Vector Graphics

Explore & Discover

Vector graphics are built from math — lines, curves, and shapes defined by points — so they scale to any size without getting blurry. That's why logos, icons, and illustrations are almost always vectors. Start by looking for vector art around you: the Utah state logo, sports team emblems, and app icons are all vectors. Browse Dribbble.com and Behance.net to see what vector illustrators create. Watch "What is Vector Art?" on YouTube. Then open Inkscape (free, inkscape.org) or use Figma (free) and just play around with the pen tool and basic shape tools for 30 minutes — don't try to make anything specific yet. You're ready for the next step when you can explain the difference between a vector and a raster (pixel) image in your own words.

Learn the Basics

Learn the three tools that do 90% of the work in vector software: the pen tool (draws any shape using anchor points), the node editor (moves and adjusts those points), and the boolean operations (combine, subtract, intersect shapes). Open Inkscape and follow the free "Inkscape Beginners Guide" on their official docs page. Practice drawing five basic things: a circle, a star, a simple arrow, a speech bubble, and a mountain outline. The Wasatch Mountains are great practice — their jagged peaks are perfect for learning the pen tool's angle handles. You're ready for the next step when you can draw any of those five shapes cleanly, without extra anchor points cluttering your paths.

Build Your First Project

Create a simple flat-style icon set of five related icons — pick a theme you care about, like hiking gear, basketball equipment, or music tools. Each icon should be: one color, recognizable at 48x48 pixels, and built using only basic shapes and boolean operations (no freehand scribbling). Use Inkscape or Figma. Save each icon as an SVG file. Look at Google's Material Icons (fonts.google.com/icons — free) for inspiration on how simple and clear great icons are. A good icon communicates its meaning without a label. You're ready for the next step when all five icons in your set look like they belong together — same visual weight, same style, same level of detail.

Experiment & Iterate

Push into more complex illustration. Try creating a flat landscape scene — maybe the Salt Lake Valley with the Oquirrh Mountains in the background, or a stylized Delicate Arch from Arches National Park. Use layers to organize your work: background, midground, foreground. Experiment with gradients (a smooth transition between two colors) to add depth. Try the "clipping mask" technique to keep colors inside shapes cleanly. Use a limited palette of five colors maximum — limiting colors forces creative decisions and usually looks better than using too many. You're ready for the next step when your scene reads clearly at thumbnail size and your layers are organized and labeled.

Advanced Techniques

Learn advanced pen tool techniques: how to draw smooth curves (Bezier curves) precisely by controlling the direction handles on anchor points. Practice the "two-click rule" — clicking without dragging creates a sharp corner, clicking and dragging creates a smooth curve. Study how professional logo designers use as few anchor points as possible for the cleanest shapes. Watch "Logo Design Process" videos by Aaron Draplin on YouTube — he's one of the best in the world at clean vector work. Then try recreating an existing simple logo (Utah Jazz, REI, or a local Salt Lake business) from scratch as a learning exercise. You're ready for the next step when your recreated logo uses fewer than 20 total anchor points.

Final Project Showcase

Design a complete visual identity package for an invented Utah-based brand — a food truck, a ski rental shop, a gaming team, anything you'd want to exist. Deliver: a primary logo (text + icon), an alternate logo (icon only), a color palette (four colors with hex codes), and three brand applications (a sticker, a social media profile image, and a simple poster). Everything must be built in vectors and exported as SVGs and PNGs. Write a one-paragraph brand story explaining what the business is and why your design choices fit. Post your full portfolio piece to Behance (free) or share it in Inkscape's community forums. You're ready for the next step when your package feels like it belongs to one brand — not five different projects.