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Inkscape Save as Vector: How to Keep a Redrawn Logo Truly Vector

How to save a vector file from Inkscape, choose between Inkscape SVG, Plain SVG, PDF and EPS, and check that a logo redrawn from a sketch has no leftover raster content.

Published

Contents
  1. The short answer
  2. Which format to choose
  3. Step by step: from sketch tracing to a clean vector file
  4. How to verify the result
  5. Gaps to note

The short answer

Inkscape already saves in a vector format by default. Use File > Save As (Shift+Ctrl+S) and choose Inkscape SVG. This gives you an editable vector master. For delivery, save extra copies as Plain SVG, PDF or EPS. Do not use the Export dialog for this. Export (Shift+Ctrl+E) produces PNG and other raster images, which are grids of pixels and are not vector.

A vector file describes shapes mathematically, as paths built from points and curves, so it can be scaled to any size without blurring. A raster (bitmap) image stores a fixed grid of pixels. One distinction matters most when you redraw a logo from a hand-drawn sketch. Saving as SVG does not make every object in the file vector. If the scanned sketch is still on the canvas, the SVG will contain that raster image alongside your paths.

Which format to choose

Format | What it keeps | Typical use
Inkscape SVG | Paths plus Inkscape-specific data such as layers, guides and live path effect settings | Your editable working master
Plain SVG | Standard SVG without Inkscape's extra editor data | Web use, other vector editors, handing to developers
Optimized SVG | Plain SVG cleaned and minified by the Scour optimizer | Lightweight web delivery, after you check the visual result
PDF | Vector paths in a page-based document; text can be embedded or converted | Print vendors, opening in other design applications
EPS | Vector paths in an older PostScript-based format | Legacy print workflows that specifically request it

Inkscape does not save native Adobe Illustrator (.ai) files. If someone asks for an Illustrator-compatible file, PDF is the usual substitute. Confirm with the recipient that PDF is acceptable.

Step by step: from sketch tracing to a clean vector file

  • 1. Finish the redraw. Build the logo with the Bezier tool (B), or with Path > Trace Bitmap (Shift+Alt+B), working over the imported sketch.
  • 2. Remove the reference sketch. Delete the scanned image, or put it on its own layer and delete that layer before saving the delivery copy. Hiding it still leaves the image inside the file.
  • 3. Bake live path effects. Select the affected objects and run Path > Object to Path (Shift+Ctrl+C). This turns live effects into ordinary paths that other software reads the same way.
  • 4. Decide how to handle text. In the delivery copy, convert lettering to outlines with Path > Object to Path. Recipients then do not need your fonts. Keep the editable text in your master file.
  • 5. Optionally outline strokes. Path > Stroke to Path turns strokes into filled shapes, so line weights stay proportional when the logo is resized in other applications.
  • 6. Fit the page to the artwork. Select everything and use Resize Page to Selection (Shift+Ctrl+R) to remove empty margins around the logo.
  • 7. Save the master with File > Save As and choose Inkscape SVG.
  • 8. Save delivery copies with File > Save a Copy (Shift+Ctrl+Alt+S) and choose Plain SVG, PDF or EPS. Using Save a Copy keeps your open document pointed at the master.

The PDF and EPS save dialogs offer options for text and for filter effects. Choose to convert text to paths, or embed fonts if the recipient needs live text. Filters such as blur are not vector in these formats. They are rasterized at the resolution you set, so a logo intended to be fully vector should avoid filters entirely.

How to verify the result

A .svg, .pdf or .eps extension does not prove that a file contains only vector shapes, that it is easy to edit, or that you may reuse the logo. Check the content itself before delivery:

  • Select everything on all layers with Edit > Select All in All Layers (Ctrl+Alt+A) and read the status bar. It should list paths or groups, not images.
  • Use Edit > Find/Replace (Ctrl+F) and limit the search to images. If it finds anything, raster content remains.
  • Switch to outline display through View > Display Mode > Outline. Vector paths show as thin outlines, and embedded bitmaps show as boxes.
  • Zoom in far on curves and edges. Vector edges stay sharp, while traced or embedded pixels look blocky.
  • Close the delivery copy and reopen it, ideally in a second application, to confirm that fonts, colors and shapes survived.

For an SVG, you can also search the file's text directly. Image elements indicate embedded or linked raster content:

grep -c "<image" logo-delivery.svg

A result of 0 means the file has no SVG image elements. It does not check for rasterized filters in PDF or EPS copies, so use the visual checks above for those formats.

Gaps to note

No version-specific documentation was supplied for this guide. Menu names, dialog layouts and some shortcuts differ between Inkscape releases. If a command is not where it is described here, check the Help menu or keyboard shortcut reference for your installed version. The guide also cannot confirm which format a particular printer, platform or client requires. Ask the recipient for their file specification before final delivery.