Which Map Format to Choose for Print and Design: PDF, SVG, AI, EPS, CDR
The designer opens Illustrator on macOS — needs AI or SVG. The polygrapher only accepts PDF/X-4 for typography. A Russian magazine requests CDR for CorelDRAW. The artist makes a poster in Affinity Designer. Grandma-teacher prepares a district map for class — PNG suffices. Each situation requires its own format, and the wrong choice means hours of rework, re-export, RGB-to-CMYK fixes, font reworks. This article — step-by-step format selection for print and design.
Step 1: Print Size
| Size | Recommended format | DPI | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business card 90×50 mm | Vector (SVG/PDF/AI) | 300+ | Tiny text — pixelation visible |
| A5–A4 (home poster, flyer) | PDF or PNG 300 DPI | 300 | Raster works |
| A3 (wall newspaper, ad) | PDF vector or PNG 300 DPI | 300 | Marginal — raster still acceptable |
| A2–A1 (poster) | Vector mandatory (PDF/SVG/AI/EPS) | — | PNG pixelates when enlarged |
| A0 and larger (billboard, exhibit) | Vector mandatory (PDF-X/EPS) | — | Raster physically can't handle |
Simple rule: up to A3 — raster PNG/JPG/TIFF at 300 DPI works acceptably. From A2 and larger — only vector formats. This isn't "let me try raster on A1" — raster on A1 pixelates visibly, and the typography either rejects or prints poorly, blaming you.
Step 2: Which Designer Software?
| Software | Best import format | Price | Tip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adobe Illustrator | AI (native) or EPS, SVG, PDF | $20.99/mo | Use AI if fully in Illustrator |
| CorelDRAW | CDR (native) or AI, EPS, SVG | ~$300 one-time | RU/CIS print standard |
| Affinity Designer | AI or SVG, PDF | ~$50 one-time | Open standards; AI reads with minimal loss |
| Affinity Publisher | PDF or SVG | ~$50 one-time | For magazines, books with maps |
| Inkscape | SVG (native) or PDF, EPS | Free (GPL) | Open-source Illustrator alternative |
| Figma | SVG or PDF | Free / $15/mo | For UI/UX, not typography print |
| Adobe Photoshop | PSD, PNG, TIFF | $20.99/mo | Raster editing |
| GIMP | PNG, TIFF | Free (GPL) | Open-source raster |
| Adobe InDesign | PDF, AI, EPS, SVG | $20.99/mo | Layout for multi-page documents |
| Scribus | PDF, SVG, EPS | Free | Open-source layout |
Source material format almost always dictated by what your designer uses. Ask "which format easier for you to open" — saves hours of conversion.
Step 3: CMYK or RGB?
Fundamental question many beginners skip.
RGB (Red Green Blue) — for screens. Monitors, TVs, phones, projectors — all RGB. Color space sRGB or Adobe RGB. Standard for web. All base formats (PNG, JPG, SVG) default to RGB.
CMYK (Cyan Magenta Yellow Black) — for print. Printer lays four inks on paper, final color from mixing. CMYK colors are muted vs RGB: bright green or blue RGB looks duller on paper. Standard for all commercial polygraphy.
RGB → CMYK conversion is mandatory for typography. If you give typography an RGB file, they either: 1) convert themselves (often poorly, colors lose saturation), 2) refuse to print. Professional workflow — conversion in designer software (Illustrator: Edit → Convert to Profile → CMYK) with preview of final colors.
Which formats support CMYK:
- PDF (PDF/X-4) — yes, natively. Typography standard.
- EPS — yes, via PostScript color space.
- AI — yes, natively in Illustrator CMYK mode.
- TIFF — yes, via CMYK color channel (instead of RGB).
- CDR — yes, natively in CorelDRAW.
- SVG — no. SVG 1.1 knows only sRGB. Solution: convert SVG → PDF/X via Illustrator or Inkscape with CMYK profile assigned.
