Introduction to Vector Today

Vector Today attempts to create a full copy editorial on the state of vector art on deviantART and abroad. While absent since Issue #4 in 2005, Issue #5 hopefully will revitalize this feature.

This article is different from most news features because the content is reviewed and discussed in some detail, trying to analyze the complexities of the vector art form, instead of just listing deviations. In the future, I hope to have interviews and reviews from a variety of artists.

If you're unclear as to what a vector is, please see Issue #1 (linked at the bottom). While old in terms of art trends, thankfully vector history has not changed.


Today's issue: Portraits, Cars, & Compression

Portraits
First off, since 2005 the portrait trends have surprisingly changed quite a bit. However, the use of Asian girls as subjects has remained strong (which I partially attribute to the popularity of vector formats in Asian countries). Below are some of the many portraits I came across in a recent search; I'll talk about them from left to right.



The first piece, by ~sushi-boy, illustrates a very clean vector style in my opinion; the artist has used some pretty large, flowing lines but with natural colors that match well with the hair. Because of this, the vector has a very fluid, simple look while still retaining a great deal of detail (such as the subtle shading mixed with the hard shading). It's certainly a more trendy style, though this look is a bit hard to pull off sometimes.

The next piece, by ~flyescape, also has a pretty clean look to it. In this, the artist has used a muted color tone, which alone caught my eye, but the presentation itself is pretty interesting. Taking it apart, it appears to be the selection tool with the image duplicated and muted behind it. The front layer appears to have an outer-glow style filter applied to it. Alone, this simple presentation has taken an otherwise nice, but standard artwork and helped it stand out among the crowd. Also of note, the hair style is very simple, using only a few colors and keeping it basic. In large part, this makes a nice contrast with the hard shading on the face.

Third, a self-portrait by ~silentpanorama, features an interesting style. While the overall vector style is pretty common and straightforward, the presentation caught my eye. Mainly, the color tone is really odd, but strangely fits very well with this; the black hair contrasts well with the background, and the skin tone compliments it. The use of transparency in the shirt itself also is a nice touch. The lighting used for the shading is well defined, but not overdone. It feels natural in the context of the piece.

Finally, a portrait by ~gabkill showcases technical precision. Everything about this vector is clean. From the shading, to the style, it's all textbook. However, the reason I mention this is because despite the flawless execution by the artist, the style is increasingly common and can be easily found in the vector gallery. Assumedly because of this, the vector has gone unnoticed. This is an unfortunate, but realistic concern as vectors will go on being overlooked if the style is too common, or a style that is "old" (although quality is still quality).


Cars
I had promised in 2005 that Issue #5 would be about cars. Well, as not to let everyone down, I found two interesting pieces.



The first vector, a Dodge Viper vector by ~RonaldoTheJim, is a handy piece to see because it breaks down the vector part-by-part. Overall, this vector represents a standard, clean attempt at a car. The shading is how you would expect it and the attention to detail is very high, especially as seen in the wheels. Thankfully, all of this detail can be seen in the multiple wireframe shots, so the mystery of gradient placing might be cleared up a bit.

The next vector, a 2005 Mustang GT by ~Linky13, is a showcase of beautiful (and it's not just because I love Mustangs!). The artist has obviously taken quite a bit of time getting every subtle detail down, and it shows! As an example, there's quite a bit of knowledge in terms of gradients to be gathered here. Check out the subtle reflection on the bottom of the bumper of the red from the car -- very high gloss, just what you'd expect in a nice car.


Vector Protip: Compression
It's possible to have the greatest vector in the world, but have the colors and clarity reduced -- just the opposite of what a vector artist would want. The reason for this is often just a matter of poor image compression. Try switching from JPEG or GIF compression, which isn't 1:1, with something that is lossless, like a PNG. The size differences in vectors usually aren't much, and the quality difference is night and day. Go ahead and give it a shot on your next vector and see how it looks!


Editor's Note
Hopefully, when viewing each of these pieces, you can see the differences in styles and even adapt what you like to your own work. If you're not a vector artist, maybe you can become one! The *vbu features a list of tutorials on their front page, so check them out.

I hope you've enjoyed this. If you have any feedback about the article itself, or want to discuss anything vector related, don't hesitate to do so! There's more to come soon...


Back Issues
Issue #4 - Tutorials
Issue #3 - Portraits
Issue #2 - Consumer Electronics
Issue #1 - Silhouette Landscapes