What Designers Need to Know Before Using an SVG Editor

SVG, or “Scalable Vector Graphics,” is an image format used by millions of graphic designers and editors across the world. The use of SVG Editors is very predominant, and all designers who wish to become illustrators or graphic designers are encouraged to use these software tools to become masters of their professions. Here’s why SVG editors are so widely preferred –

Scale Images Without Worrying About Blurring or Pixelation

SVG files scale indefinitely without blurring or getting pixelated, unlike Bitmap files like JPEG or PNG. They remain sharp and crisp, irrespective of the resolution or how much people zoom in on them.

Easier to Store

Since SVG files allow users to scale or zoom indefinitely, they must be huge in size, right? No! irrespective of how many layers, effects, Bitmap images, colors, etc. these files contain, the data used to form these images remain the same. Hence, these files are always smaller than high-definition Bitmap images that depend on the number of pixels they contain.

Easy to Use

Creators don’t need to be front-end developers to use the best SVG Editor. Plus, SVGs are XML-based. Hence, digital marketers can easily add ‘keywords’ to these files so that they are easily ‘searchable’ on the internet. To secure top ranks on search engine result pages, sites must use SEO-optimized SVG images.

SVGs are the Future

In the 1980s, SVG files were looked down upon because ‘pixel density’ was the only factor considered while judging the image quality. Ever since cell phones, tablets, and other devices have hit the market, no one associates pixel density with rich displays.

JPEG or PNG files are not scalable. They blur/crack when you zoom in on them. That’s why these file formats are not part of the mobile-friendly future of web design.

On high-end devices that support 4k resolutions (or more), Bitmap files look like garbage, whereas SVG files maintain their quality.

So, SVG is far superior to traditional bitmap-based image formats like JPEG or GIF that are made of a fixed number of pixels. But, are SVG files completely perfect? No! There are some cases where editors will need to use bitmap images over SVG files. Some of them include –

  • HD Photography – The photography industry only uses bitmap-based images. SVG photograph is rare. It’s mainly for graphic designers and illustrators who want to create new art out of nothing. People who want to edit real photographs must also learn using bitmap editing tools like Adobe Photoshop.
  • Non-transparent JPEGs are ideal for photographs. On the other hand, transparent SVG files are meant for web designers, editors, etc.
  • Extra Work – Working with SVG files involves more effort than working on bitmap-based file formats. For instance, many editors add a ton of empty groups or layers to their SVG files. These junk layers not only increase the overall file size; they also make life difficult for editors. Using a mini-fier while exporting SVG files to get rid of all the junk is recommended by all SVG experts.
  • Compatibility – Some out-of-date browsers like Internet Explorer are not fully compatible with SVG files.

Even though SVGs are much better than JPEG or PNG, editors must know about these complexities before they start using SVG editors.

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