwork from customers because it might be easier for them to troubleshoot than CMYK files. If their equipment is capable of surpassing standard CMYK gamut limits then RGB-based client files would be able to use more of that capability. A customer provided CMYK-based file may have its color confined to limits well under what their equipment can reproduce. If clients aren't careful when working in CMYK they can run into problems, such as color profiles that get mismatched or go missing.

Spot colors can be used in RGB. Adobe Illustrator will maintain the spot color naming when such fills are applied to objects. In a Photoshop RGB file a fill or stroke color can be defined using a spot color but Photoshop will generate a RGB-based interpolation of that fill. When you click the eyedropper tool on the resulting colored pixels they'll just have RGB values.