Raster vs. Vector Wrap Templates: Why Print Shops Are Ditching TIFFs

For years, the vehicle wrap industry has been held hostage by heavy, pixelated raster files. Print shops have been paying premium annual subscriptions just to download bloated 2GB layered TIFFs that lag their design software and crash their plotters.

You cannot wrap a next-generation commercial fleet using a last-generation prepress workflow. It is time to ditch the pixels and upgrade to vector geometry.

The Problem with Raster (JPEG/TIFF) Templates Raster images are built out of pixels. When you try to scale a raster template to fit a massive extended-wheelbase Sprinter van, those pixels stretch, blur, and distort. Panel gaps become fuzzy gray lines. Door handles lose their exact edges. By the time the file reaches your RIP software, your designer is guessing where the bleed should end.

The Vector Advantage (SVG/EPS) Vector templates are built using mathematical equations (bezier curves) instead of pixels. This means you can scale a vector vehicle outline to the size of a matchbook or the size of a billboard, and the lines will remain razor-sharp.

When you use a 1:20 scale vector blueprint from GravBase:

• File sizes are tiny: An EPS vector file is a fraction of the size of a layered TIFF. Your computer won't freeze when you open it in Adobe Illustrator or CorelDRAW.

• RIP software processes it instantly: Plotters and RIP software prefer clean geometry. Sending mathematically perfect paths to your printer speeds up production.

• Color keys are absolute: Our premium vector templates feature separated color keys. You can drop your artwork directly behind the vehicle's body lines without having to manually trace clipping masks.

Save Your Sanity Stop paying $800 a year for fuzzy pixels. GravBase offers 18,350+ vehicle templates built on flawless vector geometry. Download a free 300 dpi JPG to mockup your client's design, and upgrade to the $4.99 Design-Ready EPS when it's time to send it to the plotter.