Hot Take: I think people get too caught up in the nitty gritty of how to pitch to companies and in what format… I get the question sometimes, “Raster or Vector?” My answer, “BOTH.”
You don’t have to work in vector to license your art. Both vector and raster art can be licensed successfully it just depends on the end use and what the company needs.
Vector art (Illustrator files, SVG, EPS)
Infinite scalability (no loss of quality when resized)
Easier for companies to adapt to different product sizes
Commonly preferred for things like logos, large-format prints, and products that need flexibility in scale
Raster art (Procreate, Photoshop, TIFF, PNG, JPEG)
Works beautifully for painterly, textured, or hand-done styles, which IS SO HOT RIGHT NOW.
Most common in surface design, especially for textiles, stationery, and home decor, again that’s me! :)
As long as it’s created at a high resolution (300 dpi at full size), it can absolutely be licensed
Many companies actually love raster art because it feels more organic and less “digital.” The key is file prep: make sure you provide clean, high-res files, and be upfront with clients about the format you work in. Some clients may request adjustments (like scale changes or vector conversions), but often, they’ll work with what you provide if it fits their product needs.