Top 3 Websites to Download Free Vector Illustrations

Pixelated, fuzzy images repel internet users and can ruin the overall impression of a composition. That’s why professional designers and content creators ensure the high quality of visuals used in their projects. A vector illustration can be a solution for precise design project development.

Vectors do not lose quality, even after considerable scaling; this is due to their unique structure. So, designers and content creators use vector graphics in most of their projects. In this article, you will learn how to implement hand-drawn images to create professional-looking designs, and discover three sources to download free vector illustrations. Read on!

What is a vector graphic illustration?

Vector illustrations are digital visuals created with simple geometric shapes like points, lines, and curves. Picture elements are based on mathematical formulas that specify the location of every point in the composition; during rescaling or editing, these formulas get automatically recalculated. Digital artists create vector graphics in specialized software, e.g., Adobe Illustrator.

To better understand vector illustrations, consider learning about raster graphics. Unlike vectors, rasters are pictures made up of pixel grids, not geometrical shapes. Pixels display specific colors, forming an entire visual. When zooming in on raster graphics, you can see your picture getting pixelated. On the contrary, vectors always maintain the same quality.

What are vector graphics used for?

Vector illustrations are multipurpose visuals that can perfectly fit any design. You can create web projects, apps, marketing materials, and animated scenes using them. Vector-style projects look visually appealing due to their simplicity. That’s why most designers consider adding drawn pictures to their projects. Moreover, vector graphics can be a great solution to create printed materials. You can use them to illustrate books and design unique patterns for clothing.

Where can you download free vector artwork?

You can search for and download free vector illustrations on stock content marketplaces. These online platforms provide vast libraries of thematic visuals, allowing you to browse millions of files and choose the best ones that suit your projects. Stock content marketplaces offer the best-quality vectors that are properly licensed for commercial usage.

Depositphotos

Depositphotos is a leading stock content marketplace that offers 230+ million royalty-free images, music, and videos. This includes 70,000 free files, among which you can find vector illustrations. Using advanced filters, you can sort provided pictures by specified criteria and quickly find appealing visuals for your designs. Moreover, updated weekly curated collections allow you to search for trendy, inspirational images. To download files on Depositphotos, you must create a free account. After registration, you will also get a free 7-day trial with ten complimentary premium images.

How can you download free vector files on Depositphotos?

Visit the free files section, available at https://depositphotos.com/free-files-all.html.
Select the Vector file type, enter your request, and start searching.
Browse the results and select the preferred image.
Choose the vector format and click on the Download Vector button to save the picture on your device.

Freepik

Freepik is a well-known free stock content marketplace that allows you to download vector illustrations, backgrounds, stock photos, logos, fonts, videos, and other design elements. This platform offers a vast library of assets with 48+ million files, and you can use the powerful search engine to find the necessary visuals easily. Moreover, daily updates with new quality photos and illustrations ensure you always find what you need for your design projects. Freepik’s powerful search engine allows you to find the necessary images quickly with specific keyword searches. In addition, you can filter the search results according to specific criteria, such as file type or color.

How to download vector files on Freepik:

Visit the official Freepik website.
Enter your search request in the search box, and then select Vector Images in the filters section.
Browse the pictures and select the one you want to download.
Click on the Download button and save the vector file on your device.
Choose the file type: EPS, AI, JPG…

Pixabay

Pixabay is a free online library of stock images that contains over 2.6 million vectors, illustrations, clip art, and icons. International contributors share their royalty-free files on the platform. You can browse trendy picture collections or enter your search request to find a specific image for your design project. The platform functionality allows sorting files by orientation, size, and color to help you quickly find visuals.

Follow these steps to download vector files on Pixabay:

Go to the Pixabay official website.
Select Vector Graphics in the search box and enter your request.
Browse files and apply filters to clarify the inquiry and find needed search results.
Choose a preferred image, click on it, and select the Free Download option to save the vector.

Vecteezy

This online stock content marketplace offers over 60,000 royalty-free vectors, clip arts, icons, background images, and patterns. Vectors are featured in a separate section, allowing you to find needed pictures easily. The library is added to daily with new trendy visuals. You can browse curated picture collections to find appealing scenes for your designs. Vecteezy also allows sorting files by license type, color, and orientation, significantly simplifying the search process. When using free Vecteezy files for commercial purposes, you must attribute the platform.

How to download free vector files from Vecteezy:

Go to the official website.
Select Vectors in the search box and enter your request.
Choose the Free License in the filters section.
Browse pictures and choose the one you like.
Click on the Free Download button to save the vector.

If you don’t have a premium subscription, you will need to give attribution to Freepik in your designs; in case you don’t want to do that, purchasing a subscription is the best option for you. In addition, it’ll give you access to exclusive content.

Conclusion

Vector illustrations are in great demand among content creators and designers, allowing them to make simple and visually appealing compositions. You can rescale vectors as much as you need without them losing quality. This way, your designs will remain sharp and rich in detail. You can use vector illustrations to create web projects, apps, marketing materials, animated scenes, and illustrate books. Netizens frequently download vectors from stock content marketplaces, as these sources feature millions of free, licensed files for commercial use.

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