- PNG — no. PNG 1.x and 2.x are RGB only. PNG 3.0 (2025) theoretically allows ICC profile but not used in polygraphy.
- JPG — formally yes via embedded ICC, but poorly supported. Use TIFF.
Step 4: Editable at Typography?
Typography may request "editable" file — so their specialists can adjust size, add crop marks, place brand logo. Critical for commercial polygraphy.
| Format | Editable at typography | What can be edited |
|---|---|---|
| Limited (Acrobat Pro) | Text, simple objects | |
| PDF/X-4 | Fully | Everything — production standard |
| AI | Yes, natively in Illustrator | Everything |
| EPS | Yes, in Illustrator/CorelDRAW | Everything, text often converted to curves |
| CDR | Yes, natively in CorelDRAW | Everything |
| SVG | Yes, in Inkscape/Illustrator | Everything |
| PNG/JPG/TIFF | Only in Photoshop as raster | Pixels, not vectors |
If task is to deliver "ready file to typography table," and they edit to their standards — give PDF/X-4 or AI/CDR. Ask in advance.
Step 5: Bleed and Crop Marks
For typography print:
Bleed — 3–5 mm strip outside the final format where background is printed. After paper cut at crop marks this strip goes to scraps. Without bleed, thin white strips may appear on edges where the machine slightly missed.
Crop marks — small black ticks at corners marking the cut line.
Formats supporting bleed and crop marks:
- PDF/X-4 — built-in via TrimBox, BleedBox, CropBox. Typography standard.
- AI — native via Document Setup → Bleed.
- EPS — via Illustrator export settings.
- CDR — native in CorelDRAW.
- SVG, PNG, JPG — no built-in support. Bleed added manually (canvas extension), crop marks drawn as separate objects.
For serious typography with 100+ copy print runs — use PDF/X-4 with proper bleed and crop marks.
DPI Guide for Print
| Usage | DPI | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Web, soft-screen | 72–96 | Monitor standard |
| Retina mobile, HD soft-screen | 144–192 | Modern displays |
| Home print on office printer | 150 | Sufficient for most |
| Commercial polygraphy A4–A3 | 300 | Minimum for quality |
| Commercial polygraphy A2+ | 300–600 | Larger format, less critical DPI |
| Tiny labels on print | 600 | If micro-text needed |
300 DPI — gold standard for commercial print. Less — pixelation visible up close. More — typography rounds to its raster (usually 300 DPI), file gets heavier without visual difference.
Format Comparison Table
| Format | Type | CMYK | Bleed/Crop | Editable | Size for A1 map | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PDF/X-4 | Vector+Raster | Yes | Built-in | Yes (Acrobat Pro) | 3–15 MB | Commercial typography (print run) |
| PDF/A | Vector+Raster | Yes | Via canvas | Limited | 3–15 MB | Archival |
| PDF basic | Vector+Raster | Yes | No | Limited | 3–15 MB | Web docs, simple printable |
| SVG | Vector | No (RGB only) | Via canvas | Yes (any editor) | 2–10 MB | Web, design, up to A3 |
| AI | Vector | Yes (native) | Built-in | Yes (Illustrator) | 5–25 MB | Print prep in Illustrator |
| EPS | Vector (PostScript) | Yes | Via bleed | Yes (Illustrator) | 8–40 MB | Legacy typography, laser printers |
| CDR | Vector | Yes (native) | Built-in | Yes (CorelDRAW) | 4–20 MB | RU polygraphy, Corel designers |
| TIFF | Raster | Yes (CMYK channel) | Via canvas | Raster (Photoshop) | 50–250 MB at 300 DPI | Raster print, GIS |
| TIFF-CMYK | Raster CMYK | Yes | Via canvas | Raster | 50–250 MB | Glossy magazines |
| PSD | Raster + layers | Yes | Via canvas | Fully in Photoshop | 80–400 MB | Art-design with effects |
| PNG | Raster RGB | No | No | Limited | 20–80 MB at 300 DPI | Web, docs, up to A3 |
| JPG | Raster RGB | Limited | No | Limited | 5–25 MB at 300 DPI | Social, email, web catalog |
OSM Maps for Print and Design via osm2cdr.ru
osm2cdr has all major design formats. Workflow depends on your task.
