Vectorizing a crest: why your JPEG isn't enough
A scanned drawing or a photo of a crest can't be turned into a patch with a single click. Here's what the workshop actually does with your file, and why the format matters.
The problem with JPEG
You often send us a photo of your squadron crest, a scan of an old patch, or a screenshot. That's a good starting point, but it's not a production file.
A JPEG (like a PNG or a scan) is a raster image: it's made of pixels. Enlarge it and it goes blurry. Zoom in on an outline and you'll see staircase edges. For a patch of 8 or 9 cm where every line counts, it can't be used as is.
Raster versus vector
A vector image doesn't store pixels but curves and points defined mathematically. A circle stays crisp whether it's 2 cm or 2 metres. Common vector formats are AI, EPS, vector PDF and SVG.
To make a patch, we need clean outlines: each colour area must be a closed shape, each line a clean stroke. That's what lets us define colours, embroidery stitching, PVC moulds or woven threads.
What the workshop does with your drawing
When you send us a JPEG, our first job is the redraw. A designer takes your image and rebuilds it in vector form. There's no magic button.
Automatic vectorization tools exist. On a complex crest they produce dirty outlines: dozens of useless points, colours that bleed, gradients impossible to reproduce in embroidery. We almost never use them for a final result.
In practice, we redraw by hand over your image. We simplify what needs it, clean up the lines, separate the colours, and adapt the details to the chosen technique. A crest with a sky gradient, for example, will be handled differently in embroidery (flat thread areas) and in PVC (a fade is possible).
Why details get lost
A motto in small type, fine decoration, a subtle gradient: everything that looks fine on screen doesn't necessarily survive on 8 cm of fabric or PVC. The redraw is also when we flag issues: this text will be illegible, that shade won't hold in embroidery.
That's why we ask for the best possible source. An original vector file (if your unit has one) saves time and keeps the result faithful. Failing that, a high-resolution scan beats a photo shot at an angle, and a sharp photo beats a pixelated screenshot.
What we recommend you send
In order of preference: the official vector file of the crest (AI, EPS, PDF), otherwise a high-resolution PNG or scan, otherwise a well-framed, well-lit photo. State the colours if you know them, ideally as Pantone references.
If your unit has an official crest, tell us: we respect heraldic codes and never alter a regulation emblem without your agreement.
The redraw is part of the job
Vector redrawing isn't a separately billed option with us: it's included in preparing your order. The result is presented to you on a free proof (BAT) within 48 hours, which you approve before any production.
That's the right moment to check everything: colours, proportions, motto legibility, line thickness. Nothing goes to production without your green light. Send us your best file through the site, even an imperfect one — we'll get it back into shape.