This is called the "Subpar" rejection. Perhaps you're familiar with it. It means there's a certain something lacking from your illustration that is holding it back from the collection. But what does that mean, "not suitable"? What isn't suitable about it? What the h*ck is subpar around these parts? To help demonstrate some of the common causes for subpar rejections we sent our vector inspectors away with some homework. Each inspector created 2 illustrations of the same subject, one demonstrating common subpar issues. There’s just something about a subpar vector that’s easier to show than to explain. The second illustration then corrects the problems of the subpar version, making it suitable not just for stock, but for iStock.

Most of the time, subpar has nothing to do with your concept or subject matter: it has to do with how well you pull it off. Every little decision, even the ones no one notices, will impact your final illustration. So kick back and relax, and see if you can spot what makes the “good” vectors better than their subpar counterparts. Full article