Scenario 1: designer on Illustrator makes A2 exhibition poster. Outline area → choose AI (or SVG free) → choose minimal or vintage style → open in Illustrator → recolor to brand → add text → Export → PDF/X-4.
Scenario 2: typography requests PDF/X-4 for commercial print run. Choose PDF in Wizard. PRO tier — PDF/X-4 with CMYK profile. Alternative: SVG → Illustrator → File → Save As → PDF/X-4 with bleed 3 mm, crop marks.
Scenario 3: blogger makes image for article. Choose PNG or JPG. DPI 150, standard or minimal style. Download → upload to site.
Scenario 4: artist makes city poster for exhibition. Choose SVG. vintage or monochrome style. Inkscape or Photoshop → artistic processing → Export to PSD for composition or PDF for print.
Scenario 5: Russian designer on CorelDRAW for local typography. Choose CDR directly. Any style. Open in CorelDRAW → refine → Export → PDF.
FAQ
PDF or AI for typography? PDF/X-4 (production PDF standard). Most typographies accept it. AI accepted if typography is in Adobe ecosystem. PDF more universal.
What is PDF/X-4 and why? PDF profile for commercial print (ISO 15930). Includes CMYK profile, embedded fonts, bleed and crop marks, color specs. All world typographies understand PDF/X-4 the same. Created via Illustrator File → Save As → PDF → PDF/X-4 preset.
Can I get CMYK directly from osm2cdr? Free tier — no, exports sRGB. PRO tier — output profile configurable. Universal workflow: export SVG (free) → Illustrator → Edit → Convert to Profile → CMYK.
Does osm2cdr SVG work for print? Up to A3 — yes, after PDF/X-4 conversion in Illustrator or Inkscape (set CMYK profile). For A2+ also check font quality (some fonts may not embed in SVG; convert to curves before PDF export).
Why does my PDF look correct on screen but prints strangely? Likely color profile issue — screen RGB, print CMYK. Open PDF in Acrobat Pro → File → Properties → Color → check profile. If RGB — re-save as PDF/X-4 with CMYK profile.
What is bleed and why important? Bleed — 3–5 mm beyond final format where background extends. Without bleed, after paper cut by typography machine, thin white strips may appear on edges. All professional formats (PDF/X, AI, CDR) support bleed.
Can I print PNG map at A1? Technically yes, but not recommended. PNG at 300 DPI on A1 (594×841 mm) gives 50–100 MB and pixelates up close. Use vector format (SVG, PDF, AI).
Which format for magazine illustration? TIFF-CMYK for raster styles (satellite, watercolor). PDF/X-4 for most maps. Confirm magazine's preset — large publications often require specific profile (Adobe ISO Coated v2 ECI).
Can I save PSD from osm2cdr? Yes, osm2cdr supports PSD export preserving OSM layers as separate Photoshop layers. Allows designer to independently recolor buildings, roads, water, add effects. Details — PSD and Photoshop.
Related Materials
- Map export for typography print
- SVG — complete vector format guide
- PSD and Photoshop: maps as art objects
- AI and EPS — maps for Adobe Illustrator
- Which format for CAD import
- PNG — complete format guide
- PDF format landing
- SVG format landing
Sources
- ISO 15930:2020, PDF/X — iso.org/standard/74948.html
- Adobe Illustrator, PDF/X export — helpx.adobe.com/illustrator
- ECI (European Color Initiative) — eci.org
- Fogra Print Forum, CMYK standards — fogra.org
- CorelDRAW Documentation — corel.com/en/coreldraw
- Wikipedia, PDF/X — en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PDF/X
- Affinity Designer Press Guide — affinity.serif.com