Vector Graphics Generation

Core Philosophy

1. Pick the right model for the job. QuiverAI Arrow produces the highest-quality SVGs (1583 Elo, #1 SVG Arena). Recraft V4 on fal.ai is the best option when you need sub-style control or cost efficiency.
2. Every SVG must be production-ready. Run SVGO, verify viewBox, check file size, remove embedded rasters. Never ship raw AI output.
3. Prompt quality determines output quality. Specific, structured prompts with style keywords and color control produce clean vectors. Vague prompts produce unusable output.
4. Match the tool to the task. Icons need different models, prompts, and optimization than hero illustrations or logos. Select deliberately.
5. Cost awareness matters. Arrow is free tier (20/week) or paid API. Recraft V4 SVG costs $0.08, V4 Pro $0.30. Choose accordingly.

Quick-Start: Generate Vector Graphics

"I need an SVG icon"

1. Set FAL_KEY environment variable (for fal.ai) or QUIVER_API_KEY (for QuiverAI).
2. Call Recraft V4 text-to-vector for fast, cost-effective icons:

   const result = await fal.subscribe("fal-ai/recraft/v4/text-to-vector", {
     input: {
       prompt: "minimal settings gear icon, flat design, monochrome black, centered",
       image_size: "square_hd"
     }
   });
   

   Or use QuiverAI Arrow for highest quality:

   const response = await quiver.svgs.generate({
     model: "arrow-1",
     prompt: "minimal settings gear icon, flat design, monochrome black, centered"
   });
   

3. Download SVG from the response URL.
4. Optimize with SVGO: svgo --precision 1 --multipass icon.svg -> See references/text-to-vector-models.md for all model options -> See references/prompt-engineering.md for icon prompt patterns

"I need a hero illustration"

1. Use Recraft V4 Pro for high-detail native SVG:

   const result = await fal.subscribe("fal-ai/recraft/v4/pro/text-to-vector", {
     input: {
       prompt: "team collaboration workspace illustration, people at desks with laptops, editorial flat style",
       image_size: "landscape_16_9",
       colors: [{ r: 99, g: 102, b: 241 }, { r: 249, g: 115, b: 22 }]
     }
   });
   

2. Or use V3 two-step pipeline for specific sub-style control (22 styles).
3. Optimize with SVGO. -> See references/prompt-engineering.md for illustration prompts -> See references/image-to-svg-conversion.md for vectorization

"I need to convert an existing image to SVG"

1. Use fal-ai/image2svg for cheapest conversion ($0.005):

   const result = await fal.subscribe("fal-ai/image2svg", {
     input: { image_url: "https://example.com/logo.png" }
   });
   

2. Or use fal-ai/recraft/vectorize for higher quality ($0.01).
3. Download and optimize. -> See references/image-to-svg-conversion.md for all options

"I need a batch of consistent assets"

1. Use the colors parameter to enforce brand palette across all generations.
2. Use the same model and sub-style for visual consistency.
3. Generate in a loop, optimize each output. -> See references/use-case-recipes.md for batch pipeline code

Decision Trees

Model Selection (March 2026)

Need	Model	Endpoint / SDK	Cost	SVG Arena Elo
Highest quality SVG	QuiverAI Arrow 1	@quiverai/sdk	Free tier / paid	1583 (#1)
Native SVG (fal.ai)	Recraft V4	fal-ai/recraft/v4/text-to-vector	$0.08	—
High-res native SVG	Recraft V4 Pro	fal-ai/recraft/v4/pro/text-to-vector	$0.30	—
Styled illustration SVG	Recraft V3 + vectorize	fal-ai/recraft/v3/text-to-image → vectorize	$0.09	—
Convert image to SVG	Recraft Vectorize	fal-ai/recraft/vectorize	$0.01	—
Cheap image to SVG	Image2SVG	fal-ai/image2svg	$0.005	—

Pipeline Selection

Scenario	Pipeline	Total Cost
Simple icon/logo (best quality)	QuiverAI Arrow → SVGO	Free tier
Simple icon/logo (fal.ai)	V4 text-to-vector → SVGO	$0.08
Styled illustration (specific sub-style)	V3 vector_illustration → vectorize → SVGO	$0.09
Existing image	image2svg → SVGO	$0.005
Highest quality (fal.ai)	V4 Pro text-to-vector → SVGO	$0.30

Vector Sub-Style Selection (Recraft V3 Pipeline)

Use the V3 two-step pipeline when you need a specific illustration style.

Use Case	Recommended Sub-Style
UI icons	line_art, thin, sharp_contrast
App icons	roundish_flat, bold_stroke, vivid_shapes
Editorial illustrations	editorial, emotional_flat, infographical
Logo marks	bold_stroke, cutout, sharp_contrast
Technical diagrams	line_circuit, infographical, thin
Artistic illustrations	cosmics, mosaic, naiveart
Print/engraving	engraving, linocut, colored_stencil

SVG Type File Size Targets

SVG Type	Target Size	Max Paths
UI icon (24px)	< 1 KB	1-5
Feature icon (48px)	< 2 KB	5-15
Logo	< 10 KB	5-30
Illustration	< 30 KB	20-100
Background pattern	< 5 KB	5-20

Authentication

fal.ai — Set the FAL_KEY environment variable:

export FAL_KEY="YOUR_FAL_KEY"

Install: npm install @fal-ai/client (JS) or pip install fal-client (Python).

QuiverAI — Set the QUIVER_API_KEY environment variable:

export QUIVER_API_KEY="YOUR_QUIVER_KEY"

Install: npm install @quiverai/sdk

-> See references/fal-api-reference.md for complete fal.ai setup -> See references/text-to-vector-models.md for QuiverAI Arrow setup

Reference Files

File	Contents
references/fal-api-reference.md	fal.ai authentication, client setup (JS/Python/REST), request patterns (subscribe, queue, sync), response format, file upload, error handling, downloading SVG results
references/text-to-vector-models.md	QuiverAI Arrow 1 (#1 SVG Arena), Recraft V4/V4 Pro text-to-vector, Recraft V3 sub-style catalog (22 styles), model comparison with SVG Arena rankings, pricing
references/image-to-svg-conversion.md	recraft/vectorize, image2svg, star-vector endpoints, two-step pipeline, Potrace CLI, input preparation, quality comparison, limitations
references/prompt-engineering.md	Prompt structure formula, icon/illustration/logo/pattern prompt templates, style keyword catalog, negative prompts, color control, sub-style mapping, common mistakes
references/svg-optimization.md	AI-generated SVG issues and fixes, SVGO setup and config, manual cleanup checklist, path simplification, file size targets, accessibility, batch processing
references/svg-integration-patterns.md	React/Vue SVG components, icon system architecture, SVG sprite sheets, CSS background SVGs, responsive SVGs, dark mode adaptation, animation basics, bundler config
references/use-case-recipes.md	Complete end-to-end recipes: icon sets, hero illustrations, empty states, logo variations, background patterns, image-to-SVG conversion, brand-consistent assets, batch generation pipeline